This dude

He showed up last week. Plays a lot of computer games.
Eats half the pizzas.
And looks a lot like this long-haired guy that did much of the same.

Sunday Funday

Had to get out of the house and away from dirty dishes.
I found my alternative to be much better, beach and an art festival.

Then... Hunger Games! I started the book Friday, finished it Saturday, and saw the movie Sunday. I really liked the book, will probably pick up the second book soon.

I swear, Little Dogs.

Glimpses of free time

The plan for spring break was to spend a good bit of it in Kauai, the Garden Isle. Weather did not permit full enjoyment of the island, however, so I opted out and stayed on Oahu.

I rented a car and increased my routine 10-mile-radius world.

Many sights were familiar, some were new. Here are some glimpses of my spring break.

My never-ending quest to perfect homemade pad thai. I think ten more times should do it. Luckily it takes all of 20 minutes.

I checked out this movie at the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

There, I found myself inside a person's nest.

And I'm in Hawaii, so I did a good bit of hiking and beaches. There isn't many places where you can find mountains next to the beach, my two favorite landscapes.

The sun had been hiding for over a week. It was miserable. I was so happy to see and feel it's return.

Mostly I just relaxed and appreciated a slower pace. I watched the sun rise.

I watched it Earth turn away from it.

Friday, I thought I might be eaten by a shark. But this didn't diminish my affinity for the ocean. Just increased my respect for it I suppose. It really is another world.

A drive along the north shore brought ice cold fresh coconut and encounters with ancient religious temples.

Makapu'u, my favorite beach.

My Kona, The Rock.

Tried some new drinks.

Enjoyed a bit of the city artwork.

And hiked some more.

It was a good week, and I was disappointed to get back to reality. But then I shook myself hard and looked at what I was complaining about, my momma didn't raise no spoild chile. I'm glad I got to have such an awesome week while staying at home!

So I have ruled out one way to die.

Yesterday I attempted snorkeling about 400 yards from shore. I've done it before. But today was different. I was delayed and didn't get to the beach until well past high noon sun.
There were clouds and you could see rain over the water in the distance. The water was a bit choppier as the tide was stronger than it had been before, which resulted in more sand movement and less visibility. I think I just had this awareness that something was off, today wasn't snorkeling conditions, but I was there and going to go through with it.
As I got in the water, my goggles broke. The strap part, beyond repair.
I was with two other guys but there wasn't an extra pair among us. Whatever. We started to swim. It worked out okay, I could see some fish but their colors weren't as vibrant as they would be with the sun out and overhead.
I came up every now and then, noticing how far we had gotten so easily. The current was so strong. We were about 300 yards out.
Then it happened.
I looked to my left and spotted fins about 20 yards away. When you're on land, and something is forty yards away, it seems a safe enough distance to make a get away. I learned that being in the water has a different effect.

As a side note, two or three weeks ago a huge great white was spotted off the north shore. I'd also recently read an NPR article on giant squid, pictures coming from squid caught off shore of Oahu. I don't think this kind of information was comforting to my subconscious.

I looked to my buddies and calmly, with petrified eyes, said "We have to go back. Now."
I haven't known these guys long, but I guess the one that heard and saw my face could tell I wasn't joking, and he booked it. He's a surfer, loves the water, but I guess he could tell this was a fight or flight situation.
I'm swimming and watching the fins, making sure I can still see them, and then I can't. I'm swimming harder.
My other buddy doesn't know what's going on but I don't want to freak him out, so I just say "fins". When we are about 100 yards from shore, I look over to see the fins arch. Funny. Sharks don't arch they're backs like that. But dolphins do.
I slow down. I make my way to shore.
I stand there, watching Flipper and his friends doing flips and having a grand ole time just being themselves.
I go back out. I still don't get to see what I wanted to in the first place. Not good snorkeling conditions, ya know? Only one friend accompanies me. We were pretty close to the dolphins, he says he heard them. I didn't.
Later on shore I processed what went through my mind as I thought I was literally swimming for my life. I had a spiritual moment, but before I saw the arch something in me, while scared shitless, was saying you're not dying this way.
So that's how I learned I probably won't die from a shark attack. If I ever encounter one though, I'd like to keep all my limbs and body parts. My body functions well that way.
Standing on shore I had the same feeling of regret as when I turned down Dog the Bounty Hunter for a job. I'm 0-2. Can't win for losing.

So 2007

SB12

Thursday in pictures:

It was a good day.