Still Kickin'

I nearly forgot about this thing the past few months or so.

A lot of things have happened...my family came to visit, taiko's been getting busier for Sensei's 35th Anniversary, work has been nonexistent and so has the pay; I fell in love, met some more new taiko folks, became closer with old friends, and am now coming to terms with the end of my time here.

I think I've realized how independent I've become, so knowing that I'm moving home for a while is kind of hard to accept.  How hard it will actually be only time will tell, but I'm pretty sure, gauging from my 3 week holiday home-time vacations, that it will be HARD.

I know most blogs are inherently selfish and self-centered (I this, I that, me me me me me); the movie Julie & Julia helped me see that (I highly recommend the flick for anyone who hasn't seen it), but this entry will probably be one of the more self-involved contributions.

Having started a relationship here already gives me a lot to think about in terms of being back in LA, but more than that, I only realized today how COMFORTABLE I've become here.  Just like in those movies...you know when you've blended into a new area or neighborhood when your neighbors start acknowledging you.  Like, you're a local now, foreal.  Except I'm leaving again in roughly 3 weeks.

I guess life can be good that way while we're young -- just when you get comfortable or start to get complacent...MOVE ON.  That's what I'm doing...and that's probably what will happen back in LA up until I actually start attending law school.  It keeps life exciting, unpredictable, new, fresh.

I suppose though, life can't be fresh forever.

Or maybe it can, just in a different way.

All of the goodbye events have started to happen - the goodbye BBQ, the last karaoke outing, and soon, the VERY last parties and farewells.  Little by little it's sinking in.  The logistics of moving are going to be the biggest pain, and I haven't even started on that...probably because I just don't feel absolutely ready to fully accept that I'm going to be gone from here.  Forever.  Mmm or to be less dramatic, just will never be here in the same way again.

Hawai'i will always be my second home, though, there's no doubt about that.  When I leave here I'll be leaving a piece of myself behind, the piece I'll have to come back and reclaim whenever I come to visit.

It's been a beautiful 2 years, so I can't complain.  It's just so bittersweet, I could cry just thinking about having to board that plane and head home for good.

The great news is some of my friends here may make it over to the Cali area...so that should be exciting.

And of course, LA is my element.  The people, the places, the FOOD....

I'm just afraid I'll be a stranger in my own hometown.  I guess that's inevitable at first, but it shouldn't take too long to become reacquainted, mainly with friends.  There's still so much to do and so much to see.

Chaos

Too much happening now, in this world, is disheartening proof of how fucked up people really are.

Still a tribute.

Shero-hero had to be changed on request, but I thought the blog could use a small change anyway.  I'm not HTML-smart enough to revolutionize the blog completely, but so it goes.

So it's been an interesting weekend, without a doubt.

Chile and the 8.8 -- my thoughts and condolences are with them.  But it led to a severe tsunami scare out here on the islands.  I mean, Hawai'i gets a lot of tsunami warnings, but it's rarely so bad that they actually close down local shops and businesses, college campuses, and even roads closest to the coast.  We really thought we were in for something serious.  The streets and beaches were completely emptied out, some families in inundated areas evacuated.  I was stuck here at home, waking up Saturday morning with Dok to tsunami warning sirens.  We were basically trapped at home all morning and into the early afternoon, watching the local news for the latest, waiting for the tsunami to hit.  Waves were projected to be at least 6 feet tall, hit Hilo, Big Island first, and then make its way over to us.

Long story short, we watched and waited until 11:04 am, when the first waves were supposed to start arriving, but they were at least an hour late.  We watched the ocean recede, particularly over a patch of coral reef - this is a sure indication of an arriving tsunami - and then it turned out the waves were only 3 feet high.  Grrrreat.

Then the islands are all "oh yay, at least we were prepared for a great disaster in case it came."  Uh, tourists were evacuated to the tops of hotels for goodness' sakes.  I HOPE that would've worked if the waves were high enough.

Anyhow, of course just happy and relieved that everyone is safe and nothing happened to us.  It was scary there, for like 12 hours.  Good job Hawai'i, for giving me a memorable weekend, or something like that.

Meanwhile, April 13 looms ever closer.  Eek!