Battle of the pigeons, teenage angst, and the evil stapler September 17, 2008

So I have decided staples are evil.  1) Do not play with staplers…they are evil.  2) Do not staple your finger…it really really hurts  3) Use binder clips, because they hurt less then staples.  Ok so yes I know I’m random, but stapling your finger really does hurt!!!!!  I know!!!  I was playing around with a stapler and stapled myself.  It sucked! However not all metal is evil!  Hehehe…Ive reverted back to my massicistic self!

Waikiki beach is interesting as ever.  I went down there to read, and succeeded on getting some done, but not as much as I was hoping to finish. Instead I ended up watching two local teens fight it out over stupid territory and surfing rights.  It got ugly, and some of the other locals had to intervene.  Stupid teenage angst!  Instead of joining the brawl(could you have seen that?!) I sat out on the pier and got tan, and then went and layed in the sand.  I love it down there….I need to move down to waikiki area.  There’s so much to do.  The only negatives are that it is a little too touristy at times, and that I wouldn’t get as good of exercise as I do here….unless I become Erik and ride a bike to and from HPU (roughly 28-30 miles/4 days).  It wouldn’t be that bad…its mainly a flat ride, and no 80 steps!  The sad thing is that Im getting use to the walk and the steps.  Although Im still sweating up a storm by the time I get home!

I have decided that pigeons are stupid…let me clarify…all the white pigeons are stupid.  They like to get in your way when your walking.  And today when they wouldn’t move until I was about to step on them, the would then move and fly in your face towards you instead of away from you.  Im sorry pigeons, you are not the dominant species in Honolulu…there may be a crap load of you, but I will battle you anyday (unless they start ppoping on me, the Im done)!

Well Im off to dinner, Later!

Waikiki, tattoos, and the ever increasing household September 10, 2008

done

Waikiki Coastline

done

Pier Diving

 

My normal wednesday routine continues…and this time I was not successful in regenerating my red lobster skin.  The clouds were out in full force, and alas my attempt to “tan” will have to wait for another day!  The Waikiki pier was busy as ever with the tourists and the locals alike.  A few of the locals who I’ve seen before were there, but not Alec and his brood.  Oh well, another day, another time.  I was able to catch some of the pier diving and the boogy boarding and surfing on video, and they will be dispersed over the next xeveral posts, so I hope everyone enjoys them.  Today we have a quick video tour of the Waikiki coastline as well as a pier diver. 

Well apparently 5 roommates weren’t enough…Chris has officially moved in (Molly’s boyfriend).  I loved how my landlord posted a note on the fridge asking if there were any objections, and someone responded “You mean it isn’t official already?”  He’s here all the time, so it feels like there are 6 other people licing here, it’s just official now! 

So Kim and I got into a discussion on tattoos.  I really want a new one…and have wanted one for some time, but have been delaying due to the cost.  She recommended I wait til I get back to the mainland because it’s cheaper,but I really want one of my planned 5 now!  So what does everyone think?  Any suggestions on what to get done first?  Maybe, I’ll hold off on the tattoos and get my nose pierced instead!  I’ve been wanting that one for awhile too.  Oh yeah and the back of my neck…but there is only one place I trust to do that (Tattoo Tech here I come!)  I know my parents will be so excited to read about this piece of news!  So as a warning…expect a piercing of some sort when you see me in a month! 

Enjoy the videos!

Later!

Cafeteria trays, surfer boys, and the Waikiki pier September 3, 2008

My local “buddy” Alec

Riding the boards into the pier

Alec breaker walking

 

So todays adventures included some more adventures at Waikiki and the beginning of the never ending reading pile for my HPU grad classes.  I decided that my favorite place, the Waikiki Pier, would be a great place to “study”.  I soon discovered I got more done on the bus ride then at the pier, but it was worth it. 

The pier was filled with a combination of locals and tourists like normal, but today, although I was a perceived haole, I was no longer a tourist to some of the local boys.  That was a welcome change, I guess a few are recognizing me now!  So I spent some time taking some more pictures of the surfer boys and enjoyed the massive wave splashes that come from the water hitting the pier.  I’ll have to try and get a few pics of that event as well as some of the locals pier diving.  It is insane to watch…maybe I’ll have to do video, because they are very inventive on their jumps, from flips, to cannonballs, to some odd belly flop techniques…and more.  I discovered today that some of the locals like to play tricks on the tourists by making “seal” sounds by putting their mouth to the water somehow.  It’s funny to watch,l because you have all these tourists looking around for a seal…and yes I fell for it…ONCE! 

I spent that day talking to a surfer dude named Alec,  he’s about 25 and has lived here all his life.  He is definately known, baecause gramps was there today and was yelling at him for picking on the tourists with the seal calls.  It was funny.  He spent a good portion of the day trying to ride waves in towards the pier and jumping up and grabbing the rim of the pier…it was funny to watch, because one he never succeeded, and two because he scared the wits out of a couple of Japanese tourists!  His buddies were given him flack for talking to me, a haole, but ti was okay…they weren’t too serious.  And before everyone gets their pants in a bunch…no I am not dating him!

So I discovered a new and fascintaing use for cafeteria trays today!  So everyone knows (well at least UD students know) that stealing cafeteria trays for sledding is one fun thing to do with them, but how about boogy-boarding on a tray…it was fun to watch.  I didn’t think it would work because the guy was so big compared to the tray but apperently it works, but you must have flippers too (according to Alec). 

So after a long bus ride home with a stop off at the ever present Safeway grocery store, I am home, cooling down and red beyond belief…and yes I did use lotion!

Enjoy the pics above!

 

PS:  I have hit over 500 views on my blog..thanks and keep coming by!

Waikiki, waves, and lobster skin August 31, 2008

 

Surfer dude 1

Boogy boarder

Surfer Dude 2

 

So my time at Waikiki left me looking like a lobster, but it’s not hurting so Im ok!   I have begun to wonder about some people here in Hawaii.  Everywhere I go, I see people talking and gesturing to themselves as they walk down the street..or better yet as they are sitting by you on the bus!  I think some people are getting a little too much sun!

So I sepent the better portion of my day at Waikiki taking pictures of the boogy-boarders and surfers as they waited on waves.  I’ve included some pics for everyone today, enjoy.

Also, as per the Haole post yesterday…I wasn’t directly called a haole to my face but indirectly when some local was referencing me.  I don’t care…I was also called a tourist!  Maybe I am in a way because I definately don’t plan on living here beyond grad school!  None of it matters really, because I really enjoy that pier and will be there weekly if I have my way, so they better get use to it! 

Now here’s a question: What’s black, and white and red all over? 

Anser: Me at my sisters wedding!   Jess I may need to get someone to do my makeup too…in order to blend all the red properly!  Wanna make appts at Macys or Elder Beermans or something?  Let me know! 

Later!

Pier Diving, wipeout and those locals August 30, 2008

Waikiki Beach with Diamondhead taken from the Pier

Wipeout!

Waiting on a Wave

 

So my daily adventure included grocery shopping (which is a several time a week outing) and an excursion to Waikiki Beach.  Several of you have been wondering if I’ve tanned or better yet burnt yet…and to let you all know…Prior to today I was “tanning” but now I am red (mainly due to the fact that I’m an idiot and forgot sunscreen at the house).   But everyone should be glad to know that I may be red, but I’m not burnt…at least not in pain yet!

So todays adventures at Waikiki consisted of some lite reading(I didn’t get too far with my book) and my favorite hobby, photography.  I discovered a pier at Waikiki which all the locals used as a jumping point to access waves for boogy-boarding and surfing.  I love how the county tried to keep people from jumping or diving off the pier…what do they do…they post signs, and then station no one around!  Like that will stop people!  There were some tourists hanging around the pier watching the water logged locals trying to catch waves.  I must have sat there long enough because I got to talking to a few locals, including one, as the locals call him “gramps”.  He’s definately an older guy who loves the water as much as the young.  Every where you look you see all these young locals running around being all offensive to the haoles (which would i guess include me), but when it comes to their elders I’ve never seen such transformation to show respect.  Interesting…maybe I’ll do a whole study of this during my free time…

By the way a Haole is a somewhat offensive term used to indicate non-locals from locals.  Its pronounced “How-lee”.  And I have been called one, today in fact, but thats another story that I will tell tomorrow. 

Today’s pics include Waikiki Beach with a view of Diamondhead, a boogy-boarder wiping out, and the many locals waiting for those waves!

Enjoy, Later!