I'm Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An entire day of travel, but I am home safe and sound. I spent about 4 hours in LA on layover, but the rest wasn't too bad.

Okay I'm on an Island and I'm slow on catching the news..

So the Somali pirates have a U.S. citizen... A smart one so we need him. Whoever is in charge of watching the pirates through the spyglass thing when Captain Phillips escaped temporarily should be thrown in the brig or something because as soon as he jumped we should have blown them out of the water. Is he the only crew member on there? (You can really answer me because I don't know.) I also think they should send the governor of Nevada to switch places with Phillips. Perhaps the pirates would like to hear a stupid Governor who can't take some responsibility for his own mistakes. They could give him advice. I mean, let's think of ways Nevada could raise money for it's residents (and I well know that Las Vegas is suffering. I think of my family there). They could legalize gambling, oh yeah, casino mecca. Prostitution?? Mustang Ranch (a modest example). Whatever, suck it up Jim Gibbons. Whining through the newspaper to the President is no more noble than threatening rape. Stop costing Nevada money.
They could also send the Rush and Beck to deal with it. Glenn Beck could pour gas on Rush (because the cost of gas plummets when the Dems are in office threatening the country with renewable resources). Save the gas though. Stick a wick in Limbaugh, light it and let the tallow burn til it hits the hot air. If you launch him at them he's blow like a Molotov Cocktail.
And President Obama...beware of states that think you need more experience or education before they bestow their worthless honorary degrees on you. They stink of bigotry or greed.
Tea parties, wingnuts, bigotry, and lack of respect. Somali pirates are no more sick and wrong than a good portion of Americans. You think that all of this anti-Obama talk is coming from honest people? People who have nothing to gain by riling the ignorant masses?? It's embarrassing.

Oh and btw, Glenn Beck, I wish you'd get excommunicated from our church. You are a despicable person selling your conversion story. Do you pay tithes on that dvd? Taxes? Who do you want to keep fighting these wars that Bush and company got us into? Maybe, just maybe, we're going to need all the citizens we can get to replace our soldiers that thought that they died in an honorable war.

International visits

I get the occasional international visitor, which I think is just the coolest thing ever. I've lost track, but I'm a small blog and didn't expect anyone outside of family and friends. But I have had close to 20 international visitors from totally different countries. Five of them came in just over the past 24 hours. Cool! Welcome.

Sea Life Park today!

Today has been the rainiest day so far, but it's more a misty sprinkle and so we haven't been inconvenienced by it especially since weather reports from home are more Christmas-like. We went to the Sea Life Park not far from Hanauma Bay. It wasn't on any of our Top Ten Lists in Oahu book, and having been to Sea World myself a few times could see it was nowhere near as nice. It always disturbs me to see small enclosures and when I get home and have a day I have a whole rant on aquariums with aiptasia, but that is a real vent. The Sea Life Park has recently changed ownership and maybe that will explain some of the weirdness, but overall I have cool stuff to say. We were put in this room and separated off in different groups according to which package we paid for. We originally chose the most expensive package, but the dolphin swim involved us floating and the dolphin pushing us by the feet into the air and we would dive back into the water. It sounded a bit too complicated for my kids and maybe even us. I decided the one step lower in price sounded better because the dolphin swim was a belly swim where the dolphin laid on it's back and we laid on it's tummy and it would pull us as we held it's fins. We (especially me) was SHOCKED that it wasn't a dolphin that we would be playing with, it was the only wholphin in the world (at least in captivity). Her name is Kekaimalu and I have to say it made up HUGELY for the no whales on the whale watching tour. She proved to be fun, friendly, and gentle. Apparently she's given birth three times and only the 3rd baby lived (2nd died after 9 years. Sadly.) Kekaimalu's mother an Atlantic bottle nose dolphin had a tryst with a false killer whale and we had the good fortune to play with her. We weren't allowed to take pictures, but they took pictures of each of us getting and giving her a kiss and dancing with her. Because we bought all of the pictures (not cheap) we got a free dvd of the experience. Somewhere along the line the ride was dropped altogether. I'm not sure if it was because of the size of our group, the fact we were running late, or that I'm pretty sure that there was a child born to a hyena in our group (I swear I saw 666 on that kids head). I was really disappointed and we messed up on my youngest child's t-shirt and can't do anything about it now. Hopefully I can resolve it online, even though there's no online store. It was a really great day. We got to handle a lot of little critters in a little stream, and no one told me before I tried to pull a shark back out from under a rock that you weren't supposed to touch them, but I saw it as it came out the other side and decided it was much larger than I guessed and I could have lost fingers. The aquarium was cool and I recognized many of the fish from local fish stores, snorkling, and online. (I even saw a school of Moorish Idols, Chris. I TOLD you they schooled :P). We got to play with a small sea turtle (within reason, as they are protected.) We saw a bunch of rays, I LOVE them. Some freaking huge cowries (which I am certain I couldn't have smuggled home in my bra (another long story). Penguins, seals, sea lions... It was all very cool. Over all a great day and I am loving the fact I saw a Wholphin.
Also my daughter surprised me twice with a coconut bra. She underestimated what size coconut would fit me the first time and no Arch. No pictures of that either.
I did find pictures of the Wholphin family online.

Kawili'Kai. Kekaimalu's daughter.

Kekaimalu and parents. Dad at top, mom in the middle and Kekaimalu on the bottom. The birth of a wholphin from a dolphin was a shock. But the color of her skin and the shape of her rostrum was very telling. Also a false killer whale has 44 teeth, a bottle nose dolphin has 88 and Kekaimalu has 66.

I nominate Charles from Chicago as head of the new and improved GOP!!!

Okay, this is what I'm talking about here. Listen to the call and follow the transcript. Rush finally gets to rip this guy a new one but only after he disconnects the call. Hmmm kinda Nazi if you ask me!!

LIMBAUGH: We're going to go to Chicago. This is Charles. Charles, thank you for waiting and for calling. Great to have you here. Hello.

CALLER: Thanks, Rush. Rush, listen, I voted Republican, and I didn't -- really didn't want to see Obama get in office. But, you know, Rush, you're one reason to blame for this election, for the Republicans losing.

First of all, you kept harping about voting for Hillary. The second big issue is the -- was the torture issue. I'm a veteran. We're not supposed to be torturing these people. This is not Nazi Germany, Red China, or North Korea. There's other ways of interrogating people, and you kept harping about it -- "It's OK," or "It's not really torture." And it was just more than waterboarding. Some of these prisoners were killed under torture.

And it just -- it was crazy for you to keep going on and on like Levin and Hannity and Hewitt. It's like you're all brainwashed.

And my last comment is, no matter what Obama does, you will still criticize him because I believe you're brainwashed. You're just -- and I hate to say it -- but I think you're a brainwashed Nazi. Anyone who could believe in torture just has got to be - there's got to be something wrong with them.

LIMBAUGH: You know --

CALLER: And I know Bush wanted to keep us safe and all of that, but we're not supposed to be torturing these people.

LIMBAUGH: Charles, if anybody is admitting that they're brainwashed it would be you.

CALLER: No, no, no, Rush. I don't think so.

LIMBAUGH: Charles. Charles, Charles --

CALLER: You, Hannity, Hewitt, and Levin are all brainwashed and you know it.

LIMBAUGH: -- you said -- you said at the beginning of your phone call --

CALLER: Yeah.

LIMBAUGH: -- that you didn't want Obama in there --

CALLER: That's right.

LIMBAUGH: -- but you voted for him because of me.

CALLER: I didn't vote for him. I voted for McCain. I voted Republican.

LIMBAUGH: Oh, so --

CALLER: I voted Republican.

LIMBAUGH: -- you're saying I turned people off to --

CALLER: You turned people off with all your -- all this "vote for Hillary" and all this BS, because you must think people are really stupid.

LIMBAUGH: That was Operation Chaos. That was to keep the --

CALLER: You -- no. It didn't work.

LIMBAUGH: -- chaos in the [unintelligible] of the Democrat primaries.

CALLER: It didn't work. And now what we have with you Hannity, Levin, and Hewitt: sour grapes. That's all we have. And believe me, I'm not -- I'm more to the right than I am to the left.

LIMBAUGH: Oh, of course, you are.

CALLER: I am, and that's --

LIMBAUGH: Of course, you are. You wouldn't be calling here with all these sour grapes if you weren't.

CALLER: Well, I'm so tired of listening to you --

LIMBAUGH: Oh, of course, you are.

CALLER: -- go on and on with this -- you've been brainwashed.

LIMBAUGH: I don't know of anybody who died from torture. I do not ever --

CALLER: We are not supposed to torture people.

LIMBAUGH: I do not ever --

CALLER: Do you remember World War II, the Nazis? The Nuremberg Trials?

LIMBAUGH: I --

CALLER: Do you remember the Nuremberg Trials?

LIMBAUGH: Charles --

CALLER: Klaus Barbie?

LIMBAUGH: Charles, let me say --

CALLER: Huh?

LIMBAUGH: Barack Obama --

CALLER: What's the matter with you?

LIMBAUGH: Barack --

CALLER: You never even served in a military.

LIMBAUGH: Barack Obama is --

CALLER: I served in the Marine Corps and the Army.

LIMBAUGH: Charles, Barack Obama is president of the United States today because of stupid, ignorant people who think like you do. You pose -- you and your ignorance are the most expensive commodity this country has. You think you know everything. You don't know diddly-squat.

You call me a Nazi? You call me somebody who supports torture and you want credibility on this program? You know, you're just plain embarrassing and ludicrous. But it doesn't surprise me that you're the kind of Republican that our last candidate attracted. Because you're no Republican at all based on what the hell you've said here.

(This came from mediamatters.org)
Rush has not figured out that his stupid "Operation Chaos" thing actually helped the Democrats?? Operation Chaos actually is better defined the moment McCain picked Palin as Veep. And that ball just keeps on rolling. I personally find it pretty enlightening to listen to Bristol's baby daddy. I agree with President Obama that family shouldn't be fair game, but she trotted them all out like a dog and pony show. Now they won't keep to the script? Sad for you, young Levi. You saw what happened when you piss off Palin in Troopergate. Your son is now a pawn in Palin's twisted ambitions. Good luck with that. If you move to Russia you could watch him play in the yard, though!

My philosophy on Hawaii.. Oahu at least...

So I'm here for my 3rd day (not counting the half when I first got here) and I have paid more attention to little things. This is the first vacation I've had in four years that is by the ocean and I'm not in a tent. I can also strike up odd friendships in no time at all. It baffles my children. On our way in to Turtle Bay to the west toward Haleiwa we stopped at a fruit stand. (I am not at all concerned with eating out and discovered that I can live on the fresh fruit and prawns forever). This fruit stand is run by a very old woman. It was raining and we were soaked. She cut our pineapple and mango for us and told us how much harder it was for her right now because they aren't so busy. They lease land to grow the fruit. I also notice the other stands going up much later in the day and coming down much sooner. Inclement weather factors into their timing, they are younger people, who work in shifts and the stand is much nicer. I assured her we'd be back for more pineapple soon and refused change when we paid. She was crying as we pulled away. My kids noticed too. We have become accustomed to poverty and tourism in Mexico. We were shocked in Mexico at the modest and poor places people live in and how some of them are forced to make a living any way they can even small children and all day long. We were more shocked to see it here. This is America, paradise, not some poor country where the government profits from it's residents. Why isn't this elderly woman retired and taken care of after a lifetime of very hard labor? Also our maid is baffled that I use the towels and sheets conservatively and change sheets myself and take out the trash. I told her that it's the least we can do since she's cleaning when we leave and still at it when we return. She's so generous to us as is everyone here that she'll receive a hefty tip when we leave.
At the pool when my kids and I were on the water slide there was a changing of life guards. The woman who had been there was very cautious and strict but as soon as she left a young Hawaiian guy took her place. He said "Okay, NOW we're going to have fun." He was far less strict and let us ride on our tummies and probably would have let us go in a train, but we didn't want to get him in trouble. He asked me where I was from on one of my go arounds and I told him Utah. He said I just got back from serving a mission there (LDS. We are good at I.D.ing fellow members. Even rogue ones.) I asked where and was shocked to discover it was in the town I shop in every Tuesday. He asked where I live and he said he is going there in October to visit a friend who is going to the University in my town and also the University I attended. I was reading in a book we picked up on the way here about top 10 recommended things to do (lot's of lists for different things.) and top of one of the lists was the Polynesian Cultural Center. It's next to BYU Hawaii and it explained that the LDS church runs it as a place to experience the different Polynesian cultures and gives students from these different islands jobs and scholarship opportunities so they can attend BYU. I believe the only way you can attend if you are live on the mainland and possibly other countries is if you are accepted and only for a short time, like a semester. It's truly an opportunity for these people who want to go to college but can't really afford to go anywhere else and they can share their cultures with the visitors of Oahu. We went there last trip but chose to do other activities this time. The book also mention that there is a high concentration of members of the LDS church here.
Of course I also notice the genuine pride, among the islanders, of our President. We shopped at the Aloha Stadium swap meet today and ALMOST made it out without another shirt that I won't be allowed to wear around my family or inlaws, but this was too good to pass up. There are bumper stickers, pictures, and all KINDS of art and souvenirs showing their obvious pride in having had President Obama come from this state. There is a great deal of military here aside from Pearl Harbor and I notice a great deal of that in bumper stickers and suggested site seeing. They are proud to be Americans here. And proud to serve our country.
We haven't encountered anyone who lives here that is rude or unpleasant. Drivers are courteous and allow us to cut in line when we get in the wrong lane. The beauty of Hawaii isn't just in the ocean, the beaches, and scenery, it's in the people as well. In my opinion it explains a lot about our President. His patience, his friendly attitude, respect for the military, veterans, and families of those who have served or lost someone to war. I have a feeling that his service toward the community and his love of the older generation is something he learned not only from his mother and his grandparents but on this beautiful island as well.
I've also noticed THIS huge difference as well.. I think that the members of the LDS faith here have learned that Republican isn't synonymous moral conservative. I've noticed this in other states too, especially in Vegas. You can have liberal and accepting attitudes no matter your politics. No one has the market cornered on "christian" behavior (not that I understand the Christianity thing in politics anyway since we believe in freedom of religion. Plus christian christian and political christian is no way NEAR the same thing).
Anyway, just something I've noticed this time around. It's been a great time. Tomorrow is riding dolphin day!! YAY!!!

Tin Foil Hat Society in mass panic

Certified or certifiable members of the Loony Freak Brigade (Glenn Beck, Michele Bachmann, Sean Hannity...Rush is missing, he must really be moving to a smaller mansion)are freaking out and as always they can count on Jon Stewart to speak to them in small words and a calm voice. But my usual John Stewart language bleeps apply:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Baracknophobia - Obey
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Byodo-in Temple

So today I got to do something that I wanted to do soooo bad. Last time I was here my husband was terrified of getting lost so he wouldn't go to the Byodo-in Temple. I have this crazy fascination with all things Japanese. It's hard to explain but there are certain movies I love that are set in Japan and it's so beautiful but beneath the surface there is such ugliness. I guess that happens everywhere but this is different for me. I'm glad now that we saw it on THIS trip and not the last because it meant more. The pictures I saw of it didn't even come close to the actual beauty and neither did the ones we took. And the feeling is indescribable, the reverence. Anyway here are a few pictures, but we took a million. Also just in case you didn't know or didn't remember, I don't post pictures of my kids online. There are pictures of the whole family, but I don't want their info online at all.

2 pics from the resort.

Day 2 in Paradise...

We called to check our whale watching tour and it was canceled due to impending bad weather. Good news is that I called early and they had space on their earlier trip. So we headed out. We had to stop three times to pee (and I'll give you a hint, it's not me NOR my children who have to pee every 5 minutes) so as we pulled up the catamaran was sailing away... Good news, they hadn't aligned the catamaran properly to get out of their harbor so they came back and we jumped on. So for 2 hours we sailed along which I would gladly spend my lifetime doing. I tell you I was born in the wrong place. I'm a water baby. The weird guy that was the captain was behind me telling the tourists all of this trivia about whales, half of which wasn't true. I know this because I spent my early years preparing to become a cetologist then he'd point randomly and say ooo did you see that blow?? Ooooh a tail wave, while the guy dealing with the sails and was actually kinda hot was looking for real whales. Then it happened.. My daughter started to puke (which I anticipated, because though she would like to fulfill my dream of marine biology, she has motion sickness and this was her first time on a boat). I had a bag so I got it to her just in time while my OTHER daughter starts freaking out because a real whale breached. Good news is, my other daughter was feeling all better then and we crawled out on the net thingy on the front of the boat and rode on our tummies the rest of the trip. It was sooo pretty and the timing turned out good because it's about to rain again. We will be out playing in it when it comes.
Luggage isn't here yet but the good news is I have openly got to vent to actual people 3 times now. Bad news is that the automated guy doesn't know what I am saying so he makes me spell. My kids have learned how to spell unspeakable words and they transfer you to the real person faster. Turtle Bay is as always the best place in the world. They are so nice and look at us sadly when we walk by because the luggage hasn't come yet....
Stay tuned, I'm thinking a long dormant volcano on Oahu is going to blow, but my daughter is convinced it still has something to do with the Campbells. She has that fiery crazy grudge thing that can only come from a Scot! :o)