Already but Not Yet

Sorry guys. Still no pictures. I ordered a cord, it came, I packed it, and now I can't find it again. We're all still in a state of limbo: Jessica and I got into the apartment, but the previous tenants haven't moved their stuff out yet. Technically, they're being nice and letting us move in early, but it's easy to get grumpy when you feel like you're in someone else's house. Only one of the three original girls is still here, but that means that Jessica is without a room. She's been hanging out with me in my room and come Wednesday, this place will be ours and we can start to clean out some of the accumulated stuff. So much stuff needs to go out so our stuff can come in, it's not even funny.

We made massive Costco and Target runs, buying everything from bed sheets to trash cans to bookshelves, shower curtains, lamps, and Altoids. It was exhausting. That plus all-day teacher training left me pretty pooped this whole week.

Jess and I even had to run to Honolulu to get fingerprinted for the school. Craaaaaazy. We eventually found the building...it's planted in the middle of the upper story parking garage for the huuuge Ala Moana Mall. Seriously stressful stuff.

Lesson plans for week 1 are in and all of my class syllabi are printed and waiting on my desk for 7:15 tomorrow morning. My Eastern Civ (10th grade) class got switched up at the very last minute and me and the Lit teacher Emily had to do some serious scrambling to sort out books and subject matter. Some long afternoons and some early mornings, but I feel good about tomorrow...the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

In high school and college, I always loved the first day of school because all I had to do was sit back and read the syllabus and hear the teacher talk about the glorious subject matter we would cover, but not today. Now that I'm on this side of things, I hope I'm beginning to appreciate the work that goes into the most innocent-looking of syllabi.

Today, Jess and I went on a drive, partly to look at a bike I thought I might buy, partly to not be in the cluttered house anymore. It was lovely. It's been cloudy in Kailua the last couple of days, and so going south was a welcome dose of sunshine. We went by Hawaii Kai, and after a drive-by, we're definitely going back soon. With boogie boards.

We went up to the Pali Lookout, above Kailua and Kaneohe. Here is not my picture of it. Believe me, my pictures are much worse.

Mmmkay. Almost bed time. Gotta rest up to be all bright and shiny tomorrow. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and well-wishes. Pictures coming soon, I promise. Also, special thanks to my Mommy for sending me my French press. Jessica and I thank you profusely.

I just finished this book:

At first I thought, "Oh man, it's one of those it books that all the people in Moscow read and then rave about but that really aren't that good." And actually, at first I though it was a dorky Christian Inspirational Novel. It was none of those things, though many smart people in Moscow did indeed read it. It was inspiring and gripping. The story unfolds in almost maddening meandering, which makes sense because it's more than a story. It's reflection and meditation and story and speculation and confession. And it's written from the perspective of a preacher, written by a woman author, who, clearly, knows what she's about.

I hate to spoil it, but this quote doesn't give anything away, except a great part to read:

"It has seemed to me sometimes as though the Lord breathes on this poor gray ember of Creation and turns in to radiance - for a moment or a year or the span of a life. And then it sinks back into itself again, and to look at it no one would know it had anything to do with fire, or light. That is what I said in the Pentecost sermon. I have reflected on that sermon and there is some truth in it. But the Lord is more constant and far more extravagant than it seems to imply. Wherever you turn your eyes the world can shine like transfiguration. You don't have to bring a thing to it except a little willingness to see. Only, who could have the courage to see it?" (245)

Suspended Animation

I promise that I'm not really that bad at this whole blogging thing. Really. I have good reasons for not posting very much. 1) My computer refuses to connect to the internet, and 2) I haven't had the cord to connect to my camera and download pictures. But, I'm on another computer. No pictures, but, you know, baby steps.

Whenever I read blogs, all I usually care about are interesting pictures, so I totally understand if you skip this post. I've been able to upload some pictures via my iTouch and Instagram. Oh boy, has that little guy been useful. Most of the time I turn it on and am all bummed out because it doesn't have a built-in network and you're basically dependent on Wi-Fi. But it connects to the internet where I'm staying, so I get to keep up on all of the important, world-shattering Facebook updates. Definitely my top priority. It also takes pictures and Instagram does all sorts of artsy things to them to make you look like an edgy, indie low-budget, high-art film maker or something. I love it. Lovelovelove it.

See? It has given you THIS. A picture mostly featuring my nose and a giant plant. Enjoy.

I arrived on Tuesday at 10:30 in the morning. My new roomate-to-be Laurie picked me up and we only got a little bit lost on the way from Honolulu to Kailua. And speaking of LOST, this whole island looks like Jurassic Park. I keep expecting the Others, or a Veloceraptor to jump out of the bushes. The freeway goes through the mountains (they run length-wise down the middle of the island), and gives you a spectacular view. Which none of you get to see because I did not take a picture. Sorry.

We stopped at the house where I'm staying for a couple weeks. I get a nice room off of the house and get to hang out with Tim and Karen and their little kids. It's great. The plan is to move into the condo on MONDAY and, believe me, we cannot wait.

Nancy, the Head of School, graciously lent us girls her car for several weeks, and in the few days before teacher training started, I got to explore (Laurie was busy and couldn't come)

This is the beach at Waimanalo, and, with the exception of the funky island, it looks very similar to Kailua Beach and Lanikai Beach, both of which are about a mile from our condo. It's a rough life.

I went up to the North Shore, and spent most of the time in the car, but it was a beautiful drive along the coast. Us girls have already decided we're going back in the winter, when the North Shore hosts Triple Crown surfing events. I don't think I'll really believe there are such things as 30-ft waves until I see them.

We've had a busy week of teacher training. Up at 6am and busy until around 4pm. It's been a great time. For me, it's been a time of chilling out because I keep having waves of panic over curriculum and lesson planning. Slowly but surely, things are coming together, by the grace of God. I'm going to stop there and get back to work.

I just wanted to let you know that I'm still alive (if my incessant Facebook posting hadn't told you already). One more week of teacher training and then it's the real deal. Yipes.

Hope you all have a blessed week.

Your Hawaiian Word of the Week is: Pau. It's almost as common as aloha or mahalo. It means "done." For example, at the ATM today, as I took my receipt, the guy behind me asked, "Are you pau?"

LW

In which things are packed

Tomorrow, at approximately 7:30 am, I will be launched across the Pacific Ocean, and land (hopefully) on the island of Oahu. That's the plan. And hopefully, I will also have most of my worldly belongings, minus a closet of wool coats and sweaters and snowboots and scarves and mittens and hats, all of which, I'm told, I won't need on Hawaii.

I will try to post pictures once I get a new USB cable for my camera. The first few weeks over there will be spent in teacher training, but I'm not moving into our condo until around Aug. 15, so I'm not sure how connected I will be for a while.

Thanks to everyone for their well-wishes  and prayers. I'm excited about Hawaii - mostly, I'm excited about being there and not just talking  about it. My flight leaves early and I hatehatehate packing, so it could be a long night of staring at my suitcases and wishing I could pack my bags like  Merlin in The Sword in the Stone.

 
Barring that, I'm going to get back to work. It's been strange. I catch myself thinking of Hawaii as this foreign country with absolutely NO modern conveniences, and so of course I need to pack absolutely everything for absolutely every occasion. Then I remember that it  is indeed part of the United States and a  very touristy part at that, with things like Costco and Starbucks. Still, I do want to avoid buying much over there since it's so expensive, but I have to remind myself that amenities like soap with in fact be readily available.

I'm also a little off-kilter because I just got back from a weekend in Moscow, ID. Oh boy. I had such a good time and got to spend time with some of my favorite people, which is what Moscow is all about. It's also one of the last times it's going to feel that way because everyone is leaving at the end of the summer. So, yes, it was good to be back. But, no, I'm not really that sad that I graduated. I thought maybe I would get all weepy and want to return to the warm embrace of higher education, but I'm really ok with not having another year. I'm really ok with being graduated. I still want to go to grad school. I'll keep my undergraduate diploma, though, thank you very much, and be on my way.

I'll try to post things, and if you want, you could read them. No pressure, though.

Hoping I won't end up all Life  of Pi.

 
If you haven't read it, btw, you should.

LW