#upgrade

okay, i've joined the world of wordpress.  come with me. adayinourhawaiilife.wordpress.com

#funemployment

you know, i will never say I am not grateful for something, seeing as i learn a lot from all types of situations - the ones that suck, like my cousin dying at age 13, the ones that are amazing, like marrying the man of my dreams or moving to oahu.

lets talk about funemployment.

so.  this, for me, means i am between jobs and utilizing my vacation time to get a break between jobs.  i don't know that my previous company would like me announcing that, but hey.  i agreed to stay an extra MONTH to help my boss out (nope, nothing about how they cannot live without me or need me to stay.  she was going on vacation and there was no one to cover).  so for that, i negotiated my last few days vacation at the end of those thirty days.

this decision to leave my company was not made lightly, and really, probably is a bit rash and foolish. we do not have a lot of savings, we have credit card debt, and rent on oahu is three times our mortgage payment in arizona.  a gallon of milk, yes, is $6 for the cheap stuff.  so smart? no.  necessary?  yes.  then...when i put in my notice, they didn't even say thank you for the year i have worked my butt off.  guess i have to manage my expectations a bit better...

i am going to open a practice, i said.

i am going to change the world, i said.

then?  boom.  job opportunity out of nowhere.  i mean NOWHERE.  they came after me and talked about how much they have heard about me and i'm a good fit and would i please consider it.  so i did.  and i am.  and then the woman making the decision went on vacation for five days prior to an official offer.

whoa.  FUNEMPLOYMENT.  here i come!  everyone should follow their dreams...everyone should take a risk. never know what lurks on the other side...

xo

#excited

life is amazing, isn't it?

really.  i mean, at the drop of a dime, so many things can change, push us, pull us, drop us to our knees.  i'm constantly amazing at the power and beauty of it all.  today, i got up, got ready, took the dogs out, kissed my husband goodbye, and headed out the door. and in a week, all of that is going to change. 

we have the power to create and be the person that we want to be.  we know the answers, most of the time; we just need the push or shove or boot to the ass to actually follow through with it.  one thing that has worked for me is reading the book "Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting" by Lynn Grabhorn.  If you're a "power of positive thinking" person, the book is for you.

the premise is simple, and for me, one long plane ride (honolulu to washington dc) was all i needed to be inspired and changed by the simplicity of the concept.  really...our energy is out there.  we exude positive or negative vibes all the time...most of the time without realizing it.  and in that, friends, is great power.

today i'm choosing to put positive, vibrant, ecstatic energy out in the hopes that opportunities i have been waiting for come join my positivity.  i'm all in.

come join me.

#newlife

i really thought this job was my new life.

turns out i was wrong.

this job was a stepping stone to the life i was meant to live.  really.  i could talk about the nasty management meetings, the having to confront my bosses, the whatever, but the truth is, i am so grateful to what this job has taught me about myself and what i do not want.  i know they think i was happy there and i was, for much of the time i was there, but wow.  a weight will come off my shoulders when i walk out the door next week.

look at this life i lead.

it. is. amazing.  that sunset!

i'm grateful for the journey of the last year and i'm grateful for change.

OH.  AND THE BEST NEWS?

our best friends are moving here next year.  yesssss.  its true.  kristen and jason will officially be hawaii residents in august of 2015.  i can't wait.  ready to live our crazy, dog filled life with us?  c'mon.  it'll be entertaining at least.

xo
h

#change

change.

you know.  CHANGE.

I really did set off to make this about me, and it has been about me, really, representative of who I am and how I deal with stuff/crap/things.  so the lesson learned this year is...

I don't focus enough on my blog.  sorry guys.

we have done fancy, really...swanky soiree where we could not even dream about making a bid in the silent auction.

we have done cheap....wehavetoeatprepackagedramenforaweekcausewespentallofourmoney...

we have done busy, the weeks where you're so tired you cannot even feed the dogs.

but we've been real.  and that's all i ask for.  so now my commitment is recharged and re-motivated.

lets go change the world, eh?  you with me?

xo

#bereal

Those whale days. They just never stop haunting me. 

I have a choice. Sit and take it; get up and fight it. 

I'm in. 

#friendship

So moving across an ocean makes old friendships challenging.  In my 20's, everyone was a friend, and it didn't matter how many of us there were, everyone was a bestie!  After getting married, after working in way too many restaurant/bars, and despite my best efforts, after turning 30...I became so much more particular about who I spend my time with.  Investment became my tool rather than quantity.

After moving to Oahu, and even before, I knew that two things would happen - loneliness would hit me, at some point, and "friends" would pop up everywhere asking to come visit.  After agreeing to have guests the first two months (almost back to back), I've learned who my friends are, who my not-so-much-friends-just-using-me-like-a-hotel-maid-cleanup-feed-me-service are, and I've learned more and more how to say no.

My sister in law is really the most wise person I know.  And yet, she's always gracious.  (At least when I come visit.  Who knows.  Maybe I'm a good guest?)  And she is the one person who  I can count on for honesty - such as "perhaps you should take a break from guests?" or "be kind and gracious; it'll get you through anything".  Sometimes I want to yell "YOU CAN'T WASH A DISH?"  And then I remember my sweet sister in laws face...she's saying "kind and gracious...kind and gracious..."

It's been lonely here, and I'll admit I'm not great with female friendships.  I ran with a new girlfriend today (and she paced me perfectly; I loved every mile!) and I may have found a new friend :)  We'll see. I always come through in the end - sometimes it takes some time and the right female.

This is my friend Stacey.  I adore her...and she and I just might make it here together.  She lived across the street and helped us move in to our new apartment...and took me hiking...and introduced me to Lanikai beach, Lanikai juice...and Lanikai Pillbox hike!  (See the Mokes in the background?)