Aloha December!

Locals say Aloha Friday at the end of the week, I assume because they're excited about the pending weekend. So Aloha December, because the last week has been amazing and I can't wait for the rest!

Let's start with work: I had my performance evaluation this week and all went well. They're not firing me at least. And I had bigger goals written up for myself than my boss did, so I think that impressed her as well. I also found out there are 4 other people going to the Learning Institute in Iowa in January--a guy originally from Ohio and 3 locals. All and all, 3 women and 2 men. I was asked if I would room with one of the other women from our station who apparently has never traveled. Iowa in January will be a real treat for her. It's funny what a big deal the conference is--people have been waiting for years to get to go and if they're not going this year they hope to get picked next year. I told one of the guys I saw his name on the e-mail list and he literally ran up and down the field road yelling, "I'm going to Iowa!!" at the top of his lungs so everyone in the corn could hear him. I've never heard anyone so excited to go to Iowa before! It should be a fun trip.

And then the weekend kicked off. Friday night there was a Christmas lighted parade in Lihue called Lights on Rice (the name of the street where the parade took place). I got to thinking about it, and I have never been to a Christmas parade before. It's cold in Iowa around Christmas. And I had never been to a lighted parade before. I wasn't really sure how it would work, but I was excited. I was like a kid at Disneyland. I drug Rick along with me and I think he was a little embarrassed at how childlike-enthusiastic I was. It started out very dramatically as there was a countdown to the lighting of the County Building (and the park in front of it) and it seriously took my breath away. I was so excited. I took pictures of nearly every float, but I only put a few on here. The parade went for nearly an hour and I swear, half of the island was there, either in the parade or watching. It really put me in the Christmas mood and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

The County Building (apparently there is only one). There was a countdown to the lighting--really neat!

Here's the Kauai Bus--we just have one and it's a short bus at that...

Saturday I had to work in the morning and spent the early afternoon doing laundry. Rick and I decided that we both wanted a Christmas tree but I don't have any ornaments, so we decided to get a tree together and put it at his house. He'll be around on Christmas and he said I can come visit the tree every now and again. Anyway, they were on sale so we bought one yesterday. I stopped by Kristin's place (which, in a month, will be mine as well) since I was in Hanapepe and it looks as though she's settling in well. We really bonded yesterday as well and I'm really excited to move in with her. It's been a while since I've had that girlie girlfriend and I felt like I was a giggly high schooler again.

I went to a concert last night featuring the Kauai Community Jazz Band and Wind Symphony at the Kauai Community College. No one wanted to go with me, but I had a good time nonetheless. The concert was pretty good, though it wasn't Christmas With Wartburg (which was also last night, but in Des Moines, not Puhi). But mine was free :) They were pretty full ensembles, though 9 saxophones is a little much for a jazz band. But the music was pretty good. The thing I found interesting was the conductor has taught here on the island for the past 40 years in the public schools (there are 3 high schools) and conducts the 3 community instrumental ensembles. So, basically, this man has a monopoly on the instrumental music on Kauai. I wonder if he's a good conductor.

This morning I went SCUBA diving with Fathom Five Divers who have a sweet deal where, for a $50 yearly membership fee, locals dive for free if there's room on the boat (they only take 6 divers per dive). Anyway, there were 4 tourist men from the mainland and me on the boat and we had a good time. The water was actually a few degrees warmer than topside and it was cloudy, but it was decent diving weather. We had a 2-tank dive, the first site was called Sheraton Caverns and the second Harbor Ledges. At the first dive site we saw somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 green sea turtles (which reach 4 feet in length and 350 lbs!) and we could get really close to them as well. We saw 5 or so before we even got in the water. It was amazing! There were also a lot of overhead arches we swam under and at one point I was swimming under one while a turtle was swimming the other direction within arm's reach below me. So cool. At the second site we saw a turtle cleaning station which was really interesting. In case you are unfamiliar with marine biology, there are fish and crustaceans called cleaners in the ocean that literally clean larger marine life--it's a remarkable symbiotic relationship. The visibility ranged from 30-50 feet--not so great today. I don't know enough about the ocean to know why, but it dropped remarkably halfway through both dives (both entries were pretty clear). Anyway, it was really cool and I'm sure I'll be back diving with them again soon.

So now I'm warming up and thinking of taking a nap. Mom sent me Christmas CDs (thanks, Mom!) and I ordered a Muppet Christmas Carol online and have watched it 5 times in 3 days. I'm addicted. And getting so excited for Christmas! Hope everyone is feeling the Christmas spirit!