The Best View in Town

Dining Room



Good shot of our view...the buildings to the left are Waikiki, and the mountain is called Diamond Head.




The exterior of the building...valet parking only.


So, the above pictures are stolen shots of the restaurant I work at, a place called 53 by the Sea.  It is so named because it pier # 53 on this pier.  It is in a part of town called Kaka'ako, which is just down the hill from where Kyle and I live, which is in Makiki.  For some perspective, it is probably only a mile away from downtown Honolulu, and about 2 miles away from Waikiki.  It is not in a main strip, like most of the restaurants here.  Instead, you have to drive through a slightly sketchy part of the street, where some rundown docks are and where some of the homeless come to congregate, before you arrive.  However, it is kind of like a beacon in the rundown-ness of its neighborhood, as it is the majestic looking structure that just begs for photo opportunities.  It cuts an impressive figure.

Once you step inside, it continues to impress.  If you want more information about the menu, or more pictures, you can go to either of these following links to find info like this:

http://53bythesea.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/53-by-the-sea-honolulu

If you go to the Yelp site, click on photos to scroll through.

It's a pretty amazing spot and i feel lucky that I got a job there right away.  The reviews have been great, and we are busy every night.  The management is a bit scared to book us to capacity, as these first three months are crucial in the word of mouth sort of way.  However, once we have been open another month or two, I am sure our business will pick up even faster. Let me backtrack though a bit and start from the beginning.

After only one day here, Kyle and I were hitting the Internet/craigslist hard, applying for jobs at any decent looking restaurant we could find.  Some people are surprised when they hear how fast we found these jobs, but I think it was just all about saturating the market with our resumes.  I was hired by 53 nine days after landing here.  I had even found another job before that, working at the Hawai'i yacht club.  However, after my first day there, it was clear that I wouldn't be making great money, and I had heard enough "tales" from the girls training me about the management to give me great hesitation.  She would assure me that it was a great place to work, but then there would be another story of their massive mood swings or manipulations.  So imagine my great relief when after my first day there, the head of HR called me to offer me the job at 53. I didn't think I had it after my interview, b/c I felt underdressed (I was wearing a cute top and jean skirt, but the girl applying next to me was WAY better dressed), and b/c the general manager is impossible to read.  His name is Shige, he is Japanese, and smiles are rarer than cold days in Hawaii.  So I figured I was going to have to keep looking, as the Yacht club job would have only been part time.  But I got the job, and they wanted me to start immediately, so I did something I don't usually do.  I quit the yacht club after the first day.  I was that employee.  However, I have no regrets.  I think I clearly made the right decision.

The first week there with training was EXHAUSTING.  I was training crazy hours (a sign of things to come) and Kyle and I were moving into our new place at the same time, and I was discovering that just because a job is in walking distance, it does not mean it is an easy commute (see: previous mentions of the beastly hill). I was sooooo tired and my feet were soooooo busted after that first week.  Remember, I hadn't waited tables since pre-Iraq, so my body was also not prepared for the physical toll that serving takes.  I was used to cushy desk jobs where I surf the internet and find new ways to stay awake.  Now I was waiting tables at a restaurant where there is little time to take a break, and if you wanted to, there are next to no places to grab a seat.  The management is very concerned with appearances, so though I am surrounded by gorgeous couches and chairs, I cannot sit in them ever.  Add to this a 1.7 mile commute there and back, and in almost full uniform, and it was a rough first week.  However, we eventually got internet so I could figure out some shortened routes with the help of the bus, and my schedule started to even out a bit more.  Heck, I'm only working 40 hours this week instead of my usual 50, and I had two days off in a row last week!!  My feet are adjusting and my body is getting used to the physicality of the job.

As for the work itself, fine dining is kind of tedious. It is basically being an incredibly gracious server, hoping your few tables order well and tip better, and in between all of this, tons of polishing.  Polishing silver, polishing glassware, polishing champagne buckets, etc.  We spend sooooo much time polishing.  We get in 3 hours before our shifts start, and one hour of that is devoted to polishing your station.  We then spend at least 1.5 hours after our shift polishing all the freshly washed silverware and glassware.  If you had a good night financially, it can be worth it.  But heaven help you if your night sucked, b/c the polishing feels extra insulting if you aren't making very much.  I feel pretty fortunate that I have been making decent money.  Not amazing money most nights, but enough that as of right now, I am not worried about getting a second job.

Most of my co-workers are pretty great.  Actually, really great.  I've never met a nicer group of people outright.  I think it is the Hawai'i way, b/c at Kyle's job, they are the same.  There are a few people who aren't so awesome, but it is possible their lack of hospitality has only been highlighted by the extreme kindness of the rest.  Our management team is mostly Japanese.  Oh, i should mention that the restaurant is owned by a Japanese company and our head chef (and most our cooking staff) is Japanese.  AND, the building has an upstairs with private rooms and two chapels for weddings that cater to the Japanese.  But, we are an Italian restaurant with Hawaiian and Japanese influences.  Interesting, huh?  Anyways, every manager but one are Japanese and it has its own quirks.  They are all extremely helpful and for the most part, not at all intimidating.  However, Shige, the general manager, is intimidating enough for the rest of them.  They dress impeccably and are incredibly useful when you have a table that speaks very little English.  For instance, I have already waited on a famous Japanese pop start and baseball manager, and with the help of the managers, gave them great service.  Heck if I know who they are or what their names are, but according to management, they are very big VIP in Japan.

The food is expensive and I have tried next to nothing on the menu.  The chefs do cook a family meal every day, so I have had a lot of great versions of curry and various rice based dishes, as well as some truly excellent dumplings and soup.  I will take the first family member who visits me out to dinner here as a treat to both them and myself.  It will probably be Mom and Dad, so start drooling over the menu now, as I do daily.

As of right now, I have no plans to leave the job.  There are still some new restaurant quirks that I won't go into detail about, but that are annoying and that I would love to see go away.  Kyle got a second job at a Dave and Busters, which is supposedly great money, and if it sounds like that would pay better, I would consider going there and only working a little at 53 because of those quirks.  However, once we have a car, my commute won't suck as bad, and it will make the time I devote to the job seem way less, so maybe I'll just ride it out.  I mean, as you can see above, you can't beat that view.  I stare out the window every day while I polish and just soak it all in.  It is a stunning view and a perfect piece of Hawaii.  And, on Friday nights, the fireworks they do in Waikiki are visible, and I swear it will never get old.  So get your butts down here and we'll have a great meal with a gorgeous view, and maybe even learn a little Japanese.

The Abduction and a Dog Named Max

***Warning: Incredibly long blog post***

                                                            (Max at Ala Moana Park)

Hello all!  I think it was past time that I blogged again, since I have been BLISSFULLY with internet for over a week now.  Moving to Hawaii on a prayer and a dream has led to some harsh realities, such as the inconvenience of no internet combined with the inconvenience of no car.  Now, normally, no car is no biggie, if you have internet, b/c I can look up bus delays or (grumble, grumble), construction snafu's right by one's place of employment that prevent convenient partial bus rides home at midnight and instead force one to walk 1.6 miles (at least .7 of them up an incredibly cruel hill) after working a long shift with no sitting.  BUT, not having internet or a car makes everything really, really hard.  When I didn't have internet in the past, I would drive to the nearest coffee shop, get a cold beverage or pastry, and use their internet.  Or go to the library and sneak some hours in there.  However, with no car and no way of knowing where the library is, there is no stolen hours of internet.  There are two Starbucks at the bottom of the hill and a couple of blocks down, but who wants to lug that laptop back UP the hill?  Not me!  Kyle could, as he is a pro and has carried a Japanese folding screen up the hill for our apartment (another post to come).  Anyways, having neither was incredibly hard and provided me with a seriously grumpy week that forced me to eventually gain some serious perspective.  Also giving me perspective?  Internet and actually making some decent money at my new job. Just to give you an idea of how desolate I was without the internet, here is how I felt before we finally got it:





We are getting settled right now, enjoying our new apartment even with it's lack of furniture/furnishings.  We are cooking even, making do with a frying pan, a cookie sheet, and a wooden spoon!  Kyle made turkey meatloaf last night and I made broccoli cheddar chicken (mimicking our favorite Cracker Barrel dish) tonight!  That has been fun, and has felt like we are finally starting to live a small piece of the dream we imagined for ourselves.  The cooking may have involved a doggie dance party to the shuffle on my ipod, and a scenic view from our tiny, but effective lanai.

Kyle has developed a hard core addiction to the Goodwill nearby.  We found a fantastic collectors plate of Missouri (the kind you would see advertised at the back of a cheap magazine) and we plan to hang it in honor of our roots.  People here are fascinated with where we come from...I get asked that by customers at the restaurant I work in all the time (another future post...the job).  They love to hear that I came from a landlocked state in essentially flat terrain to a mountainous island surrounded by ocean and more ocean.  Other finds from Goodwill by Kyle:
-Multiple sets of chopsticks...Asian food (to no one's surprise) is extremely prevalent here, so we eat a lot of noodles with our many sets of reusable chopsticks.  Juli, you need to get your behind down here and experience the most Japanese place ever after Japan.
-A Tory Burch wallet for only $3.00!!!!  This is a gift for me and I am soooo excited.  For those who don't know, Tory Burch is a fashion designer who has a signature logo and I adore all things Tory Burch even though I can afford none of it.
-A plastic pitcher for my grape drink
-An adorable tray and dog food dishes that make the constant water spills of Luna not such a messy prospect

However, I digress.  I meant for this post to be mainly about the story of Max's terrifying afternoon the Saturday before we flew out.  I know Mom mentioned it, and I'm sure you have all heard a version of the story, but for posterity's sake, I wanted to get down my own telling.  As you all know, it has a happy ending, but even now I sometimes look at Max and get filled with the same helpless panic I felt that afternoon, thinking about not having my dog here on this adventure with me.  Enjoy the drama!

The Saturday before leaving promised to be a perfect one.  I woke up on the most comfortable couch ever with my dog tucked in my arms, and was delighted to see a toddler and a young lad as my treat for not sleeping in.  The family and I were going to Soulard Farmers Market, one of my all time favorite St. Louis destinations.  Emily knew I wanted to squeeze in one last trip there before I moved to a land where the backyard can feel like a farmers market, and bless her, she made it happen.  The whole gang went, and we enjoyed mini-donuts, gelato, cinnamon nuts, and random banjo lessons.  I got ingredients for the two dishes I was going to cook that night for my friends dinner, so it wasn't even a trip made in vain.

After the market, I had to say goodbye to Mom, Dad, and Sarah.  It was really hard.  Harder than I wanted to admit at the time.  Even now, I think about the most random instance (like playing Mario with Sarah or helping Mom and Dad with Sunday dinner) and I get a little teary.  At the time, I was not thinking about how Max was interpreting this.  He had spent the last few weeks watching me pack up my life, never to see it again, while also seeing me less because of the obscene overtime I was working.  He then watched as I (and mom) spent a frenzied Saturday packing and running around and loading up a car with all he knows and finds familiar.  Then, he gets to a house where he has never known permanence and has to watch as some of his favorite people drive away.  I should have known better and I should have taken him with me.  Brandon was in town and wanted me to run an errand with him, and only minutes after a painful goodbye with the family, I was cavalierly leaving Max behind in a house that was not his.  Brandon and I ran his errand, and because it did not take very long, we decided to grab some taco's at a place nearby.  As I play this day over and over in my head (and I did, constantly, in the hours Max was missing), I can think of so many different scenarios that should have happened that would have prevented the whole debacle.  For instance, Brandon offered to take me and my stuff (including Max) over to my friend Shari's before we headed out.  No small feat, as I had over 200 pounds of luggage, and Shari lived completely OUT of the way.  Shari also offered to come get me early and my stuff and have Brandon pick me up there.  Or there was the option that Mom, Dad, and Sarah could take me over on my way out of town.  So many different options, but because I have a terminal case of not wanting to put anyone out, even when they want to be put out, I declined and chose instead to wait until after I was done with Brandon to worry about it.  Emily would later say that maybe this needed to happen so that I could start to learn to lean on people and have them serve me.  I think she was right.

Brandon and I pulled up to the house, Joe leaving as we do so for destinations unknown.  The door was wide open and as we walk up, I saw Emily sitting on the stairs.  She sees me and immediately starts to talk and cry.  My mind went to a number of places, like, "Did Noah break his arm?  Was Mom, Dad and Sarah in a car accident?  Is there something wrong with the baby?"  As many of you know, I have a predilection to go to the catastrophic scenarios first, but am almost always proven wrong; so as I was thinking all these things, I was also sure that it couldn't be that bad.  However, for me, it was.  Emily said a lot of words, but all I remember is that she said that Max was gone, they have looked all over the house, and he hasn't been found.

Now, let's pause before I get any further.  We all know Max.  We all know that he is not a wanderer.  He is not the dog that runs off.  He is no Trissy, no Bacon, no Sadie even.  He may bum-rush a stranger with his mean-sounding bark, but he is just as quickly back at his humans side.  Max has no fascination with the strange and new unless it is a new couch perch or a new human lap, or some new food he can mooch.  So to hear that he is missing, I can't help but go right back to my catastrophic standard of thinking.  Clearly, my dog was not lost.  He had not wandered off.  But what else can you do in a situation like this except go through the motions like he had?

When Emily told me my little guy was gone, I literally lost the air out of my lungs.  Poor Brandon and Emily had to deal with the bulk of my hysteria.  Mostly, I think I acted numb, but when I allowed the thoughts of Max, scared and alone, to enter my head, I just started sobbing.  All I could think during those hours was of how I had failed my dog, and of how he must be so terrified and desperate to get back to me.  I mean, we all know how he acts when I leave the car for 3 minutes, so I could only imagine he felt as hysterical as I did, but in a dog sort of way.  Emily told me she and Joe had looked everywhere in the house and had started canvassing the neighborhood.  I, for some reason, imagined he maybe had gotten hurt around the house and couldn't walk.  But sadly, a quick look outside did not reveal that.  I felt helpless and needing something to do, Brandon and I started walking around the neighborhood calling out his name.

As I was walking, I simply was filled with hopelessness.  I know that in situations such as these, one needs to be as optimistic as possible.  But I know Max (as do all of you).  He is not the dog that runs off.  He is not the dog that wanders aimlessly.  He is the dog that may go five feet away from you to sniff something, but then is almost immediately back at your feet begging to be picked up.  I had no faith whatsoever that he would be found a few blocks away.  I did think it was possible that he had been taken, either by a do-gooder who would drop him off at a shelter, or by a ne'er do well who saw a free dog.  I also considered strongly the possibility that someone had hurt him for fun, possibly provoked by Max barking at them, as Max is wont to do.  However, in any of the scenarios I thought possible, there wasn't much I could do to find Max if they were true.  So canvassing was the only option.

In the midst of all of this, Shari called to see when I was coming over.  I was so upset I couldn't get the words out properly.  She initially thought I may have been laughing.  I'm so lucky though, to have friends and family like these, because the instant she was able to ascertain what had happened, she, Dani, and Kyle immediately headed over.  By the time they had arrived there, it had been almost 45 minutes and Brandon and I were back.  They immediately headed out to start asking neighbors.  Emily had to keep being a mom at this point, and poor Noah woke up to find the adults around him serious and at times, crying, with a dog missing.  Through it all, Emily was able to make a flier with Max's picture and his information, as well as a reward being offered.  The amount was not specified, but I remember thinking I would give all of my Hawai'i money just to have Max back.

After hanging some fliers at Schnucks and other places, Brandon had to leave for a prior appointment, and so I headed off with Dani, who much like Brandon, kept giving me reassuring words.  I resented every single encouragement, to be honest.  I know that they had to give them, and if they had said anything else, that would have been worse, but all I could think was that if we haven't found him by now, the small bit of hope was fading.

**Sidenote-  We had attempted to call shelters, but it being the blasted weekend, got nowhere with that.  Piece of advise, if you are going to lose an animal, do it on a Monday.  I was fairly convinced that I was going to be waiting until Monday to see if Max had been found.

Dani and I headed down many of the same streets by foot, continuing to ask those we saw if they had seen a small poodle head that way.  These two sweet little girls (probably about 10 years old) had been riding their bikes and took up our cause, asking people for us.  As Dani and I headed back down Ferguson towards Emily's, they rode up to us and said that someone said they saw a small dog running towards Olive (in the opposite direction of Emily's) a while back.  They pointed to the house where this person lived, which was just around the corner.  Though I could not imagine Max running away from familiarity at all, I couldn't ignore this lead.  The house was part of a 4-plex, and so hoping we were knocking on the right door, we knocked where the girls told us to.  We knocked on the screen door, and could see that the main door was cracked open.  As we waited for someone to come up, b/c clearly they were home, Dani noted that it smelled strongly of maple syrup.  I agreed, but in my head I was thinking "my dog is missing, you think I care about maple syrup smells?"...how weirdly wrong I was.  No one ended up answering, and I just figured the sweet little girls must have mistaken whom they spoke with.  We continued down the street to go to another block. While we were on foot, Joe was driving around as well as Shari and Kyle to see if they could spot him a few blocks over and hang signs.  Emily had the kiddo's and was walking around as well.

I think by this point, over 2 hours had passed since I learned the news, and over 3 hours since he had gone missing.  I was at a complete and utter low.  I determined as Dani and I rounded the corner (past the gooey hole) that I was done searching for today, and all I wanted to do was go sit in a bathtub and cry for hours.  I mean, I would have rather heard that Max had died in an unfortunate accident than imagine that he was scared and lonely and that I would never find him and he would never know why he had been abandoned.   I do not mean to minimize what others have gone through in terms of panic and loss, but those few hours he was missing were some of the worst hours of my life.  Dani and I started approaching the house, and saw up on the corner of Crest and Ferguson, Emily and Shari and Kyle (and kids), with some guy.  They started yelling for me, saying they had Max, and I could see it was true.  I am sure I was quite the site, running in my flip flops, crying hard, desperate to see him and not daring to hope it could be true.  But it was.  There was my little dog, apparently safe and sound.  Emily dashed off with Noah real quickly, to get to an ATM for the reward, leaving Lucy in the stroller with us.  Jeremiah (?), I had learned, had called Emily to say "I think I found your dog"...and then to inquire about the reward.  She threw out a random number, $200, and apparently, he sounded pretty excited by this.  They arranged to meet at the corner, and not wanting to get my hopes up, Emily waited until Max was actually in hand before trying to get me.  While we all waited for Emily to get back with the reward, Dani, Shari and Kyle were chatting with Jeremiah, while I paid no attention, lavishing love on Max.  Now, when Max first saw me, he had no reaction.  And as I held him, he was very docile and subdued.  This had me a bit worried.  I mean, you have all seen Max's reaction when I leave the car for 2 minutes...full on panic until I get back and then crazy love bestowed upon me.  So the fact that after 3 hours of being somewhere he didn't know without me, and then doesn't even get excited to be reunited with me, was very strange.  I left my friends and Lucy with this guy to go get Max some water and to figure out if he was maybe hurt.  As I walked to the house, I noticed Max smelled strongly of maple syrup.  Now, before anyone claims that I was simply distraught and confused, it should be noted that Max, having hair instead of fur, takes on smells very easily.  This is a great thing when Tamara holds him, b/c then he ends up smelling like her (and she smells lovely).  So clearly he had gotten this maple smell somewhere.  Once I had him in the house, he was a bit more excitable and loving, but still a bit subdued.  I had a few moments with him before heading back out to meet with the gang.  At this point, Jeremiah had brought his daughter out, who was probably just around a year old, and Dani was holding her.  We only waited a few minutes more, making awkward small talk, and then Emily came back with the reward.  While we were waiting, I know for almost a certain fact that we witnessed Jeremiah doing a drug deal in front of us, and then after he got his money, he thanked us and started walking off, forgetting his daughter.  We had to yell after him a few times before he finally figured out what he had forgot.  It was fairly unreal.  As we watched, Jeremiah walked into the very house/apartment Dani and I had attempted to contact, the one where it smelled of maple and where someone supposedly said they saw a dog running in the other direction.   Max in tow, we headed back into the house to debrief all the events.

What I have decided happened (though we have no actual evidence of this, only circumstantial), is that Max greeted Joe when he got home with his usual yipping.  Joe and Emily visited with the door partially open, as it was a beautiful day, and Max decided to pee or go smell something really quick while he had the freedom (and since it wasn't me who had come home).  While outside, Joe closed the door and they went on with their afternoon.  Max, I am sure, probably came to the door and pawed at it, possibly yipping a bit.  But it is a heavy door and he is a small dog, so I am sure it would have been hard to hear him if you were trying to, and near impossible if you weren't.  Max probably went down closer to the street to see if he spotted one of his friends, and maybe even rushed someone to bark at them.  This is the point where he got snatched by Jeremiah, who saw an opportunity.  I am certain Jeremiah did not plan to take him, but rather, just saw a possibility when a full bred dog is without any humans around him.  Jeremiah then took him to his maple-smelling home and waited.  I don't know what Max went through while there.  There were a few kids that lived there, so I'm sure he was scared and possibly even sniped at one of them.  It is possible he was then physically reprimanded for that.  We all wracked our brains to try and determine what drug smells like maple syrup, but came up with nothing (I'm still convinced something must, in some version of it, like when people smoke meth or something).  I'm also positive that they kept Max locked up somewhere.  The house he was kept at is SO close to Em and Joe's, and we were yelling Max repeatedly outside of that house, so I'm sure they had to keep Max contained so he wouldn't bark in response to where we could hear him.  I do not know what they would have done with him if we hadn't posted signs with a reward being promised.  I am sure I do not want to know.  I am just grateful that it only took $200 to get Max back.

In a strange way, I feel a bit vindicated that I know my dog so well, I know he wouldn't ever run off and that if he is missing, it is because he has been dog-napped or hurt.  I feel so bad that he (and I, and Em and Joe, and my friends) had to go through this.  It was incredibly stressful.  I would later learn that Kyle pretty much figured Hawai'i was off the table if Max stayed missing.  I actually was not thinking this.  I figured if he had not been found in a shelter by Monday, I would have to fly out on Tuesday without him and make Kyle deal with the mess that would have been my emotional state.  I was picturing scenarios where I would have to spend my precious resources to fly back home a week later because he would have been found, and go through the complex health certificate process again.  Or the scenario where I can never own a dog again because I was never able to find out what happened to Max and it had destroyed me.  Thank heavens none of these scenarios played out.  For the next week or so, I would find myself overcome with gratitude that I had my dog in my arms.  I was also very scared to trust him with anyone else, not letting them take him out to go to the bathroom, and things like this.

His dog-napping made an excellent story to tell our friends and acquaintances that night at the get together held for Kyle and I in honor of our departure.  Our friends dinner was delayed, but still delicious.  Max got extra hugs and love from everyone around us.  And now we are settled here in Hawai'i, the traumas of last month a mere memory.  Max is laying on my air mattress while I type this at our table, probably resenting the pull of the computer that keeps me away from him.

If you have made it this far, congratulations!  This post ended up being significantly longer than I anticipated.  I am sure I have left some things out, so if you would like me to verbally recall this epic tale, I am more than happy to, as it has a wonderful ending.

Working out some kinks

(blog title in reference to the fact that I can't re-arrange my blog the way I want)

Well, I'm back. Living in the middle of the pacific ocean in a state that feels more like a foreign country than Iraq did, I think the blog needed to make a slight resurgence...at least until you all get sick of pictures of perfect days. Today I am rounding out my fourth full day in Hawaii. So far, I have:

 -had one job interview, with two more set up for the next few days
-looked at over 8 different apartments, none of which I am madly in love with, all of which I could live in if necessary
-nearly wrecked three times, to the consternation of Kyle
-visited the beach only once, but with plans to go much more often
-mispronounced nearly everything

 It has been a whirlwind week, and Kyle and I are looking forward to an easier day tomorrow. I have one job interview with the Hawaii Yacht Club tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m., but after that we are planting ourselves at Waikiki beach, and possibly going to a movie in the afternoon.

Back to the beginning though...the flights here were essentially smooth.  Max, surprisingly, was not as well behaved as Luna.  He would emit whines that were very audible to me (I was hyper-sensitive, as he is my dog), but not so noticeable to other passengers.  I think he just can't handle not being on my lap if he is within the vicinity.  As far as importing them to Hawaii, when we landed in Honolulu, the dogs were ripped from our hands (not literally) and taken to quarantine, where they were subjected to horrors we cannot even imagine.  Actually, they probably were just in a loud room with barking dogs.  But still, it was hard to have them taken away when they were already feeling pretty worked up over all the flying.  However, the quarantine gods smiled on us b/c they released Luna a day before she was technically able to leave quarantine and we were able to get out of the airport about an hour after landing.

Our hotel is certainly not with any frills, more efficiency than anything, but the location is amazing and it suits our needs for the next week and a half (possibly a bit longer depending on when we can move into an apartment).  Our view is pretty great too, looking at the mountainous side of the island.  The picture at the top of this post is our daily view.  We are right along the Ala Wai canal, which is great for my morning power-walking (I'm building to start jogging) and Kyle's run.  One day (hopefully soon), we will own a kayak and do some kayaking along this canal.

Our rental car has been priceless these last few days, allowing us to get acclimated with the greater Honolulu area.  We found Walmart already, and we will definitely be visiting that bastion of affordability when we get our place.  I am not looking forward to giving it up.

Air conditioning appears to be a luxury here.  For the most part, it is no big deal, because the island breezes are constant and amazing.  However, our first night here, we attempted to have our hotel rooms AC try to keep us cool, and this piddly little window unit just couldn't keep up.  It wasn't until we opened every window, as well as the patio door, that we got a livable temp going.  Most of the places we have looked at have either no AC or only one small unit.  I'm not too worried about this except when next summer rolls around and the temp's are at their highest.

I will wrap it up here, as I could go on and on about the small differences.  I will instead, save that for a future blog post.  Hopefully, I will be gainfully employed the next time I blog, and we'll have an apartment to move into at the end of the month.  Kyle and I have been chanting "job, apartment, car" like it's our list of horcruxes or something.  It will be nice to have a couple of them out of the way.  In the meantime, aloha.

February bites

I don't like February. I don't know if I've ever liked February. It is filled with holidays that are not recognized enough to include me getting off of work/school, it's persistently gray and not in the cool, April showers sort of way, it's short but feels endless, the reasons go on and on. I'm just over this weather. As is everyone else in the state. BUT, one thing I am managing to enjoy this month is school. As much anxiety and stress it brings me, it also is really where I need to be.

I'm not saying that the multitude of paths I contemplate wouldn't have been equally fulfilling, but this one really feels right. I'm enjoying my classes even when I'm hating them. For instance, my sociology of gender class is taught by a great professor (and who will most likely be my thesis advisor next year)and the topic is right up my alley. BUT, it is mainly filled with undergraduates who clearly have never had a true gender/women studies class. Most of them feel the need to not only provide the most basic, banal forms of gender stratification in their lives, but their comrades feel the need to follow up their comments with their own, same, stories, which irritates me to know end b/c I yearn for a truly intellectual discussion. Regardless, it is still rewarding for the tiny moments something important is realized or a great discussion emerges.

As for my other two classes, they are incredibly difficult and time-consuming, but when I'm in them, immersed in the ideas and learning, I feel great. I really think this is my area of expertise, not because I get it (b/c there are NUMEROUS areas that are still way too deep for my feeble mind), but because I feel inspired. I don't know yet where this is going to take me, but it's foverwhelming (that's fun and overwhelming...not clever, but hey, I'm not an English major) to be finding it out.

I think that's it from here in W-Burg. Hoping this last week of February/crap month/armpit of the year goes by really quickly and hope everyone else's months are not as bleak as the month makes it out to be.

Top 20 Movies of the Decade (according to me)

Blurg.

Currently having issues with uploading photo's here. Did I forget a step or something? As a result, my long-awaited (by my own conscience) Greece post is further delayed until I figure it all out. Furthermore, this post itself is going to look quite dull and for all I know will be dull...very text heavy. But I like text. It implies I have a lot to say, which I always do, and today's topic simmering in my brain deals with movies. I ADORE lists, especially end-of-year/decade/century lists. I've pored over every year-end issue of EW with absolute delight and dream of the day when I'm so savvy in pop-culture that I can actually reference in my memory half of what they list. I also am addicted to their website and the daily content that they can't squeeze into the print edition. One such thing was the movie critic's top ten movies of the decade. As most of you know, I think Lisa Schwarzbaum is my movie soul mate and while I didn't agree with every movie on her list (largely b/c I haven't seen them yet), it did inspire me to attempt my own list with my much more limited depth of movies I've seen over the past 10 years. And I also have too much to say, so I've extended mine to include 20 movies.

To qualify, this list is prone to change (b/c I'm sure I've forgotten some or overlooked others), is not saying they are the best movies of the decade, but rather, what I consider the best for me(and we all know I am prone to bias and error), and really is just for fun and to open up discussion. It would be REALLY fun to see your own lists or hear what you have to say about mine. Also, these are movies that were released in theatres from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2009. It does not include movies that I just happened to see this decade but were released at another time (so, while I adored Rear Window but only saw it a few years ago, it doesn't go on the list). Without further ado, here they are in backwards order:


20: Identity (2003)- I love a good scary movie. I go to way too many supposedly scary/horror movies hoping to truly be terrified only to leave disappointed and grossed out. And while there are a few other contenders for the scary movie slot on this list (not that I have designated slots, but for such a hard list to make, I thought I should settle on one scary movie), Identity really stands out for me as blood-chillingly good. It takes a classic concept of picking the characters off (a'la Agatha Christies "Ten Little Indians"), adds a psychological element and gives us a nice twist at the end. Plus, the creepy rhyme they use still can give me the heebie-jeebies. Honorable Mentions: Paranormal Activity, The Descent, The Others, The Grudge

19: About A Boy (2002)- A great movie about how we need a support system to make it through the day. It has a fantastic musical climactic scene that is both cringe-worthy to watch and triumphant. Plus, Hugh Grant in a dramatic role needs to happen more per this movie. And I love all things British, so that helps as well.

18: Sweeney Todd (2007)- My exposure to this musical outside of this film is virtually non-existent. Pre-movie, this was largely b/c I was dependent on my musical theatre knowledge based on what my siblings performed in. Post-movie, I don't want to taint my wonderful experience with the film. I simply loved it; the over-the-top blood (clearly meant to be cartoonish and not realistic), the singing by actors who are actually singing, the Burton elements, a great tale of revenge set to song. I'm singing "Pretty Women" in my head as I type. Not to mention, while in London, is there a better song to sing through the streets of Picadilly Circus than "No Place Like London"?

17: Minority Report (2002)- Dystopian stories are my jam, and this one is particularly good b/c you can really see how a good idea can have severe unintended consequences. This was pre-crazy Tom Cruise, so I was front row center when it came out and I'm glad I was. It is also a feast for the eyes, yet doesn't let go of the action or heart of the story. Honorable Dystopian Film Mentions: Children of Men, The Road

16: There Will Be Blood (2008)- This is a movie one either loves or hates. I loved it, hence it being on the list. Daniel Day Lewis is simply fantastic, the story is tragic, and the overall feeling is haunting yet simple. Plus, any movie that can make "I drink your milkshake" a popular quote/insult makes it worth a second and third look.

15: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)- I'm really surprised at the number of people I've met who don't think this movie is funny. I remember weeping with laughter at it in the theatre and continuing to enjoy it on subsequent viewings. Steve Carrell (pre Office fame) was my favorite supporting character, still making me laugh at his clueless "I love lamp", and Will Ferrell hams it up perfectly. Meh, guess there are two kinds of people in this world--those who love Anchorman and those who don't. Honorable Will Ferrell Comedy Mention: Talladega Nights, Elf

14: Mystic River (2003): Ah, the movie that introduced me to both Dennis Lehane and Clint Eastwood directed movies. Oh, and movies I like Sean Penn in...It is a shakespearean-esque tale of murder and lies in working-class Boston with amazing jobs done by Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon. Simply beautiful. Honorable Sean Penn/Clint Eastwood/Dennis Lehane Movie Mention: Milk, Invictus, Gone Baby Gone

13: The Prestige (2006): I came into this movie only this past year. And while my opinion of who is the worst of the villains differs from the rest of our family, it doesn't mean it isn't still a great movie with a fantastic twist that on first viewing is impossible to guess. Plus, who doesn't love to learn a bit behind the scenes of magic? And I love seeing David Bowie in almost everything he does (Labrynth anyone??? Or that Extras episode???).

12: Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004): The first one is amazing as well, but it is in the second installment that we really get the emotion of the movies. It is just a fun revenge tale with a truly awesome female heroine who is kicking butt and taking names. Like Sweeney Todd, the violence in this is too colorful and over-the-top to really be grotesque, so I'm able to enjoy it (I hate realistic gore). And her time in Japan with bearded guy is perfect.

11: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)- Whether or not the other installments were really necessary (I tend to lean towards not, even though I enjoyed them), this first one was a great summer movie. Swashbucklingly fun with dreamy male leads and a female lead who could almost always fend for herself. And pirates? You can't go wrong with pirates. Honorable Swashbuckling Mentions: The Count of Monte Cristo, Stardust

10: The Dark Knight (2008)- I need to see this movie again. A repeat viewing just might bump it higher on the list. But after only seeing it once, I still know it is probably the best comic-book adaptation I have ever seen and the best of the Batman franchise (and that is saying something since I have a place in my heart reserved for the campy Batman Forever). I remember going into watching this worrying that it had been over-hyped, and being delighted when acknowledging that it hadn't. Not in the slightest. Honorable Comic Book Mentions: X-Men (all movies), Batman Begins, Spiderman

9: Memento (2000)- One of the few movies I watched twice in a 24 hour period (but largely b/c I was soooooo confused, wonderfully so). It is just a great and original concept, with an under appreciated lead in Guy Pearce and leaves you with multiple discussion points. Truly mind-blowing. Honorable Mind-Blowing Mentions: Donnie Darko, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Unbreakable

8: Bridget Jones Diary (2001)- Taking Pride and Prejudice elements (especially dreamy Mr. Darcy) and making a comedic heroine the average girl can relate to and add in the best romantic movie kiss of ALL TIME, and you have my favorite rom-com of the aughties. It was a tough decision, but this movie just makes me smile, from the beginning with Bridget singing "All By Myself" all by herself (hilariously drunk on wine) to the fight scene with "It's Raining Men" playing, to that last scene with the kiss in the snow, it's perfection. And British. You all remember how much I love the Brit's, so this should come as no surprise. Honorable Rom-Com Mentions: Miss Congeniality, The Holiday, 50 First Dates, The Proposal, Enchanted, Kate and Leopald, Serendipity

7: Moulin Rouge (2001)- I tell anyone new to this movie that you have to stick with it past the first crazy thirty minutes and then you are in cinematic heaven. I just love this romantic tragedy with it's great pop-musical elements. And I recently read a critic's unique take on the movie that I have to agree with, that the movie has some clearly dissonant elements and scenes that only serve to further highlight the beauty and gloriousness of the love story and songs.

6: O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)- There are many Coen brothers movies I like, but this is my favorite. What a great allegorical tale with absolute hilarity and an appreciation for the Deep South. This was a movie that had to grow on me and boy did it ever. It's like a hysterical tumor on my brain. I love movies that are completely unexpected and make it work. Honorable Coen Mentions: No Country For Old Men

5: Casino Royale (2006)- It must first be mentioned that I hate the Bond franchise. I find it sexist, unrealistic (and not in a good way) and simply over-rated (and I really wanted to give Pierce Brosnan a chance). But this movie changed it all. It is a fantastic action movie that revitalizes an immortal character and makes me actually care about him. It is just so good, I can't help but watch whenever I catch it playing on cable. And Daniel Craig? SO dreamy. In my opinion, the best action movie of the decade and possibly one of the best I will ever see. Honorable Action Mentions: The Bourne Trilogy, Wanted

4: Ocean's Eleven (2001)- This movie is the quintessential feel-good, have fun at the movies kind of movie. It is just so highly entertaining and well-scripted. It has a great ending, a perfect heist, and a stellar cast. I want to hang out with those guys. They clearly had such a great time making it (and all other installments) that how can we not have a great time watching it?

3: Finding Nemo (2003)- It was tough picking just one pixar movie, but this one is it for me. Granted, I haven't seen Wall-E yet, so I reserve the right to shift things around. Finding Nemo though is my favorite pixar/animated film after the Toy Story's and A Bug's Life. When you have a pixar movie, you know it's going to be amazing. This one had me crying, then laughing, then crying with laughter, then cheering, then laughing and crying again. And I don't even particularly adore fish! Honorable Animated Mentions: All other pixar films released this decade

2: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)- How I wish this movie had come out any other year besides Return of the King year. I would have rooted for it so hard to have won best picture, you don't even know. It flows perfectly, between tense action and the calms in between. It has a great relationship between the captain and the doctor. The music is simply perfect. I still can't really explain why this movie moved me as much as it did and why I love it so devotedly, I just do. Russell Crowe certainly doesn't hurt (he is my almost sure-bet for a movie being great). Honorable Russell Crowe Mentions: Cinderella Man, State of Play, Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, 3:10 To Yuma

1: Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)- Like there was any doubt in anyone's mind about my number one. I won't say anything that hasn't already been said by our whole family since I know we are all on the same page here. Basically, these are the best films I will ever see in my entire life. And you know what? That's okay. Because finding number 2 (b/c the three clearly count as one movie) and number 3 on is still a lot of fun.

So there it is. Hope some of this took you back down memory lane, and that some of these have inspired you to watch a movie for the first or second time. Like I said before, I KNOW I've missed some things and am eager to hear your suggestions for what I left out. The honorable mentions were just random and my way to acknowledging what I'm aware of that didn't make the list. It should be noted that I am still catching up on the majority of my 2008 and 2009 movies, so I'm sure a couple of them I have yet to see will make there way onto this list. Also, how interesting that nothing from 2005 made it. Was it just a crappy movie year for me, or am I just blocking it all from memory? Anyways, thanks for indulging me...I'm off to watch one of these amazing films!!!

Lacking Motivation

Here is a little teaser pic of Greece for my next post...I just don't have it in me to get one together right now. What you see there is beautiful Oia on the island of Santorini. Just looking at that pic has my mouth watering for feta cheese.

Apparently, my writing juices only run while in Iraq. Why is that? Could it be related to the high hours of boredom and the disconnect from the world? That seems too simple an answer, but it is probably right. I honestly can't say I've been too busy to post. Or that I have nothing important to say, b/c honestly, EVERYTHING I say is more important than anything anyone else has to say. So lets stick to that simple answer. Since leaving Iraq, it has been an odd combination of too much to do with too little to do but lots of t.v. to watch. Owning a tivo is both good and bad for the latter. I don't have to set my schedule to accomodate Top Chef or Flashfoward, but I do wake up to delightful late night comedy and tivo recommendations that include Seinfeld reruns, E True Hollywood Story, and cooking shows. And I don't think leaving my bed to immediately plant it in front of the t.v. is the best way to start off productive.

What else has been going on? Well, I'm entering into the last month of the first semester of grad school. It is going to be a stressful month. I have multiple term papers and short papers due right after Thanksgiving, so I'm trying to buckle down now and have rough drafts done by Thanksgiving and just edit like crazy that weekend. You'll all know how successful I am depending on the level of stress I exhude when you see me. And while I am extremely excited to be going to NYC the weekend before Thanksgiving, in hindsight, probably not the best time. But I won't let that keep me from having a great time. I'm hoping to go to the Museum of Modern Art and walk around the Klimt display talking boredly about how I've already seen all of them while traveling in Europe--because I firmly believe that the most important reason to go to Europe is to act better than others and let random mentions of your amazing time fall into everyday conversation. Steven and Tamara, you are on the cusp of being our most recent elitists.

Other things of note, Max got a haircut last weekend by Kyle's Wichita bessie and let me tell you, he looks ridiculous. I kind of love it. It is in the style of a classic poodle haircut, so parts of him are super fluffy and other parts are almost completely bald. Also, I have yet to assemble that futon Steven, Elise and Sarah helped me get...Steven, you completely intimidated me about assembling it, so I just haven't wanted to attempt such a feat yet. I hopefully will do it this weekend, but if I don't, it's on your head Lambson.

I have yet to get a job...I really just want something part-time that isn't too demanding when I am there and lets me have the occasional weekend off. Talking to my advisor this past week does not have me any more eager to hunt a job up. Basically, the next two years of my life are going to be immersed in stress. Neat. Remind me why I'm willingly doing this?

So, that's me in a "can't seem to write a blog for two months" nutshell. Sometime in the next two months: Greece recap.

Saturday night is alright...for watching reruns of Project Runway

I can't believe it has been over a month since I posted. And I really don't have a good excuse. Don't get me wrong; hold a gun to my head and I'll come up with a few, but none that will hold up without that gun there. I guess I just haven't felt motivated/like I had anything to write about that didn't develop into a 10 paragraph post about what stresses me out. But no excuse. So, even though I still don't have that normal burning desire to verbally vomit all over the internet, I'm making myself break this bad pattern of not writing. To do so, I'm doing my favorite kind of post, the random one where it's more free flow than coherent.

-Whenever I hear Coldplays "Viva La Vida", I just get excited. For what, I don't know. I think it is just one of those songs that just pumps me up for listening to it, living life, all sorts of things. I already love Coldplay (though not as much as Kirsti), but I think this may be my favorite song by them. There, I said it. It may beat out "Politik". Other songs that either still, or at one point gave me that inexplicable feeling of just anticipation, joy and excitement:
*Bon Jovi "It's My Life" and "Saturday Night"
*Feist "Inside and Out"
*Regina Spektor "Better" and currently "Eet"
*My Chemical Romance "The Black Parade"
*Faith Hill "This Kiss"
*Keane "Somewhere Only We Know"
*Kings of Leon "Use Somebody"
*Kelly Clarkson "Since U Been Gone"
I could go on a bit more, but that gets boring. These are what came to mind almost instantly, and they aren't to be confused with favorite songs of all time, though many of them are on the list. The song has to be something that just makes you want to crank up the volume and hit repeat.

-It is remarkable how easily it is to get back to normal. Iraq seems a very, very distant memory and almost completely unreal. Like I had a year-long out-of-body experience. What is very vivid are those times I went on R&R. You know that perfect Christmas you idealize and live every year hoping to match up to that perfect combination of happiness and contentment? That's what these vacations were like. EVEN with the sickness that inevitably came with it. Or the stress of getting out of Iraq. Or the extreme sadness when they were over. Or the slight cringing over the money spent. They were all perfect. I remember last October just giddy with happiness...getting to hang out with all my friends, seeing all my family, eating amazing food, and just living every day like it was my last (and in a way, it was...returning to Iraq loomed closer and closer). I was deep in the dumps on my return. And then getting to go to Europe not once, but twice! Who gets to say that? And to have two very different trips that were both equally perfect. I am going to NYC with friends later this year, and though I am filled with anticipation, it will probably not match up to that perfect feeling I had on the last few trips. But I think in order to have that again, I will have to move back to Iraq, and that sure as heck isn't happening.

-My apartment is still a bit of a wreck. I can't believe how little I started off with and how much more I need to get, yet that itself is a problem, as I have too much crap. And now I'm saying I need more crap to manage the crap. But I do. I still need an entertainment center, a futon, another bookshelf, end tables, another dresser, and a nightstand. And that doesn't even take care of the problem of my shoes!!! I have too many, but getting rid of one pair would be like getting rid of a child. Same with purses. I wish Kirsti were here b/c I would let her pick two purses and no matter what, I would have to let her keep them. Even if it is my all time favorite purse. That way, I'm purging while letting someone else enjoy them (and I can potentially re-borrow it). I might make a condition that one of them has to be a clutch, b/c that is my latest obsession. I probably own over 10 clutches. I just think they are perfect. So perfect.

-Having Max as my starter dog has been great. He isn't too demanding in terms of my time, just wants me around as much as possible. It has been two weeks and not one accident. I'm blaming Sadie for his bad behavior; she enable him. And when we do go outside, he just immediately goes, no waiting on my part. And he is so darn cute.

-I'm really excited for fall to start...I have tons of scarves and sweaters I want to wear with my fantastic boots. And I can't wear any of these till the weather cools off.

-I'm also excited for fall television...I think Flash Forward is going to be really good. I saw a preview for it and it gave me chills. And finally saw the pilot of Glee, so I'm positively brimming with excitement over the new episode this Wednesday. Can't wait to here what songs they convert next. I hear they are doing a Heart song sometime...will be buying that one on itunes.

-Speaking of Heart, went to their concert at the State Fair a few weeks ago. It was like a white trash convention. Despite that, it was an amazing concert. Those ladies can still wail.

-Guilty confession...I haven't yet vacuumed. I need to--there is still leftover pieces of Styrofoam from when mom and I put my bed together, but I haven't even lugged my vacuum out of the trunk of my car. I HATE cleaning floors of any kind. I would clean 20 toilets before cleaning a floor. I have no problem keeping up with my dishes or counter tops or laundry, but vacuum? I can't do it.

-I like how all these networks have money-saving shows on how to shop smart, cook smart, etc. Our parents have been doing it for years, and yet these people act like it is brand new information that it is cheaper to cook at home rather than go out to eat.


Okay, I think that is enough for now...I think now that I've re-broken that gravy-like skin of writing, it won't be so long till I post again.