Some Pictures and Class

We spent 10 days or so on Oahu. This was our sixth trip to Hawaii. We love it there. Yes, yes, expensive, blah blah blah (it's actually not that expensive when you have no kids). Yes, yes, really far. But it's worth it. All pictures are here.

Beach Gazing


Beach Dogs


Rich People's Stuff


A Coconut


My Dream House


***

I woke up to the sound of clinking silverware...

I was in first class, flying to Chicago from Honolulu. My mind took a moment to register this fact. My mouth was really dry, but I was laying flat on my "bed." I was covered by a real blanket. I had eaten a delicious dinner (fresh salad, cheese ravioli in a mushroom cream sauce), dessert (a freshly made ice cream sundae), and then passed out after drinking (possibly) an entire bottle of white wine. Surreal.

How did this happen?

Ah, well this entire vacation to Hawaii was based on some really cheap round trip tickets snagged thanks to Air Fare Watchdog. Of course, when you add in the lodging expenses for 10 nights, car rental, dining, shopping, etc., you've actually spent a whole bunch of money at the end of the day. Still, the tickets were incredibly cheap. Thus, when you are checking in for your return flight at the self service kiosk, and the screen offers you the chance to upgrade to first class for what is really not a lot of money in the scheme of things, your spouse tells you to do it, and you do it. Because you have a 9 hour flight home ahead of you, a flight that is taking you away from paradise and back to your job and your real life, and it will be nice to spend that 9 hours not crammed into a tiny seat like a veal calf, but luxuriating in actual space, edible food, and flight attendants who will simply refill your wine glass as soon as you've sipped it below half way full, without being asked for more.

That's how that happens.

And I'm not sure that I can ever fly coach again.

Is this for real? and other shit.

Seriously. If you need to catch up with me: husband frequents a local pizza joint, chick at local pizza joint crafts a Missed Connection for him, friends notify husband, husband cutely confronts pizza slinger, we all laugh, all is well. And now, here she is, terminated from the pizza joint (probably for stalking old guys), and asking to KIT with my husband. Oh no she din't. Now the psycho in me is seriously contemplating a response. I won't though. My (male) co-workers have advised me to let the husband have the joy of an admirer, because there is so little happiness in life as it is. Okay, okay. Fine. But if she does it again, she's toast.

***

20 days and counting.


What? I got a frantic text message one day notifying me of "insanely low" airfares to Oahu from Newark. Indeed, I got tickets for a little over 400 per person, round trip. That is unheard of--it's about fifty percent less than the current average cost to fly round trip to Oahu from the east coast. It was a sign. A sign that it was time once again to return to vacationing. Yes, we have thousands of dollars of work left to do on the new house (landscaping, roofing, driveway repaving, etc). And yes, my husband is self employed, thus not really earning much in the way of actual money. But you know what? Who gives a shit! I could die next month. I haven't had a break from work (except the move week) in over a year. This winter has been beyond awful. I need warmth. I need a beach. I need Mai Tai's.

So, the disappointing thing about the trip is that I've grown too fat for all of my shorts from last summer. There. I put it in writing. While my brain fantasizes about losing a few pounds in the next few weeks, I know this is not going to happen (okay, it might, if I stick to my current self imposed pre vacation diet exercise torment schedule). I will embrace my new almost pre-muffin top. Old lady bathing suits, here I come.

Vacation Redux

I've been home from Hawaii for several days now, and I know I owe the two people who read this blog some sort of vacation recap.

I'll admit that the first two days that we were home, I was quite miserable. It was sunny and 80 degrees every day on Oahu, give or take a shower on the Windward side here and there. When we arrived in Philly, the thermometer was barely registering 20. Once home, we faced chores, minor plumbing repairs, food shopping, bills to pay, and jobs to return to. On vacation, we had leisurely breakfasts, relaxing walks, delicious warmth and sunshine, fabulous dinners, beach time, pool time, house hunting forays, whale watching, hiking, sleeping, dreaming, etc. I know, vacation is supposed to be awesome, but somehow this trip was extra awesome.

I was trying to compose a top ten moments list, but I got overwhelmed. I took a lot of pictures, deleted many that I hated, and saved a few. The full set of what I took with the "big" camera are here. I have yet to take the few gems off of my iPhone. Of particular note in that collection will be the shot of the lady in the thong that I grabbed for CPM's enjoyment. Yes, I look at ladies butts. How can I not when they are on display like that? As I tweeted one morning, going to the beach is like hanging out with strangers in your underpants.

Here are few favorite moments and stuff...

The rooster at Waimea Valley


The peacocks at Waimea Valley


Okay, Waimea Valley was just awesome all around


By chance, seeing a friend marching in the MLK parade--something told me to head out onto our lanai at just the right moment...


Hare Krishna


Coffee and Dessert at Honolulu Coffee Company


Dinner at Arancino (every other night)


Sunsets


Beachtime


Boat Rides


Breakfast at The Cream Pot

Huli Huli Chicken

I'm popping in from my latest Hawaiian vacation to share my favorite photo so far. People probably think I'm strange chasing the wild chickens around with my camera. I think to the locals, they're as common as squirrels are to those of us from Philly.



For the next week or so, CPM and I will be absorbing as much sunshine as we can. Too soon, we will be returning to the dreary northeastern winter.

Aloha.

Paralyzed by Indecision

Do you know how debilitating it is to be a "planner?" To be "organized?" To need to think through the details of every decision in life before doing anything, considering all possible positive and negative ramifications? After months of waffling in indecision, second guessing, and general whineyness (in my head, anyway), I finally decided that it was time for a vacation. Yes, internet, I waffled over whether or not I should plan and book a vacation for CPM and myself.

We're DINKs (double income, no kids). But the economy is in the crapper. CPM's job is with a family owned small business that is hanging on to life by the skin of its teeth. I work at a non profit, where 10% of the staff were laid off this year and the remaining staff got both no raise and a benefit cost increase, amounting to a pay cut. Ouch. We spent a lot of money on improving our house last year and vacationed indiscriminately. Then we bought a new car because I had to have one.

When I thought about all of this, I felt guilty for wanting to go on a trip anywhere. I felt guilty that I wanted to spend money on leisure. I felt like I should be socking away each and every spare dollar for... something.

I can't live like that. We have savings. We have emergency funds. We also have needs. I need a vacation. I need to lay on a beach and read a crappy book. So I did it. We're going back to Hawaii in January. (Dear internet robbers, my house will NOT be empty...we have three dogs, they stay home, and a whole family moves into my house to care for them.)

This will be our fifth trip to the fiftieth state. That seems crazy to some folks. But consider that I think it's crazy that people go to the same Jersey beach houses year after year. This is the same kind of crazy. Also, two weeks in Hawaii is less expensive than renting that Jersey beach house for a week. It's also more fun, in my mind.

The countdown begins. Aloha, bitches.

February in Paradise

Ahh, Hawaii. Paradise.
 
This was my fourth trip to Hawaii. After three previous
trips, I’ve learned lessons:
-Stay for more than 8 days to maximize the relaxation
factor.
-Stay in a place that includes a full kitchen, because
eating out every night for that long would kill my stomach and our budget.
-Apply suntan lotion every day, no matter what.
-Bring a lot of money for shopping.
-Plan to spend a lot of money on stuff I could probably get
at home.
-Drink a mai tai every day.
 
Being born in February, arguably the worst weather month if
you live on the east coast, means that my birthday celebrations are normally
inside, involving the wearing of many layers, and the eating of lots of food to
help pack on the insulating layers. This year, my wonderful husband, CPM,
decided that we should head to warmer climes to celebrate. I was in complete
agreement. Thus, our longest trip to Hawaii was booked.
 
It’s a long trip to get to Hawaii from the east coast. Since
we fly from Philadelphia, we are always subjected to a layover somewhere. This
time, via Delta, that was in Salt Lake City.  On previous trips, it’s been Phoenix, Las Vegas, and
Houston. Woo. I’ve seen a lot of airports. None of them have great food. (For
great airport food, head to Copenhagen. I had a really great meal in that
airport.) By the time one arrives in paradise, you have the sensation of being
dried out, exhausted, starving, and exhilarated at the same time. You get your
bags, claim your rental car (we always get one), head to your condo/hotel, check
in, shower, and are now ready to begin your vacation adventure. For us, that
always begins with a meal somewhere.
 
After two weeks on Oahu, in Waikiki, I’m trying to remember
what we did that would be of interest to people, and I can’t think of much that
is earth shattering. We went to the beach every day, even when it was raining
(because the rain lasts only for a few minutes, and then the sun returns). We
went on a whale watch and saw two whales. We went house hunting and found a
bargain basement deal of house for sale at $485,000 with a tarp for a roof. We
took lots of long walks, some to find whales, some to find food, some just for
picture taking. We went outlet shopping. We went to the Ala Moana Center to
walk around. We walked Kalakaua Avenue every day, either in the morning or in
the evening. The people watching on the “strip” is second to none. We ate
delicious food. We went to the zoo on our last day to kill time and had a
blast. It was our vacation. We relaxed. We got sunburned, because suntan lotion
eventually gets irritating, and you give in and “forget” to apply it. It ended
too soon, as always, and we were back in Philadelphia, facing the cold, and the
snow, and hoping that spring and warm weather would get here soon. When the weather is bad here, I can just look at my
pictures and fantasize that I'm in a place where the sky is blue, the breeze is gentle, and the temperature is perfect.

Don't get me wrong: Hawaii is not perfect. It has its share of problems. There are homeless people. There are scam artists. There is crime. There is traffic. There is dirt. But something about the fluffy white clouds blowing by makes it okay.