June 30, 2007

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

The Harry Potter story is coming to an end. Soon we’ll all be reading Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling’s long-awaited seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series. Fans around the world are speculating on where this final book will take us, and where it will leave Harry. The only secrets Rowling has given away are that the final chapter will tell us some of what happens to Harry and his classmates after they leave Hogwarts, and that a secret about Harry’s mother, Lily, will be revealed. Oh, yes - we also know there will be deaths. Will Harry find and destroy Voldemort’s remaing Horcruxes? Will we finally know for certain whether Snape is good or evil? Who will die? The answers will come on July 21st with the release of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows.

Order Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows now, support two charities

If you haven’t ordered your copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, yet, I hope you’ll consider using one of the links in this post to do so. Your copy of Book 7 will cost just $17.99 - that’s 49% off of the full price of $34.99. Your order will be processed through Amazon, so you know it will be handled reliably. But here’s the best part - your order will be helping to support two great charities. One of the charities supports the needs of children around the world and the other promotes global literacy. One dollar will go into the charitable fund for every book sold through the site. The goal is to raise one million dollars for these charitable causes. Performancing, a well-known and respected weblog written by and for professional bloggers, is managing the charitable project.

Write your own ending to Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

If you’re a hardcore Harry Potter fan (aren’t we all!) you’ll want to check out the writing contest after you order your copy of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows. Two winners will be selected. Submissions judged to be the best ending and the most accurate ending will each win $500. Entries must be submitted by July 20th, so get those creative juices flowing!

Order your copy of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows today! You know you were going to anyway!

Technorati Tags: books, charities, Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry Potter Book 7

Gecko gathering

There was a party on my carport tonight. I wasn’t invited. The guests actually hid when I first arrived. I arranged my face appropriately, expecting them to pop back out and shout “Surprise!” I hung back in the shadows on the lanai to give them a chance to arrange themselves. My mind wandered as I waited … and waited … and waited. Maybe they were wrapping my gifts? The new Iz CD, perhaps? Maybe they’d gone big budget and had booked me for the cruises I’ve always wanted to take to Australia and Alaska? Jewelry - yeah, jewelry would be nice. As I considered the possibilities I saw a few of the guests begin to creep back out. Hors d’oeuvres were being served and they were snatching them up, not realizing, I guess, that the guest of honor still lurked just out of sight. The remaining guests suddenly reappeared and a feeding frenzy ensued. They were literally crawling all over each other in their mad rush to feast. I began to realize that my earlier assumptions had been wrong. No tasty tidbits were being resereved to satisfy late arrivals. I was an unwanted guest in my own home.

I couldn’t cling to my resentment. They had adapted to my presence, so at least I didn’t need to feel like a party crasher. Actually, a couple of handsome fellows began preening and showing off, making me realize that I had been noticed and found desirable. One was practically doing headstands in his efforts to impress me. I found it all quite flattering as he sauntered closer, flirtatiously licking an eyeball with his long, sensusous tongue in an age-old pre-mating ritual. He whispered sweet nothings in my ear. It took me a moment to sort out what he was saying in his sexy Australian accent. I’m still not sure I deciphered correctly, but I’ll figure it all out tomorrow night when we meet for our first date. I don’t know where we’re going, but apparently I’ll be driving. He seems extroidinarily interested in my car.

Technorati Tags: geckos, Hawaii, humor

June 29, 2007

Grrrrrrr - neighbors!

The police were on my block again this morning. Sometimes it’s because of a burglary or to pick up someone with warrants. Today it was “the usual.” Domestic altercation. Did they get so loud that a neighbor called 911? I don’t know. I didn’t hear it. Was someone hurt, and someone else arrested? I don’t know that either. What I do know is that at least one of the parties involved was probably a drug user. Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of normal families living decent lives in my neighborhood. More and more, though, there are households that are falling apart because of drug abuse. It’s heartbreaking, especially when there are children in the home. People with drug problems aren’t likely to seek out Marriage Counseling when their world starts to crumble. They don’t seek substance abuse counseling either, and it’s the children who pay the highest price. Daddy hits Mommy (or Mommy hits Daddy) in a drug-induced rage. The children watch, or maybe even get abused themselves, and the scars run deep.

I can tell the damaged kids when I see them on the street. They’re the ones who don’t smile and wave back when I’m driving down the road. They generally look down instead of meeting my eyes. There’s a brother and sister a little ways down the block who never play with the other neighborhood kids. They sit outside on their lanai or carport, watching others, never smiling, never playing. I think they’ve learned that being with other people = pain. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like to be a child living with such burdens.

I won’t be seeing the numbers on the police incident reports anymore. Since I resigned from the association board I don’t have to see them now. Is it terribly selfish of me to be glad that I don’t have to stare at those numbers in frustration anymore, feeling helpless and hopeless? It’s never done us any good to know how many burglaries, how many domestic violence calls and how many petty crimes were reported anyway. What are we supposed to do with the raw data? We sent out alerts advising people to install security lighting and be aware of strangers in the area. Maybe we should have included the afterthought: “And, oh, by the way - quit beating your wife and get some help.” I’m sure that would make things all better.

Don’t mind me. I’m frustrated.

Technorati Tags: domestic violence, drugs, neighborhoods

Finding my fatihful friends

Have you noticed that my friend Whim comments on almost every post I make? They’re not “throwaway” comments, either. She obviously reads what I write, thinks about it and gives relevant feedback. I don’t deserve her loyalty. I quit routinely reading blogs a while back, hers included, and I think I owe her and other friends an explanation.

I have a broad streak of odd (obsessive-compulsive?) behaviors that dictate my life. One such behavior, which I recognized a while back but have stubbornly refused to address, is my personal reward/punishment system. I have elevated procrastination to a high artform. I had it somewhat under control when I was on Prozac and seeing a therapist, but it has consumed my life since I lost those luxuries. Most of you probably think it’s humorous when I refer to my clutter, but I can assure you it is not the “normal” clutter that some of you live with. I haven’t eaten at a table in my own home in over a year because the crap piled on the table has reached such intimidating heights that I’m not even able to look at it, much less address it. There are at least two months worth of client checks scattered around my office. I really should catch up my files and log my work into my books so that I can credit the checks to the proper accounts and get them into the bank. I respond immediately if a client needs something, but things in my life that affect only me just don’t get done.

Here’s where the reward/punishment system comes in. I don’t deserve pleasant diversions in my life. There are so many “necessary” things I’ve neglected that it would be irresponsible of me to do something fun instead of some of the things that I should be doing. I haven’t earned the privilege of leisure activities. This probably doesn’t make sense to most people, but it’s how my brain works. I’ve been doing it for years, but only recognized it quite recently. It was a change it my reading habits that finally shattered my state of denial. I’ve always been a voracious reader. Even when work was going full bore and my house was always tidy I managed to read at least three or four books a week. A while back that suddenly stopped. I would pick up a book to read and find myself so distracted that the words could not hold my attention. I spent over two months trying to read a single book, never absorbing more than a page before my mind strayed to other things. I quit even trying to read, but concentrated a lot of thought on trying to understand why I had had this change of habit. I can be pretty dense when self-analysing and managed to push away the half-formed reward/punishment theory when I first started to recognize its tell-tale signs. It was there in the background though, and I found myself capturing supporting evidence as it flitted through my brain. I used to swim almost every day. It’s good for my mind and body, but mostly it’s just a pleasant thing that I enjoy. I haven’t been in the water now for almost two years. I was putting away some laundry a while back and saw my swimsuit collection. I impulsively put one on and went out to the shed to find my snorkeling gear. I was putting it in the car when I stopped short. It would be so wrong to go swimming when there were chores around the house that needed doing. I put my gear bag away and did some mindless chore instead - I think it was mopping the floors that day. What was unique about the experience was that it was the first time I’d actually acknowledged the thought process somewhere above the subliminal level while it was happening. I was denying myself pleasure because I wasn’t worthy. Mopping the floors was not enough effort to earn the privliege, of course. There are still so many things that need doing, so I still haven’t gone swimming. Other such occurences have reinforced the theory and I’m at the point now where I can no longer deny it. My life is shaped by an ugly cycle of guilt over procrastination, taken to pathological levels, shutting me out from rewards I can never earn.

I’m working on it. Baby steps. I’ve started to read again. I’m still having trouble concentrating, but I’m allowing myself a little reading time each day. I started gardening again several months ago. It was a slow start, but now I spend a few minutes in the garden every day, pulling weeds, watering, trimming shrubs. Even if my mind strays to the laundry I really should be doing, I make myself spend at least fifteen minutes out there, and I’m enjoying it more (and with less guilt) as time passes. I haven’t been swimming yet, but the quiet voice is becoming more insistent and it’s telling me I need to spend some time in the blue, whether I’ve earned it or not.

Today I realized that I’m never going to “earn” the privilege of reading blogs just because I like them. I’ve fallen into the habit of only reading what I need to read online in order to keep my blog going well enough to monetize it. How dare I use my internet time reading for pleasure instead of researching ways to “maximize” my blog! I haven’t earned that right!

No more! I’ve spent some quality time at Whim’s place this morning. It felt right and good to start there, not just because of her loyalty, but because hers is one of the blogs that brings me the most pleasure. She is painfully forthright in sharing her own difficult journey (and it is difficult indeed!) yet always manages to uplift her readers with her honesty and spirit. I like reading Whim because she is fun and informative and always makes me think. She and I have a lot in common, but she tackles her demons instead of shoving them in the corner for another day. She inspires me and she is my friend. I deserve the privilege of reading her, even if the checks aren’t in the bank yet.

I’ve made a shortlist. If you’re reading this, you’re probably on it. I can’t get to all of you in one day, but expect to start seeing me at your place again soon. I can’t make up for lost time, but I can start right here where I am. Baby steps.

Mahalo for reading.

Technorati Tags: blogs, depression, friends, guilt, procrastination, self-realization

June 28, 2007

Back to school?

Doing the research for my turtle posts took me back a few years. I first learned how to use identification keys when I was studying for a degree in Integrated Pest Management. I really loved that program. I aced all of my entomlogy, vertebrate pest and pest control courses. Chemisty and trig, not so much, but I did well in various English and psyche courses. My one semester of OSHA studies was fun and I’d have taken advanced studies in that if they’d been available to me. I learned a lot about workplace safety and how to write and implement an OSHA-compliant safety program. I had to memorize a lot of govenment double-speak and acronyms. The course even included the history of govenrnment safety laws, like the Miners Health and Safety Act and the Federal Employers’ Liability Act, which helped pave the way to uniform safety standards in industry. I found the whole thing fascinating, and the information came in handy a few years later when I was required to write a safety handbook and training program for a national company. The history fascintated me more than the practical applications, though.

I never finished my degree program. I had to drop for a semester to deal with some family problems. When the next semester started the IPM program had been dropped from the course catalog and was only available to students who had been active the previous semester (the one that I missed.) I’ve studied pest control all of these years, of course, in order to comply with continuing education requirements for licensing, but somewhere along the line I’ve lost my hankering for the degree that I almost had. I work for myself. A degree no longer holds the power to open doors with prospective employers. If I were to go back to school today it would be for personal satisfaction and my studies would something totally unrelated to my career. Hawaiian studies would be at the top of my list. I love the history and culture of this magical place and hunger to know more. I doubt that I could afford the degree programs available at University of Hawaii, but I think most of the community colleges offer Hawaiian studies. I don’t have an infinite number of tomorrows, and am well aware that most of my life is behind me. I think it’s time to get myself in gear and start reaching for that dream.

What about you? Would you go back to school for any reason other than career advancement? If you did, what would you study? Would you be seeking a degree, or studying merely for the love of knowledge? Do you have any experience with going back to school at an advanced age that you’d be willing to share?

Technorati Tags: adult education, business, college, degrees, dreams

Honu or honu’ea?

My friend Pelf is a grad student. She works with turtles every day, and is involved in a project to help save and protect critically endangered river terrapin. She thinks the photo I published yesterday of a turtle in Waianae Boat Harbor might be a Hawksbill instead of a Green Sea Turtle. She knows a lot more about turtles than I do, so I’m publishing another photo taken the same day that may help her clarify the issue. I assumed it was a Green Sea Turtle because they are very common in the shallow waters of my coast. I’ve gotten in trouble in the past for assuming, so it’s very possible I was wrong this time, too.

Green Sea Turtles - honu - are quite abundant on the Waianae Coast. It’s hard to go to the beach, and even harder to spend time in the water, without seeing them. Their numbers have increased greatly since they came under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, and they are currently listed as “threatened.” The honu themselves make it hard to follow the rules and not get within ten feet of them. They’re curious and playful and have become acclimated to humans in their environment, especially in popular diving and snorkeling sites. There’s an old, friendly guy at my favorite dive site who is affectionately known as “Old Tripod” (missing one flipper.) He likes to hover just above divers’ heads and “eat” the bubbles that ascend from their regulators. FYI, for anyone who swims or dives here, or for anyone planning a trip, let the turtles control the situation. Never place yourself over them. They need to surface regularly to breath. Do not approach, feed, harrass, chase or attempt to touch them. If you see fising line or nets in the water and can remove them, do so. If you see abandoned nets and can’t remove them yourself, report them so that someone else can. Turtles and other sea creatures drown or become maimed from entanglement in nets. It appears that the fellow pictured above is missing a flipper, though it could be tucked out of the way and hidden from the angle I was able to photograph. Fishing debris is one cause of missing flippers (sharks are another.) EDIT: I just looked at the picture of this same turtle from my previous post, in original size. His other flipper is visible. Did you notice the white line near the front of his carapace? Damage? You can see it in both pictures. In the picture I’ve just added below it looks like it’s just a clearer margin between scutes. No so much algae obscuring it.

Hawksbill turtles - honu’ea - also occur in the waters around Oahu, but in much lower numbers. They are listed as endangered. Nesting occurs on the Big Island of Hawaii, with less than thirty nesting turtles identified. It is possible that a Hawksbill lives in the waters of Waianae Harbor, especially if it’s missing a flipper and is protecting itself from larger sea creatures by staying out of the open ocean. The bottom of the harbor is quite mucky, and I can’t imagine sponges living there for a Hawksbill to feed on, but I’m not an expert in turtles or sponges, so I’m merely speculating. I watched the fellow above nibbling on the bottom, but could not see through the murk to tell what he was eating. I do know that there is seaweed in the harbor that honu could eat. Hawsbill’s have a serrated edge along the rear curve of their carapace, while with Green Sea Turtles you can see a bit of a scalloped edge sometimes. The photo above clearly shows serrations near the tail, but they are not as numerous or clearly defined as I’ve seen in photos on other sites. There are also scallops along the rear edges in my photo.

So there you have it. Is my guy a honu or honu’ea? Either way, it’s a joy and privilege to have such magnificent creatures as neighbors. You can help support their protection and recovery by educating yourself before you enter their environment. More tangible support can be provided through donations to any of the numerous conservation efforts listed at turtles.org. WE are the turtles’ greatest enemy. Our past hunting habits and our carelessness with their environment are the primary causes of turtle population declines around the world. The least we can do is to help bring them back, now that we know better.

Edit: I found this identification key, which, coupled with the larger view of the turtle’s head in the photo below, seems to solve our mystery! On the keys, look at the picture on the right, then click on the link below to go to the next page.

Technorati Tags: Green Sea Turtle, Hawaii, Hawksbill Turtle, honu, honu’ea, photo, turtles, turtles.org

New Police CD

If you haven’t seen the televison ad above that’s probably because you’re in the US. The ad is currently running in the UK. The whole world is celebrating the release of the new Police CD. It was released in the US on June 5th, so maybe you already have your copy. If you don’t have it yet, what are you waiting for? Actually, it’s not a CD. It’s a 2-disc compilation of all of their greatest music. I’m embarrassed to admit that there are a few songs in the set that I’m not familiar with, but only a few. It’s a generational thing. The Police were my son’s music, but they played a part in my own life, too. This is the music that’s woven through our memories, the music that topped the charts for many years. The new Police CD has all of your favorites and will remind you why you fell in love with them in the first place. Here’s the play list:

Track Listings
Disc: 1

1. Fallout
2. Can’t Stand Losing You
3. Next to You
4. Roxanne
5. Truth Hits Everybody
6. Hole in My Life
7. So Lonely
8. Message in a Bottle
9. Reggatta de Blanc
10. Bring on the Night
11. Walking on the Moon
12. Don’t Stand So Close to Me
13. Driven to Tears
14. Canary in a Coalmine

Disc: 2

1. Do Do Do de da da Da
2. Voices Inside My Head
3. Invisible Sun
4. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
5. Spirits in the Material World
6. Demolition Man
7. Every Breath You Take
8. Synchronicity I
9. Wrapped Around Your Finger
10. Walking in Your Footsteps
11. Synchronicity II
12. King of Pain
13. Murder by Numbers
14. Tea in the Sahara

Every CD set comes with an added bonus, a vintage poster of The Police the way we remember them best, as the young men who kept us singing and scripted our most romantic moments. It’s on sale everywhere, so you don’t have any excuse for not buying your own copy. Get going! We can talk about it later, after you’ve had your stroll down memory lane.

Technorati Tags: music, sponsored posts, The Police, video

June 27, 2007

More from the Waianae Boat Harbor

When I visited the harbor last week I found the wrecked plane and blogged about it. There was more to see at the harbor, though, that I’m only just getting around to sharing. It’s a small boat harbor, too shallow for the big tour boats, cruise ships and commercial shipping that keep Honolulu Harbor buzzing. Most of the boats here belong to local fishermen, dive boat operators and a few smaller tour operators. Sail boats are berthed here, too.

This young man had not had a catch yet when we spoke, but said he catches fish here most days. He was on the next dock over when I first noticed him. I think it was my picture-taking rather than a search for a sweet spot to drop a hook that drew him nearer.

One of life’s simple pleasures - watching the water shush in and out of a mini coral cave at the harbor’s edge. I’m not a good enough photographer to capture the small fish and crabs that slid in and out of the opening and scrambled on the rocks with each wave. Kind of like Six Flags for sea creatures.

I watched this fellow for half an hour and took about twenty shots before I finally caught him in shallow enough water to get his picture. He lives in the calm waters of the harbor, so his shell does not get scoured by the ocean surf and is covered with algae. He’s a Green Sea Turtle, called honu in Hawaiian.

Technorati Tags: boats, fishing, harbor, Hawaii, honu, photos, Waianae Boat Harbor

Jantics

Okay, I’ve had my arm twisted. I don’t really think Janna over at Jantics is funny, but I was asked nicely, so I’ll write about her. I’ve never peed myself laughing while reading her posts, not even when she wrote the one about the angry mimes with spaghetti tongs and a ferret. For pity’s sake, the woman talks to pudding. Maybe because her brain is jello and they’re related? She such a namedropper, too. Dr. Phil, Oprah, Orlando Bloom, C3PO and Goofy all in one post? The woman is just all over the place. I don’t think even an IBM memory could possibly contain all of the bits and pieces she throws out. We should sit up and take notice? I’m so unimpressed. Janna doesn’t even possess the grace and skill to figure skate. I’ve been doing that since I was in diapers. I’ll bet she can’t ride a bike either. No talent. She’s just got nothing going on at all. Well, except that she’s got a good supply of dark chocolate-covered orange slices. I go for the chocolate. Yeah, that’s it. That’s why I keep going back. Not the humor. Not the charm. Certainly not the sharp wit. Go on over there and see if I’m not right. Eat some chocolate while you’re there.

I was right, right? She didn’t make you laugh, did she? Did you bring me back some chocolate?

Disclaimer: I am not doing this because I’m in denial about a secret crush on Janna. I’m doing it because I have a thing for Mr. Fabulous and I don’t care who knows it. I fanatasize about having him as my figure skating partner in the next Olympics. In a grass skirt. Laugh at me if you want. Just don’t laugh at Janna. She’s not funny.

Technorati Tags: blogs, humor, reviews

I love my job - sometimes

I got a call late yesterday to do a hurry-up inspection today. The seller’s agents are supposed to arrange these things in a timely manner so that the real estate closing won’t be held up, but they frequently “forget.” The request this time came from a transaction coordinator for the escrow company. She was gathering documents for the closing, noted that the buyer had requested that I provide the inspection and that the seller’s agent had never ordered it. I’ve never spoken to the seller’s agent and probably never will. He’s “unavailable,” probably off-island on some leisuretime vip vacation. That’s why he has minions, I guess. It worked out okay. I didn’t have an overly-burdened schedule for today and the condo is here on the coast, quick and easy for me to get to.

The entire interior of the condo had recently been gutted. All new cabinets, floors, fixtures and appliances. When the nails were driven to install the quarter-round for the floor, one of them penetrated damaged wood at the base of a window and caused it to split.

It didn’t need much of an expert to discern that the bottom sill was toast. I probed along the framing on one side of the window and saw that damage had been inexpertly filled prior to the recent paint job. I opened up damage, concealed under a thin layer of fill and paint, all the way around the window.

I don’t know whether it was the seller or his repair contractor who attempted to hide an active termite infestation and damage. If I had missed it, it would have been on my shoulders when the buyer found it (and the buyer would have found it the first time he or she stubbed a toe trying to open the paint-sealed louvers.) I’ve been doing this for twenty-seven years. I’ve never been dinged with an insurance claim for a miss. Today’s find was pretty simple. Sometime the cover-up is more expert. Things like this make me angry, and they also make me wonder how many times I have missed something that the buyer was stuck with because they didn’t know they had legal recourse. There are some things about this business that I won’t miss at all if I ever retire.

Technorati Tags: business, fraud, real estate, termite inspection, termites