The Parker Pens

We're Ready for Christmas!

2011-12-20T19:50:00.000-08:00

When I was growing up, we always bought our tree a few days before Christmas. The choice was slim, the trees were forlorn, and they exemplified the Charlie Brown experience. Later on, my dad became more "environmentally conscious" and we no longer purchased cut trees. Instead, we bought live trees that we planted in the backyard after Christmas was over.
We went to Home Depot after Anna's physical therapy appointment because of her fractured ankle in September and the Baby Blue Colorado Spruce begged to come home.

The guys who helped us load it into my Cube were surprised they could fit it inside. Then we went to Ace Hardware where all Christmas decorations were 50% off.

Our tree is truly beautiful. Drew said he heard a little boy walking on our sidewalk, "Wow, look at that!"

I guess we did good.

Happy Mother's Day Was Early

2011-05-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

On the drive home today, Anna mentioned that one of the 4th graders looked "just like Taylor Swift, but without the curly hair." I remarked idly that I wished I were pretty, but I had to settle for brains instead.

Drew spoke up from the back seat. "You're pretty, Mom."

I said, "Thank you, Drew."

"There's no 'thank you' about it," he stated. "You're pretty, Mom."

Awww....

Becoming a Boy Scout and the First Hike (Without Mom or Dad)

2011-04-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

Another milestone has passed: Drew transitioned from Webelo to full-fledged Boy Scout at the Blue and Gold Banquet on Sunday, 20 March. He is intent on becoming an Eagle Scout---he really looks up to the older boys in the troop. It is wonderful to see the difference in his behavior between the "puppy dog" antics of the Cub Scouts and the more serious and attentive actions within the Boy Scout troop. Don't get me wrong; he still acts like a goofball, but I can see the person he is becoming.

That ceremony marked the change in activities as well. Drew went on his first overnight hike without Mom or Dad present. Being a smaller person myself, I was very concerned about the weight of his pack and finding gear that would fit him. Everyone in the family now owns hiking boots (and if you're interested in bargains, I recommend becoming a member of REI and taking advantage of the end-of-season specials in their online outlet store). Our next project is getting our bikes tuned up.

Learning To Want The Life I Have

2011-03-20T10:32:00.000-07:00

For those who know me, you are aware of my struggles with despair and purpose following my deployment to Kuwait. Typically, Sundays have been difficult for me, and today has been no different.

Today's lectionary readings included Psalm 121, which spoke directly to me:

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

The gospel reading was from John 18: 1-11 and I was struck by Pastor Carillo's explanation of Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, took on the sins of the world to save us all. But, he did not do this without asking God, as a child petitions his father, to beg for release:

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

My study Bible comments that "Jesus did not die serenely, as many martyrs have. He was the Lamb of God bearing the penalty of the sins of the entire human race." I cannot imagine the weight of that sacrifice and I am humbled. But I have not surrendered as Jesus has. Like that stubborn two-year old, I am still telling God, "I can carry this."

Fortunately, he has surrounded me with angels. But it is still a struggle as my short-term plans involve getting through the next five minutes and my long-term plan is stringing together a bunch of short-term plans.

I did enjoy the radio selections on the way home. We listened to U2's "Mysterious Ways," then Katy Perry's "Firework." Yes, even though I still feel very much alone, God has not left me bereft.

Not "Not Home"

2011-03-03T11:23:00.001-08:00

The transition has started from the desert to home. I am a different person rejoining my life back home, already in progress.

I slept for a few hours and got up and ran in the mist. I ate breakfast with some of my colleagues and snagged a newspaper to read in my room. I pressed out all the travel wrinkles in my uniform and have been very disappointed with daytime television. The view from the balcony in my room is beautiful and so colorful. I don't know what I'm going to do for lunch. We have to catch the bus to Port Hueneme at 1230.

In the meantime, I have a few more hours of solitude left to me.

Up There On The Stage, Completely OK

2011-01-13T00:55:00.000-08:00

In the past, one of the things I wanted to become was more spontaneous (because I equated "spontaneous" with being light-hearted, less serious, more exuberant---none of which I really see myself as) so I attended Improvisation for Creative Pedagogy at Second City in Chicago. One of the techniques I learned was "Yes, and..."

The next time you have an opportunity to view an improvisation troupe in action, watch how they keep the energy going. They do this by accepting whatever it is the person before them has thrown out, no matter how ridiculous, inappropriate, or bad. So the acknowledgement of "Yes!" then the addition of "and" allows the next person to continue and build on what the previous person has started. You can see how this mutual journey to spark tons of creativity and discovery. It's the opposite of "Yes, but..."

In "Yes, but," you're not really saying "yes." You're saying no. You're shutting down the action, the energy, the opportunity to go where no man has gone before...You're negating all the good things you said up to that point.

In this post, William Zinsser writes about bad headlines that spur us to wonder why we should bother reading further.

Dan Goldstein gives insight into “Yes, and” as well as several other tools in his essay on improvisation.

Here Charles “Chic” Thompson and Lael Lyons teach readers how to respond to the Top 40 Killer Phrases, like “Yes, but…” designed to squelch new ideas.

Somehow my mind has linked improv with walking the high wire without a net. Improv is up on the stage---something that doesn’t happen in real life, something I watch from the audience. But Shakespeare had it most fitting when he said, “All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances…” (from “As You Like It”).

Mick Napier said, “Support your partner.” He continues, “Do something now. Two people making strong choices is nothing but supportive.” Finally, "Improvisation is the art of being completely OK with not knowing what the fuck you're doing."

That's me, by the way. Up there on the stage, doing improv. And I'm completely OK.

Enjoy some Tokay for me

2011-01-12T00:34:00.000-08:00

Back in Guam, we lived next door to the chaplain for the USS Frank Cable (it's the one that had the steam rupture in DEC 2006 requiring medevac of seven patients to Brook Army Hospital for burns. Seaman Valentine died of inhalation injuries. The CO lost his job).

Chaps was quite the character. A poker-playing, Communist-hating, God-loving man, he was from Hungary and grew up under the Communists (hence the passionate distaste---and don't get him started on Muslims, either). He started a Bible study at his home on Wednesday evenings and, when we returned from Thailand, I talked to him about Buddhism. Buddhism, as a philosophy, held a distinct lure for me---peacefulness, serenity, calmness---all emotions alien to this high-strung, fiery dynamo (yes, I think that accurately describes me).

I asked him if Buddhism was compatible with Christianity and he surprised me by saying, "Yes, and there is such a thing as a Buddhist Jesuit."

I think the attraction comes from what one practitioner has said:

"Christianity is long on content but short on method and technique. So I think Buddhism is providing Christians with practices, with techniques, by which they can enter more experientially into the content of what they believe."

Chaps knew I wasn't much of a drinker and asked me what I liked. "Sweet wines," I said.

"I have the perfect wine for you," he said, and he pulled out this tiny bottle from his cabinet and poured a small bit of golden liquid into a glass. "I think you'll like this." And every time I went over to his house after that, he would pour me a glass of Tokay.

Tokay is incredibly sweet. It's like drinking warm liquid raisins, for lack of a better description. I don't think I could drink enough to get drunk before I would get sick, but it was enough to "warm" me up, to shake my rigidness and inflexibility loose, to allow me to feel fellowship with others.

What I wouldn't give to have a glass of Tokay in Guam---and a mulligan.

Your Milieu Counts! (Before and After)

2010-09-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

How I decorate my surroundings truly affects how I feel or behave. I didn't really believe this until I got my order for my rug and sitting pillow from Urban Outfitters. I know I'm not their demographic, but I'm glad they let me buy anyway. [*Sigh* When did I become uncool?]

I definitely feel a lot happier since having some personalization and color in my milieu.

I had originally planned to decorate my cubicle little by little with trinkets and treasures from the Middle East. That was going to take a while, probably even longer than the six months or so that I'm here because we weren't allowed off post for the first six weeks because of Ramadan. Our MWR crew has set up two off-post excursions in October for eight people each time. Get this: there are 133 people who would like to get off-post. I thought the statement, "If more than 8 people sign up, we will hold a lottery," was silly. Hellooooo! And if the names of the two people organizing the trips is on the list, I'm going to be more than a little irked.

I Love Sundays

2010-09-19T03:32:00.000-07:00

When you work six days a week, you love the time you get for yourself.

I don't need an alarm clock anymore. I wake before it's scheduled to go off, anyway. That's what happens when you go to work six days a week. The best part is on the seventh day, you still wake up at the same time, but you don't have to get out of bed...at least, not right away.

This is the start of my sixth Ground Hog Week at EMFK. EMF stands for "Expeditionary Medical Facility;" the "K" stands for "Kuwait."

This morning I have already done my laundry, eaten breakfast, read the papers, and shopped for wicked shoes on Zappo's (they're not my usual sexy heels---when the ground is unstable sand and hard rock, you have to go with the environment). My wedge sandals are losing the edge of their heels and I don't have any way of getting them repaired quickly or easily. [Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.] Funny, how I chose brown. That's probably because I'm heavily influenced by my environment. And, my two pairs of pants are brown. In Arab countries, women simply don't wear dresses or skirts.

I will listen to some podcasts (Car Talk is my favorite; This American Life is second) while I iron my uniform. I'll set up a blog so my LPN candidates can do self-study and not worry about missing class sessions while on duty or R&R. I'll read my latest book from the base library, "Solar," by Ian McEwan and drink a cup or two of Chocolate Mint Oolong tea from Stash. I intend to write a letter to Anna and Drew, too, and start a pile of stuff I need to send back home because it's inappropriate, I don't need it or I can't use it. I have a 8 x 9 foot cubicle that would be roomy if it contained a workdesk and files, but it features a double bunk bed and two gun-metal gray upright wall lockers.

Lest you think I'm kidding about the office cubicle aspect, my walls are also gun-metal gray and the only reason I have some privacy is a dowel rod duct-taped across the entry with flat drapes suspended by shower curtain rings. I need to find a color printer so I can mark my address outside my cubicle: "Mary at DilbertWorld."

Then, bright and early on Monday, Ground Hog Week starts once more. Only 25 or so weeks left.

Kenpo Karate Class Canceled---"Just for Tonight"

2010-08-25T09:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I got a to-go box at the DFAC and waited for the Blue Route bus to take me to Zone 6 so I could check out the Kenpo Karate class. On the bus, I heard two soldiers talking about another soldier.

"Yeah, I've tried really hard to orient this guy to his job, but he just doesn't listen. And, when I was talking to him about how I invest in stocks, he told me he looks at Valium. I said, 'Valium, what's that? He says, 'You know, the amount of stocks,' and I say, 'You mean, volume' and he says, 'Right, Valium.' I tell him, 'Volume is the amount, Valium is a sedative.'"

His friend just sits there and nods sagely. Then they start talking about credit cards.

I get off the bus and Chief G is getting off the bus. "Hey, Chief," I said. "Where are you going?" He said, "I'm getting a haircut. The barber is better in Zone 6."

I didn't have time to eat much of my dinner before I hit the gym. Food isn't allowed so I threw it in the trash. It wasn't a big loss anyway. I walked in and asked the guys at the front where the Karate class was held. They pointed to the far corner of the gym. "But it's been canceled," they tell me.

"Canceled?" I repeat, bewildered.

"Just for tonight," they promise.

"Well, what about the Tae Kwon Do class?"

"Oh, that's tomorrow at 1945. That class is on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Not today."

I walk around the gym for a little bit and take a look at SGT Ariel's ABS class that is happening where my karate class should be. They look like they're in pain. I grab a bottle of water and walk back to the bus stop. Maybe tomorrow.

A Little Like Dying

2010-06-17T14:20:00.000-07:00

I've known for a few months now I will be deploying. Pretty much in denial for the first few months, I was able to tolerate this and, because of the chaos and uproar at work, almost welcomed the respite from the Beltway drama.

That changed as I got my anthrax shot (which laid me low) and I avoided a smallpox vaccination because of some form of dermatitis on my collarbone. All of a sudden I have less than 28 days left on this side of the world, no childcare plan in place yet, and overwhelming grief that I have not been able to accomplish all I set out to do in my assignment as the Department Head of Surgical Nursing.

In leaving for the unknown with hopes of returning, I understand my grief is due to changes beyond my control. I won't be returning to this same position. I can't; someone else will have stepped in to take the helm. So what will I do when I come back? Will it be as challenging? Fun?

I've been keeping in touch with one of my JG's in Kandahar who has excelled and is over half-way through her deployment. "What do you want to do when you get back?" I asked, hoping she would want to stay and provide leadership and expertise on the ward. "I'd like to go to the APU or PACU," she writes. "I've been working on the wards and assisting with trauma, which can be rewarding but draining. I'd like a break." So, I ask her if she's considered becoming an OR nurse; would she have time to shadow a nurse there? She'd have the opportunity to provide attention to detail, work as a team, and monitor patient safety. "It provides some distance from the patient," I suggest.

As an Individual Augmentee (IA), I am plucked from my workplace and sent alone (mostly) to meet up with other individuals to form a tribe of providers to do a job far away from our families and support networks.

Are you okay? Yes, I think so.

LEGO Serious Play

2010-02-13T07:13:00.001-08:00

Drew says his dream job is to be a LEGO designer. He plans on working at LegoLand in California when he becomes a teenager and now I found out that LEGO is working in the business world!

Whirlwind Tour of Oahu

2009-08-02T22:54:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY, 31 AUGUST (REDUX)

We arrived on Friday morning, a "Ground Hog Day" for us because we had already lived through more than half of Friday in Guam. Tired from 11 hours of flying, we didn't get much more done than ogle the sights at Ala Moana Shopping Center. [Can you say, "Jamba Juice"?]

SATURDAY, 1 AUGUST

Saturday was a bit more inspired, but even I managed to sleep in past 8 am (normally I never sleep past 6:30) and we didn't get going until around 10:30. We met Sherry, Mike, and their two sons, Ethan and Alex, for lunch at Sam Choy's where we caught up on all the latest information. After lunch, we spent a couple of hours exploring Iolani Palace. I lived in Hawaii for nearly 7 years (not continuously) and I hadnever visited the palace. It was beautiful and we learned a lot about Hawaiian history. The self-guided audio tour is great; Drew nearly cried when he heard the king had died and all the happy bunting and celebrations were changed to mourning.

We returned to the hotel to swim in the pool and ocean and eat dinner at Bibas. It was a quiet night watching television.

SUNDAY, 2 AUGUST

We knew today was going to be busy and it was. We attended the service at Pearl Harbor Subase Chapel. Instead of the congregation of retired submariners, the chapel held a handful of younger members in a contemporary service. I really missed singing The Navy Hymn and the in-depth description of a submarine lost during World War II, but the sermon was good and the stained glass windows were still there.

A quick lunch and the Arizona Memorial were next. I have my flag and certificate attesting to having flown over the Arizona Memorial when I re-enlisted in 1987. I remember I didn't even buy breakfast for my re-enlisting officer, Captain Heaton, and for that I am truly remorseful. I certainly didn't understand military etiquette. Gregg wanted to tour Ford Island, so we drove over, a true novelty as only a ferry linked Ford Island with the main island when I was stationed here.

Then it was on to the Dole Plantation and its Guiness Book of World Records Winning Maze. We didn't come anywhere close to the record for finishing the maze (8 minutes, in case you were wondering), but had a great time navigating it. Drew gives it two thumbs up! Some pineapple juice and pineapple ice cream for the road and we were on our way back to the hotel to change clothes and slather sunscreen for a trek to Diamond Head. We were taking our leisurely time until I noted we had to be in the park by 4:30pm. The current time was 4:08pm. We grabbed the receptionist's attention and asked, What is the fastest way to get to Diamond Head?" She said, "By car."

Quickly piling in, we whipped in and out of Honolulu traffic, every light magically turning green as we approached. We made it through the gates at 4:25pm. Snatching bottles of water at the base of the crater, we started our hike upwards. Drew led the pack and we were treated to breathtaking views of Waikiki.

For dinner, we wanted to recreate our dinners at a local Thai restaurant. Back in 1994, Gregg and I would buy our alcohol at Safeway then walk over to Mekong. We couldn't find it on a brief run through the neighborhood and everyone was starving so it was one last dinner at the food court at Ala Moana. [Jamba Juice again!]

Gregg, Anna and Drew went down to the pool for one last swim and now we're busy packing for a very early morning flight to Legoland!

Looking for Smart and Ecologically Sound Gift Wrapping?

2009-07-18T05:05:00.000-07:00

Wuhao of New York has the best selection of tenugui for gift wrapping, fashion, and decoration. Check it out!

Japan is truly, as Anna says, "The Headquarters of Cuteness."

Test Post

2009-05-16T00:56:00.001-07:00

Test language

2009-04-27T04:29:00.000-07:00

"For more information on the Crack Spider's Bitch, contact the Canadian Wildlife Service in Ottawa."

22nd Military Operations and Law Conference, New Zealand

2009-04-01T21:45:00.000-07:00

We’ve just wrapped up the 22nd annual Pacific Military Operations Conference in Auckland, New Zealand. MILOPS is a yearly meeting of legal professionals from countries in the Pacific operating area. There are numerous countries represented at the conference, including the United States, Australia, Thailand, China, Japan, the UK, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Bangladesh, Tonga, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Mongolia, Maldives, and of course, New Zealand. This conference was amazing!

Presentations included “National Security Law in Transition: Assessing the First Three Months of the Obama Administration,” given by the Honorable Judge James Baker of the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; “Legal Support to Military Operations,” given by Brigadier Kevin Riordan of the New Zealand Navy; “Information Operations,” given by three separate speakers, including a recent friend of mine, Colonel Dawn Sholz, USAF, and also Jennifer Yang Hui, a research analyst from Singapore; and finally, “Government Strategies for Humanitarian Assistance and Reconstruction,” given by Dr. Bernard Loo from Singapore.

The talk on the Obama presidency from Judge Baker was excellent. In general, he had high marks for President Obama, particularly with respect to his use of legal advisors on major issues like Guantanamo Bay and on making the Attorney General a full cabinet member. On the other hand, he echoed many when he said closing Guantanamo Bay before allowing his appointed working group to complete their assessment was “putting the cart before the horse.”

Also interesting was the talk by Ms. Hui on extremist websites advocating terrorism that have been sprouting up in Indonesia. But the best presentation by far was that of Dr. Loo on humanitarian assistance provided to failed and failing states. This one generated a lot of interest from the Southeast Asian countries, as many of them have recently been involved in relief efforts, either on the giving or receiving ends.

National sovereignty is very important in this area of the world, and assistance from outside countries is sometimes perceived as interference in internal affairs. Two questions from the audience caused quite a bit of discussion: 1) who decides when a state is failed or failing, and 2) should assistance be provided to individuals if a national government rejects that assistance. The second question was timely, as after Cyclone Nargis wrecked Burma in 2008, the Burmese government, a military junta, interfered with the delivery of food for political reasons.

From Wikipedia: “On May 3, 2008, Cyclone Nargis devastated the country when winds of up to 215 km/h (135 mph) touched land in the densely populated, rice-farming delta of the Irrawaddy Division. Reports estimated that more than 200,000 people are dead or missing from Cyclone Nargis that hit the country's Irrawaddy delta. Damage totaled to 10 billion dollars (USD); it was the worst natural disaster in Burmese history. Adds the World Food Programme, "Some villages have been almost totally eradicated and vast rice-growing areas are wiped out." The United Nations projects that as many as 1 million were left homeless; and the World Health Organization "has received reports of malaria outbreaks in the worst-affected area."

“Yet in the critical days following this disaster, Burma's isolationist regime complicated recovery efforts by delaying the entry of United Nations planes delivering medicine, food, and other supplies into the Southeast Asian nation. The government's failure to permit entry for large-scale international relief efforts was described by the United Nations as "unprecedented.””

“According to Thai Rath Newspaper of Thailand on 8 May 2008, in the afternoon (Bangkok time) of 7 May 2008, the Burmese junta permitted Italian flights containing relief supplies from the United Nations, and twenty-five tonnes of consumable goods, to land in Burma. However, many nations and organizations hoped to deliver assistance and relief to Burma without delay; most of their officials, supplies and stores were waiting in Thailand and at the Yangon airport, as the Burmese junta declined to issue visas for many of those individuals. These political tensions raised the concern that some food and medical supplies might become unusable, even before the Burmese junta officially accepted the international relief effort.” (End excerpt from Wikipedia.)

I’ve read anecdotes about the Burmese government requiring all assistance go through them, then relabeling it as coming from the junta leaders to boost their reputation with citizens. There were also allegations of hoarding and of reselling supplies for profit by corrupt government individuals. This wasn’t ineptitude, like the relief efforts for Katrina. This was willful denial of life saving food and medicine by military dictators for the mere purpose of enriching themselves and maintaining absolute power. It boggles the mind how a human being could allow others to starve and die in the name of power and money.

Dr. Loo argues that there are two reasons for providing humanitarian assistance: 1) it is the ethical, moral thing to do; and 2) it is in the world’s best interests to do so for security reasons, because it is those countries who need assistance that are most susceptible to radicalization by extremist forces. So, by providing assistance, the extremist forces are denied the ability to vilify others for not providing any assistance.

Personally, it is much easier for me to reach a conclusion as to whether assistance should be provided. I believe all countries and peoples have an obligation to ensure the safety and security of individual humans, no matter what country they live in. Another way to say that is, if a human suffers anywhere in the world, all should act to stop that suffering.

Whenever I bring this up in conversation, some are quick to point out that it is not possible to save everyone; the US can’t be the world’s police; we shouldn’t interfere in other country’s politics; etc. Frankly, none of these arguments hold water with me. If you want to argue that we can’t save everyone, so be it. We can debate the lengths to which we should go, and how many we can save before we run out of money. But don’t tell me we shouldn’t try to help the desperately needy in places like Darfur or Somalia because we can’t save everyone. We can save some, and that is enough. Even if we only save one, that is enough. We are standing for a principle, that all life is precious and worthy. That belief is the reason many of us joined the military in the first place. Someone has to stand against tyranny and oppression.

Flag Circle and Memory Sticks

2009-03-06T22:35:00.000-08:00

I drove Gregg and the kids to Flag Circle where Gregg had left his car last night after the squadron hail-and-farewell. He would take the kids from there to tennis lessons while I returned home to prepare for the Community Service project for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month at the Navy Exchange.

Gregg called me at home and said the kids saw how big the houses were at Flag Circle and asked who lived here.

Gregg told them, "High-ranking Naval officers live here."

They wanted to know what a high-ranking Naval officer was. "Well, that's someone who is a captain or an admiral," Gregg said.

Drew said, "Dad, I want you to stay in the Navy long enough to become a high-ranking Naval officer so we can live in a house like this."

* * * * * * * *

Drew got a Sony PSP today. After waiting patiently to charge the unit, Drew sat down on the couch to play. That's when he ran into trouble. Attempting to save the game was causing all sorts of frustration because the game wouldn't save to the PSP. After listening to the noise coming from the living room, I asked Gregg what was wrong.

The problem? Drew's PSP didn't come with a memory stick. Drew started opening anything that had an orifice on the PSP, including the battery door. "Wow," I said, laughing. "That sounds like another male who lives in this house!"

House

2009-01-25T17:57:00.000-08:00

This is a feature Gregg wants in our next house....

Sydney Day 4

2009-01-23T05:28:00.001-08:00

Day 4 was another full one. We stared with a guided tour of the Royal Botanical Gardens, which included an introduction to aboriginal customs. Our tour guides were of aboriginal ancestry.

The Gardens were beautiful and filled with birds.

Flying Foxes were present here as well. I was able to get much better photos of them in the trees than I was in Cairns.

After the tour of the Gardens, we had lunch, then caught a ferry to Manly, a beach town north of Sydney.

Sydney Day 3

2009-01-23T05:16:00.001-08:00

Day 3 was very busy. Our first stop was the Sydney Aquarium, which has several Dugong on display. The Dugong are relatives of manatees.

After the aquarium, we had lunch along along the harbor. I had kangaroo. Very good, somewhat like venison but less gamey.

After lunch, we caught a ferry back to downtown Sydney.

The ferry route took us past the Sydney Opera House.

Sydney Day 2

2009-01-23T05:11:00.001-08:00

Day two was spent at the Powerhouse Museum, an outstanding hands-on museum much like the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Powerhouse had a Star Wars exhibit on display that Drew loved.

Lunch was spend in the Powerhouse garden where Drew had the opportunity to burn off some energy.

We found a nice rotary sushi house near our hotel for dinner.

Sydney Day 1

2009-01-23T05:08:00.001-08:00

We spent most of day one traveling from Cairns to Sydney, a 3-hour flight. After arrival, we unpacked and headed out for dinner along Sydney Harbor.

Cairns Day 4

2009-01-23T05:05:00.001-08:00

We spent our last day in Cairns shopping. Our first visit was Kuranda, the mountain village we had visited earlier in our trip. Anna and Drew posed with an opal and gold prospector:

Next stop was a downtown mall, where I discovered a store called JAG. Turns out there is a jeans manufacturer in Australia named JAG. Of course, I had to buy some stuff with the logo printed on it.

After shopping, we had dinner along the esplanade overlooking the ocean. I had "bugs," which are like prawns but with much more meat. Very good.

Cairns Day 3 - Part 2

2009-01-23T04:58:00.001-08:00

After our trip to the Crystal Caves, we planned our dinner around dusk so we could watch the local Flying Fox (bat) population take to the skies. We had dinner at Outback Jacks, which is just across the street from the nesting trees in downtown Cairns.

Here are the way the bats look during the days, when they are resting:

At dusk, the bats take to the skies in search of foods. These bats are somewhat different from the ones you probably learned about in school. They do not use echolocatoin (sonar) for guidance as most bats; instead, they have very sensitive sight and smell. They feed on fruit and nectar, and have a range of up to 40 miles.

Cairns Day 3

2009-01-18T23:34:00.000-08:00

Day 3 in Cairns was Sunday, so we began by finding a local church to attend. The closest and most suitable was the Churhc of St John the Evangelist, an Anglican Church. The service was great and the people were very friendly.

After church, we headed south out of Cairns for Atherton and the Tablelands. The drive was beautiful and dizzying. The road between Cairns and Atherton skirted the outside of a mountain and was probably the most curvy road I have ever driven. I remarked to Mary that it was almost like playing a driving game. Lots of fun for me, but eventually it started to make the others sick.

At last we reached Atherton, had lunch at McDonalds, and then proceeded to our ultimate destination - the Crystal Caves. Although somewhat toursity, it was a lot of fun. The Crystal Caves are home to a collection of rocks and crystals from around the world, put on display in a fun environment for kids. Here is a picture of Drew and Anna with the world's biggest amethyst geode:

After the tour, Anna and Drew were able to pick out their own unopened amethyst geode and crack it open. These geodes are more than 40 million years old and look like a big egg. After opened, however, they reveal a beatiful cluster of purple crystals.

Here Anna and Drew pull down on the cracking mechanism while Mary holds the geode in position:

After cracking it open, Anna and Drew each took half of the newly cracked geode:

Very neat for them to be the first to see inside of this 40 million year old rock! And now they will always be able to look at their half and remember the experience, and know that the other is with their sibling wherever they are in the world. The experience was definitely worth while.

Cairns Day 2

2009-01-17T02:51:00.000-08:00

We began day two in Cairns by renting a car and plotting a course north along Captain Cook Highway. This road runs north along the coast of Australia to the northern most point one can travel to by car, the town of Tribulation. Travel after that point must be done by 4WD or on foot.

The drive was very nice and the views were wonderful.

We took a boat tour of a river where crocodiles are known to live and breed, but unfortunately the recent rains and high tide drove most of the crocs to the bottom of the river. We were only able to see on baby croc, about two feet long.

After the tour, we were back on the road again on our way to Tribulation. The road skirts the Daintree National Forest and goes through Cassowary territory. There were numerous roadsigns warning drivers to be careful, and speedbumps were placed along the way as well. Here is a set of signs that together warn of an upcoming speedbump and caution drivers about the Cassowaries:

Someone saw an opportunity for a little humor and altered a later set of signs to the following:

The townfolk of Tribulation apparently thought this was funny as well and appear to have adopted it as their unofficial slogan. Post cards and t-shirts with the signs were all over town.

I took the below photo at our last stop in Tribulation. Beautiful.

Cairns Day 1

2009-01-16T03:30:00.000-08:00

After a late flight from Guam, we arrived in Cairns at 12:35am and met our ride to the Holiday Inn. The accomodations are great. We are on the top floor and have a magnificent view of the harbor and ocean.

We slept in (until 0730 - we are usually up at 0600) and had breakfast at the hotel. We then checked with in with the tour desk in the lobby to see what we could do for our first day. Turns out we still had time to book a full day tour of Kuranda, a village in the rainforest just outside of Cairns. The tour would start with a cable car ride up the mountain to Kuranda, then several hours to see the sights, and end with a train ride back down. It promised to be a spectacular day, and it didn't disappoint.

Our guide picked us up at the hotel and delivered us to the Skyrail for the first leg of our trip. The view from the cable car was incredible, even though it was a little overcast. We passed near a waterfall that was nearly 1,000 feet high, then stopped at an intermediate station for a better view of the falls.

We made one other stop on our way to Kuranda where we took a guided tour through the rainforest.

We finally reached the town of Kuranda and had a wonderful lunch before continuing our sightseeing.

Our first stop was a Koala Farm where we all had a picture taken with a Koala. After the pics, we walked through along a garden path and had the chance to feed and pet kangaroos and wallabies.

Next was the bird sanctuary, where we saw a number of beatiful cockatoos and parrots. There were also two cassowaries, very rare flightless birds that are close to extinction. There are only about 1,200 of these birds left.

We then visited a butterfly sanctuary, and finally a small zoo named the Venom Museum. Drew just had to see the "most venomous spider in the Australia," the Sydney Funnel Web spider.

It was finally time to catch the train for a 1.5 hour ride back to civilization. We stopped again along the way down for an even better view of waterfalls.

At last we found our way back to Cairns, had a bath, then went out for dinner at the night market. We finished the day with a quick swim, then retired for the night.

Catching Up is Hard To Do

2008-12-17T01:52:00.001-08:00

Well, I didn't win NaNoWriMo this year---I had high hopes but... I know exactly what I have to do in the coming year to make it possible. So, it wasn't a complete waste of time.

This past weekend was so full, on Monday I couldn't remember what I had done at work the previous Friday. We got up and ran a 5K for the USO where Drew was featured in the PDN photo gallery. I managed to snag a PR--25:53 (I just wish I had pushed a few seconds harder). A woman named Erika beat me for third place in the women's Master division. My New Year's resolution was to run a sub-24:00 5K. I didn't make it but I came close. There aren't any more 5Ks for the rest of the year, so I'll have to start over in January.

After the run, we had tennis and judo. We couldn't wait any longer so we saw "Quantum of Solace" at the local theatre. Just our luck---it's showing on base this coming Saturday for free. We ate at our favorite Japanese restaurant, Tairyo Sushi, then came home and finished watching "Amadeus."

On Sunday, we had church and I totally blanked that we were doing Children's Sermon. Gregg presented a great talk on being seeds that grow into trees from the Old Testament reading (Isaiah). After church, we came home and pulled out the decorations for the Christmas tree. It was a heated discussion on whether we should post the tree in the living room or on our newly-enclosed patio. The living room won out---for now.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

Drew and I celebrated Thanksgiving by running the 37th Annual Turkey Trot 3.5 Mile Run with the Guam Running Club. Drew came in 12th; I came in 64th. We had a brief torrential downpour prior to the start of the race that left me with squishing shoes and soaked socks and part of the race was cross-country. However, I did win a beach chair and Drew won two coffee mugs and a $20 gift certificate to National Office Supply in the post-race raffle so we did very well.

By the time Drew and I returned home, it was time to start the potatoes for the Orphans' Thanksgiving Potluck at Calvo Beach. This year, Panini went with us. Panini is a full-blooded Chamorro Sport Hound. Previously, this breed was classified as "boonie dog."

We had a great time sharing food and stories while enjoying the beach and the warm weather. The picture features Drew playing checkers against Sarah with bottle caps and baby coconuts. King me, baby!

NaNoWriMo - Losing Very Quickly...

2008-11-27T17:47:00.001-08:00

Well, less than four days separates the winners from the losers, the wheat from the chaff, the women from the girls...

Here's my sorry word count:

Seabee 5K and Diabetes 5K

2008-11-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

Well, this is the last time I anticipate the family running all week-end with me....

There were two races scheduled. Gregg played golf on Saturday, so the rest of us ran the flat course at Chamorro Village. Coming off my most-excellent time last week, I was certain I could trim half a minute off. I was wrong and turned in a disappointing 27 minutes 55 seconds. Another runner told me this course was actually 3.12 miles and the race last week was short.

On Sunday, I had four numbers but I was the only runner because everyone else wanted to sleep in. The race grand prize was two round-trip tickets to Cairns. Unfortunately, my luck was so bad, I couldn't even win a 12-pack of diet Pepsi. Oh well. I ratcheted my race times back because of Saturday's performance and the fact that this was a hilly course, ending with an uphill sprint to the finish. Lo! and behold! I turned in a reasonable 27 minutes 33 seconds and I asked the runner next to me if he thought the course was short. He thought it was just right, having run the PIC 5K a few weeks earlier. I overheard the the runner to my left tell someone else she was convinced the course was long because she and her son turned in a 34 minute run time when they expected 31 minutes. I guess it all evens out.

I Got My Purple Belt!

2008-11-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

This is what I've been practicing toward since starting class. It has always amazed me that I can throw people heavier than me with no effort. Of course, they need to be moving so I can use their momentum. But, I am thrilled and hope to continue my studies when I leave Guam.

Sensei notified the base newspaper and they sent a reporter to interview me.

Judo lessons teach skills for the mat and for life

NaNoWriMo Update

2008-11-13T03:39:00.000-08:00

Well, the news is not pretty. It is nearly half over and I have a whopping 10,988 words in my account. That's only 20% of the way. I will be honest. I have not devoted myself fully to this task. Now, I could complain that the family and the dog have really taken a toll on my discretionary time (and while that would be true), the sad fact is, I have not pencilled this in as a priority in my life.

I've been using John Truby's book, Anatomy of Story, to help me understand where I want to go and why my characters want to do what they do. I think I've managed to come up with some compelling situations and characters. Now I just have to keep my butt in the chair.

Outstanding Performance at the Armed Forces Committee Inaugural 5K!

2008-11-07T20:22:00.000-08:00

I hadn't planned on running the 5K today since we are also scheduled for the PIC 5K tomorrow. When I found out there was a unit competition and Naval Hospital was encouraged to participate, I asked Drew if he wanted to run on Saturday AND Sunday. "Sure, Mom," he said. "We can run both days and I can rest on Monday." They don't have school on Monday.

It was my best time so far. I turned in 26:42 which means I was running 8:36 splits. I am SO thrilled. I hadn't even been running except for around a few blocks in the morning with our new dog (well, she's new to us, not so new to the world). What made the difference is my diet. I must have been hovering around low normal for a while then plummeted to real anemia (H&H: 10 & 32) for the past few months. I started taking iron and also supplemented my diet with a protein powder. I truly believe that has made all the difference. If I actually get out and train, I might even meet my goals for a sub-24:00 5K by the end of the year (I was thinking I was going to have to settle for consolation prize for my New Year's resolution). Now I have hope.

Drew was just a little in front of me this time. His time today was 26:12, not good enough to compete with the 13 year-old cross country boys from GW. Anna turned in a respectable 39-minute 5K---she is not a runner and despite my cautions, she wore denim shorts. Now she knows why I advise the knit shorts---chafing.

I am woefully behind on my NaNoWriMo project---but I have the rest of today to scribble several thousand words and get caught up. Remember---NO EDITING! That comes in December.

National Novel Writing Month Just Days Away!

2008-10-23T03:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I've committed to joining the NaNoWriMo contest once again. The last time I entered was 2003 and I didn't come close to achieving 50,000 words---I accumulated only a meager 7238 words. I consoled myself that I was doing the single parenting thing (Gregg was TAD for the entire month), I had two small children under the age of 5, and I was working full-time. But. Those are just excuses.

If you're seriously considering the NaNoWriMo, read How Not To Write's post on NaNoWriMo. He gives very good advice and, as a nurse, I must endorse his use of the 12-step plan.

Now all I have to do is find some good Chamorro buddies to keep me honest! Oh, if you can't write or can't commit, consider donating. Literacy is so important---for your health, for your career, for your spirit. Now, go get your word on!

Crackberry on Guam!

2008-10-14T00:27:00.000-07:00

I am now more technologically advanced than Gregg!

My Motorola cell phone died. I could receive calls and listeners could hear me, but I couldn't hear them. I guess the amplifier must have just given up the ghost. What to do, what to do...On the advice of one of my corpsmen, I searched Ebay and my phone was so old, I couldn't even find a phone that looked like it.

My Blackberry 7290 arrived in the mail today (yay!). I took the HafaTel sim card from the Motorola, inserted into the Blackberry and voila! the friendly woman's voice came on, saying, "You have no minutes left" because my pre-paid phone card expired back on the 9th.

Mission for tomorrow: Buy a new pre-paid card from Guam Cell (which took over HafaTel). I buy $10 cards which expire 30 days from activation. The cell company makes money off me because I never use up the time and they just pocket the difference. My phone is used strictly for 2-3 minute conversations. The benefit is I probably won't get brain cancer.

For those transferring to Guam, this is one way to use a cell phone you're bringing from the mainland. Typically, a sim card package costs $39.95 and includes the sim card and $20 in pre-paid calls.

Operation Christmas Drop Needs Your Help

2008-09-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

I feel badly that we did not get up and run the Christmas Drop 5K at Piti this morning. I don't like registering for a race on the day of the race because it means it costs more and because I have to leave the house earlier because of the time it takes to register at the race site. The other reason we didn't run is because I've had a non-stop headache and anemia (which makes me feel better that I actually have a reason for feeling tired and draggy over the past few weeks).

The Christmas Drop 5K was done to raise funds for Operation Christmas Drop, the longest running humanitarian aid effort in the Marianas. Most of the supplies are obtained from military members and Guam residents and businesses

Donation boxes can be found at the following locations:
Ace Hardware 653-2237 Yigo/Dededo
Andersen Middle School 366-3880 Andersen AFB
Andersen Commissary 366-2425 Andersen AFB
New BX/Four Seasons 366-6136 Andersen AFB
Cost-U-Less 632-2533 Harmon Loop
First Bank of Hawaii 475-7884 Route 8 Branch
Guam Premier Outlets GPO) 647-4032 Tamuning
Guam Tropical Dive Station 477-2774 366-6975 Marine Dr.
Micronesia Dive Association 472-6324 Marine Dr.
Navy Commissary 339-5173 339-5177 COMNAVMAR
Navy Exchange 339-6594 COMNAVMAR
Micronesia Mall 635-1103 Dededo
USO/Royal Orchid 649-2000 Tumon
DHL 646-1765 Tamuning

If you want to get in on this year's airdrop, don't feel like you have donate money or supplies to be valuable. Operation Christmas Drop is always looking for help with inventory, sorting, packing and getting the word out to business and community leaders not only on Guam, but the rest of the world as well! Send them an email or give them a call and they'll be more than happy to put you in touch with one of their project-leaders!

The most crucial items needed are

parachutes,
first-aid kits,
garden tools,
school supplies,
toys,
fishing gear,
snorkeling equipment,
hygiene products,
canned and non-perishable foods and
used clothing.

There is a critical need for handsaws, tools, machetes and cooking utensils.

Take a look at the photo gallery. We are most blessed to have what we have.

Another Weekend Races Past...

2008-09-15T03:56:00.000-07:00

Drew turned in an acceptable time for the Freedom 5K at Hagatna on Saturday---he came in third place in the male youth division. He didn't run a PR, and most of the fast runners in the youth division were at the other race sponsored by St. John's in Tumon. He also won a raffle prize to Jamaican Grill so he was thrilled.

I also signed us to run the 5K sponsored by SDA on Sunday morning, but Drew bailed, Anna and Gregg declined, and I lost track of time trying to get my iPod shuffle to work. I am finding it harder and harder to run while keeping my mind occupied---and I'm not happy having nothing rattling around in it. The shuffle is perfect because I download the free audio podcasts from NPR and become engrossed in the dialogue. Running to music has never satisfied me and running to cadences is even worse, but at least there are usually a lot of other annoyed people running with me in formation.

I found these 20 commandments for runners:

1. Don't be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners.
2. Don't make running your life, make it part of your life.
3. When doing group runs, start on time no matter who is missing.
4. Don't compare yourself to other runners.
5. When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be there.
6. The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.
7. Don't always run alone.
8. Don't always run with people.
9. The best runs sometimes come on the days you didn't feel like running.
10. Be modest after a race, especially if you have reason to brag.
11. All runners are equal; some are just faster than others.
12. There are no short cuts to run excellence.
13. There is nothing boring about running, there are, however, boring people who run.
14. Look at hills as opportunities to pass people.
15. Don't try to out run dogs.
16. With out goals, training has no purpose.
17. Go for broke, but prepare to be broken.
18. Unless you make your living as a runner, don't take running too seriously.
19. Runners who never fail are runners who never tried anything great.
20. Running is simple. Don't make it complicated.

Drew said this was a wonderful weekend---he and Anna celebrated a classmate's 8th birthday at Tarza. Tarza is Drew's favorite water park. He adores the Lazy River.

I've fallen in love with NPR's Song of the Day and have been introduced to an eclectic mix of writers and songs. Check out this song by Adele from her album, "19" called "Make You Feel My Love." While I like this arrangement, I prefer the version she sings here: NPR Fast forward to 14:00 to start this song.

Life Has Been Very Full Lately...

2008-08-26T03:19:00.001-07:00

The past two weekends we have really managed to cram a lot of living into the space of a few hours.

Accepting Where You Are

2008-08-25T04:02:00.000-07:00

Going through my email recently, I encountered two separate messages on the same theme. One was from A Purpose Driven Life:

Have you ever been somewhere you didn’t want to be? Maybe it was a job, a town, or a marriage. Maybe it was a stage in life, like singlehood, or a state in life, like a disability. It’s very possible that as you read this, you’re wishing you were somewhere else – anywhere else – living a different life, but you know it’s not likely that anything is going to change any time soon.

The second email linked to PS Pirro's blog, Crooked Mile:

Loving where you are means relinquishing all those comforting contingency plans that spare you the work of local affection – those plans that allow you to leave half your life packed in boxes in the garage or the attic, half your heart tucked away, and half your imagination wandering the map in search of a better place. Loving where you are means calling your imagination home and putting it to work right where you are: learning the names of the people and trees and plants and birds and creeks and flowers, and letting them speak to your heart – your whole heart -- and show you what needs to be done, right here, right now.

People usually end up on this blog after searching "living in Guam." Maybe the detailer offered you Guam and you were excited; maybe you didn't know what to think because you didn't know where Guam was. Maybe Guam is the last place on earth you'd rather be. Maybe it's all true. Maybe it's not.

In any case, I hope the messages I received today give someone comfort somewhere that this is where they are meant to be.

Yokosuka Article 32

2008-08-15T21:52:00.001-07:00

Traveled to Yokosuka this week for an Article 32 hearing. An Article 32 hearing is analogous to a grand jury proceeding in civilian criminal law. An Art 32 officer, typically called the Investigating Officer, or IO, is appointed to conduct the hearing. The hearing is then scheduled for a specific date when the prosecution will present their evidence and the defense will have an opportunity to rebut the evidence and present their own evidence.

The purpose of the hearing is to give the IO the opportunity to examine all the relevant evidence and determine whether the prosecution has adequate evidence for trial. The burden the prosecution has to meet is “preponderance of the evidence,” sometimes described as 51%, or “more likely than not.” The prosecution does not have to meet the “reasonable doubt” burden at the Article 32, but will have to at the actual trial, if the case goes to trial.

After reviewing the evidence, the IO produces a report for the Command that convened the Article 32. The report provides the Commanding Officer with a comprehensive review of the case, including background data, the charges, the evidence, the witnesses, etc. The report also provides a recommendation to the Commanding Officer on how the case should be adjudicated.

I really like doing these Article 32’s. They give me a chance to keep my litigation skills honed, and also give me a chance to work with the other attorneys in the area. Plus, I have the opportunity to travel to Japan, one of my favorite places to visit.

Tokyo - Days 4 and 5

2008-07-24T04:12:00.001-07:00

We did it. We climbed Mt. Fuji. Wow, what an incredible experience! If you ever have the opportunity to do this, you must. Words simply cannot do justice to the majesty and beauty of Fuji.

Our adventure began at 6:30am on Tuesday, July 22nd. We woke, showered and had another great breakfast at the New Sanno Hotel before beginning our trek to the 5th Station of Mt. Fuji. We would have to take two trains and a bus to get there. We left the New Sanno at 7:45am and arrived at the 5th Station at 11:10am.

The 5th Station is the traditional place for Mt. Fuji climbers to begin. It is located at 2300 meters (7500 feet), so climbers are already well up the mountain before they begin their ascent. There are several stores and restaurants at the 5th Station to help climbers prepare for their hike.

One must-have is a climbing stick, which is made of wood and is about 4 feet long. The sticks come with a flag and bells, but most people remove these to keep from becoming annoyed by the constant ringing and flapping.

As climbers ascend the mountain, they purchase stamps for their climbing sticks at 200 yen each (2 dollars) at each mountain hut they pass. The stamps are actually brands burned into the wood with hot irons that serve as a way of memorializing the climb. The goal, of course, it to collect all of the stamps by reaching the summit. Each stamp has a unique design, but most include the name and altitude of the hut.

Another good-to-have item is a can of oxygen. At high altitudes, where the air becomes thin, some people can experience altitude sickness. A quick snort of oxygen can help relieve the symptoms.

So, with climbing sticks in hand and bottles of oxygen stuffed in our back packs, we began our climb at about 12:35pm. The first part of the climb is relatively flat, leading clockwise around the mountain to the ascending trail on the far side. In a way, it lures you into a false sense of optimism. You begin to believe that this is going to be easier than you thought. Then you the reach the 6th station where the ascent begins, and reality sets in.

The second part of the climb is a series of zig zags, or switch-backs, that wind their way up the mountain. The path ascends at a steep angle for 100 yards or so, then turns 180 degrees and ascends again. At first we could knock out three or four of these legs before resting, but as we climbed higher in altitude and became more tired, we slowed to only two, or even one, before stopping.

Then it became harder.

The legs turned to rock climbing, making the ascent far more difficult and much slower. Still, we kept making forward progress and were in good spirits. I have to say I have never been prouder of both my children. They were real troopers and didn't complain about anything. In fact, I had a hard time keeping Drew from leaving us all behind and practically racing up the hill.

We reached the 7th Station (around 2700 meters, or 8900 feet) around 3:30pm or so and stopped for a rest at one of the mountain huts. We bought our first stamp and then had some water and hot chocolate. We also talked briefly with a high school student who was working in the hut as a summer job. Very nice young man who spoke excellent english. After a 30 minute rest, we once again began to ascend.

The rock climbing became more difficult, further slowing our climb. We passed several huts on the ascent, purchasing stamps at each one. We didn't reach the 8th Station (3100 meters, or 10,170 feet) until 5:30pm. Five hours of constant climbing had taken their toll, so we decided to stop for the night and sleep in one of the mountain huts there. We had hoped to get farther on the first day because we would have less to climb to the summit on the second day, but the sun was setting and we didn't want to get caught on the side of the mountain in the dark.

The hut was much like a youth hostel, with open-bay sleeping quarters and communal dining. For dinner, we had a traditional Japenese dinner, complete with obscure vegetables and and an odd-smelling, oily type of fish. The sleeping area was a room with wall-to-wall futons and sleeping bags with buckwheat pillows (read uncomfortable rockiness) side-by-side. Our four were against the far wall. At around 8:30pm we turned in for the night. Unfortunately, Anna, Mary and I didn't get much sleep. Other climbers were continuously entering or leaving the room, and some of those sleeping were snoring. Then there was the unfortunate young child, about Drew's age, who developed some sort of respiratory problem and was wheezing practically all night. But then there was Drew. He went to sleep immediately at 8:30pm and didn't wake up until 5:00am the next morning.

So, it was around 5:00am when we all got up and prepared to resume the climb. But first, we gathered with the rest of the inn guests (about 50 or so) out front for sunrise. This was the moment we had been waiting for, one of the most beautiful sights we may ever see. Sunrise on Mt. Fuji, above the clouds, at 10,000 feet. Before the moment the sun began to rise above the clouds, there was much excitement among all the guests. All were sharing their climbing stories and excitedly pacing about. Then the sun peaked over the distant horizon and everyone became silent. No one wanted to disturb the incredible experience we were all sharing. After a few moments, cameras began to click as each guest sought to record the sunrise, as if anyone would ever need to a picture to remember that awe-inspiring sight. The crowd remained hushed until the sun cleared the horizon. Then a Japanese tour guide stepped out in front of the guests, said a few words, and everyone began to cheer. We had witnessed sunrise on the side of Mt. Fuji. That moment, that exhileration, that once-in-a-lifetime experience was worth all the hard work it took us to get there. We will never forget it.

We began our next leg with the other inn residents, but didn't get far before Anna began to get sick. Drew had earlier experienced some nausea as well. It appeared they may have been suffering from altitude sickness, so we decided to begin our descent instead of trying for the summit.

The trail down was nearly as difficult as the climb up, but in a different way. The slope was significant enough that we had to be careful not to slip and fall as we practically slid down the mountain. We were on our heels for most of the way down, holding hands to help each other balance. After about and hour or so, the trail leveled off and circled back counter-clockwise around the mountain to the 5th Station. We finally arrived at there around 7:30am.

Unfortunately, the first bus didn't leave for the train station until 8:30am, so we had to wait. We were not alone, though, as many others were finishing their adventure as well. When we finally started to enter the bus, the driver began to speak in Japanese and was saying something I couldn't understand. I was afraid were not going to be able to board. Then, from behind me, the young Japanese man we had met earlier at the mountain hut stepped forward and began to translate for us. What luck! Turns out the driver was saying he could not accept large bills, so all I had to do was get some smaller ones. We boarded the bus and settled in for the 50 minute ride down the mountain to the Kawaguchiko train station. From there, it was another two hours or so by train and taxi to our hotel.

At last, around 12:30pm, we stumbled into our hotel and collapsed in our room. One by one we showered to clean the lava dust off, then took a deep breath and congratulated ourselves on our accomplishment.

Tokyo - Day 3

2008-07-21T01:19:00.000-07:00

We all woke up early after going to bed at 9:00pm last night. Had an excellent breakfast in the New Sanno cafe, then took off for the Meiji Shrine, built to honor the beloved Japenese Emperor who died in 1912 after ruling for 45 years.

While at the shrine, we stumbled upon a traditional Shinto wedding ceremony procession. Very formal and very beautiful. Anna and Drew loved it.

Next we went to Harajuku, a fashion district that showcases the unique and eclectic style of Japanese young people. Very cool.

After Harajuku, we were back on the train again, traveling back to Electic Town that we visiting on Sunday. We needed some accessories for my camera and Mary's PDA. Found what I needed, but unfortunately were unable to find anything for Mary. Her PDA is Hewlett Packard, and American company, so they don't have much for it over here.

Finally got back to the hotel in time for dinner. After dinner, we packed our hiking equipment, went for a quick dip in the pool and hot tub, then settled in for the night.

Tokyo - Day 2

2008-07-21T01:16:00.000-07:00

Lots of traveling by train today. First, went Yokosuka Naval Base to pick up our climbing gear for Mt. Fuji. We stopped in at my favorite rotary sushi just outside the back gate of the Naval Base so I could finally show the kids what I'm always talking about.

While there, we visited with friends from Guam who recently transferred to Yoko. Had lunch with them at the onbase Chili's. We all love Japanese food, but it's always good to have some familiar comfort food when in a strange land.

We didn't get back from Yoko until late, so we called it a day and went to be early. Have to save our energy for Fuji!

Tokyo - Day 1

2008-07-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

The day started early, around 4:00am, so that we could make our 6:35am flight. After a four-hour flight, we had another hour layover, waiting for the bus to our hotel. The bus ride was another two hours or so. We finally made it to the hotel in Tokyo around 1:00pm. We are staying in the Sheraton Miyako Hotel. Very nice, but very expensive. Of course, most things here are expensive.

After checking in and dropping our bags in the room, we caught a shuttle to the Meduro train station. Lots to see and do here, including a rotary sushi where we had a mid-day lunch. Found a 7-11 store, or 7 & Holdings as they are known in Japan, and Mary was able to get some yen out of an ATM. My card was not accepted anywhere here. Lesson learned - A Visa debit card is accepted at more places than a Master Card debit card.

We went back to the hotel to relax a bit, then went out again to Akihabara, otherwise known as Electric Town. 50 square blocks of electronic gadgets and games. While we were riding on the train to Akihabara, a friend of mine, Mike Torrisi, from Yokosuka got on the same train and started to sit down right across from us. What an incredible coincidence! I had just worked a case with him in Sasebo, Japan, the previous week. He was in Tokyo for a Star Wars convention and decided to go to Akihabara too. What are the odds that he would be in the same city, get on the same train, in the same car, and sit right across from us?! Pretty cool. Mike walked around with us for awhile before we parted ways for dinner. Oddly enough, we ran into him again on our way home.

We jumped on the train and returned to Meguro Station, where we ate at a traditional Japanese restaurant known as Wendy's. We were hungry and tired and just looking for comfort food. After dinner, we returned to the room for the night.

Memorial Day 2007

2008-05-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

Beyond just "rainy season," the weather is drizzly, overcast, and windy. A tropical storm about 300 miles southeast of Guam is setting the mood today. And it's probably appropriate for a day that, for many, brings memories and tears.

Check out this web site for a tribute to our fallen comrades:
http://www.freedomsonme.com

A Quiet Stay-At-Home Evening

2008-05-19T03:22:00.000-07:00

This weekend was another fun-packed weekend in Guam. Gregg left in the wee hours of Sunday morning to catch a plane to Vietnam with a friend because I couldn't get time off from work due to staffing issues. We woke up just a few hours later to run the Guam Adventist Academy's 5K where Drew took first place in the 6-8 year old male category. If you look at the opening photo, Drew and I are about 5 people behind the kid in the light green shirt and blue shorts. But you can't see us because we're short.

I got a call from Dr B last night to go in on a SANE case, but it was nearly 9 o'clock at night. I had to decline the offer because all my babysitters are around 14 years of age and it was a Sunday night. The two neighbors I thought I could request a huge favor from are currently off-island and I'm not friendly enough with my other neighbors to ask this big a favor (not unless it was a mass casualty event, in which case most anybody on the street would be willing to help out). So, maybe next time.

Then, this evening I was supposed to meet at the Mermaid Tavern with all the other Nurse Corps officers to break bread with Admiral Bruzek-Kohler, but I forgot I needed a babysitter. Try calling around at 5:00 on a Monday evening. No one is home. So, I missed out on this face-time opportunity.

On a plus, my article celebrating the 100th birthday of the Navy Nurse Corps was published in the Pacific Navigator!

The 108th Sub Ball in Guam

2008-04-19T19:20:00.000-07:00

The 108th Submarine Ball was a blast as always as everyone got dressed up in their party clothes and remembered those who went before. They remember all 52 submarines and it is very poignant to remember those who never came home. When I played the organ for the Pearl Harbor Submarine Chapel, we paid tribute each Sunday to those who were "still on patrol." We would sing the first verse of the Navy Hymn and then sing the verse unique to submariners:

Bless those who serve beneath the deep,
Through lonely hours their vigil keep.
May peace their mission ever be,
Protect each one we ask of thee.
Bless those at home who wait and pray,
For their return by night or day.

Lieutenant Alayna Schwartz was able to get away from the Mother-Baby Unit long enough to sing the National Anthem which just gave everyone goose pimples, she was that good. Of course, what would you expect from someone who gets a perfect score on Karaoke Revolution?

Drew Betters his Time in the Run for the Son 5K

2008-04-05T23:39:00.000-07:00

Drew bettered his time in the Run for the Son 5K sponsored by the Archdiocese of Agana on Saturday, 5 April 2008, completing it in a blistering 25:09. I lagged a few minutes behind, coming in at 28:16---not bad, considering I only ran on Monday morning because I caught strep and spent the rest of the week feeling very tired. Drew made the PDN again, this time with a black-and-white photo accompanying the runner places.

It was a week characterized by priorities for me. I wanted to present a revamped Powerpoint for the Diabetes Self-Management Education class I facilitate and that needed to be ready for Tuesday's 0900 class. I then had two presentations on Thursday for the University of Guam's senior nursing leadership class: "Motivating and Developing Staff" and "Evaluating Staff Performance."

Friday was the new session for judo and I wanted to donate some hours to G.A.I.N.'s annual spay and neuter efforts on Saturday, especially since I had gotten approval to do a story from the editor of the Guam Pacific Stars and Stripes newspaper.

I'm also spending this next week TAD in a course titled, "Clinic Management." I have homework due for that as well and I'll work on it tomorrow after we're done scoping. When I made my return flight, I went ahead and decided I would run for the airport: the class ends at 1130 and my flight leaves at 1400. Fortunately, the airport is practically down the street from the class site, and I'm hoping that the instructor says they've had positive experiences with other students in this situation. In any case, Gregg was aghast that I would schedule things so tightly. I told him I don't get back until Saturday evening and if I waited until Saturday to fly, I wouldn't get home until Sunday. I go to work on Monday and I just didn't want to have my whole weekend blown. As it is, I miss out on a 5K, two judo classes, and a mentoring session with my senior nursing student from UOG.

Anna has spent the weekend putting aloe lotion on her back and ibuprofen in her mouth because of a major sunburn she got while snorkeling at Polaris Point. "I've learned my lesson," she declared. "No more spray-on SPF!" She got up with us on Saturday because she couldn't sleep, but I couldn't persuade her to run.

Drew had Jack and Ben stay over last night and all of them reported they were awake until after 2 in the morning. However, Gregg disputed this, saying they were all asleep before midnight.

Pastor Fred suggested we prayerfully consider using our free round-trip tickets to Manila to assist with the Volunteers in Mission project to build a church near Manila in late July-early August. Gregg and I will have to talk about this more in-depth; it would be a wonderful opportunity and it also falls at the worst time of the year (and in a place normally off-limits to military personnel without connections to the Philippines). We'll keep you posted on what we finally decide.

My Review of adidas Supernova Run Skort Womens

2008-03-25T03:36:00.001-07:00

Originally submitted at Dick's Sporting Goods

The adidas® Supernova® women's run skort is a comfortable and versatile option for all your morning runs. It's crafted using the moisture-wicking ClimaCool® performance fabric that draws sweat away from your skin for quick and easy ventilation to keep you cool and dry. The flatlock seam...

Fabulous Running Skort!

By EmKay from Santa Rita, Guam on 3/25/2008

Fit: Feels true to size

Pros: Breathable, Lightweight, Stylish, Allows Free Movement, Comfortable

Cons: Waist not adjustable

Best Uses: Warm Weather, Casual Wear, Running, Competition

Describe Yourself: Competitive Athlete

I plan on wearing this to make me look as good as I feel during my morning runs and to out-psyche the competition on those weekly 5K races here in Guam! The skirt sits a little lower on my waist than I am used to; I wish it fit a little snugger. The skort is much shorter than other running skorts I have tried on; however, it appears that it is just as flattering, if not more so, than my current running skort wardrobe. If the feel of a hem against your thighs while running might distract you, consider this skirt for its shorter length.

(legalese)

My Review of Marika Adrenaline Pleated Mod Mini Womens

2008-03-25T02:35:00.001-07:00

Originally submitted at Dick's Sporting Goods

The Marika® Adrenaline Pleated Mod women's mini skirt is a cute option for your next tennis match or workout. It's crafted using a built-in short with a moisture-wicking fabrication that draws sweat away from your body to help keep you cool and dry. The pleated design creates some added flair, ...

Pleated Mod Mini Too Cute to Run in

By EmKay from Santa Rita, Guam on 3/25/2008

Fit: Feels too big

Waist: Feels too big

Length: Feels too long

Pros: Attractive Design, Comfortable, Versatile, Flattering

Cons: Too big

Best Uses: To School, On a Date

Describe Yourself: Bargain Shopper, Classic, Career, Eclectic

I am 5 ft tall and weigh 95 lbs. I like to run. I thought this skirt would make me look good while I run (or to wear to work before I change into scrubs). Unfortunately, the skirt would need someone about 4-6 inches taller and 10-15 lbs heavier to look fabulous in it. This WOULD be a great skirt for a casual event where you need to look alternately chic and be able to play a pick-up game of ultimate frisbee. There's nothing wrong with this skirt except it appears to run large. At this price, it's definitely a bargain and I would recommend going one size smaller than your normal size.

(legalese)

Easter Weekend and the GIAA 5K for Make-a-Wish Foundation

2008-03-21T19:51:00.000-07:00

Today was our first hilly run since the New Year. Running Ypao is tough for the hills that only go up (well, maybe it just FEELS that way). Drew only added a minute to his normal run time and part of the problem was he ran the wrong way. His time was 26:42. I managed to come in at 28:53. At least this is better than the times I turned in previously at this site. I thought I didn't have anything left coming around the parking lot, but at the end, I thought, "I could have pushed it a little more." I am going to have make up my mind whether I truly want to commit to the pain of getting my run time down another 3 minutes....

We came back and I enjoyed a cup of hot chai and read my newspapers. I love this habit and can remember fighting over newspaper sections with my parents. They would read at the kitchen table and I would read on the living room floor, then we'd trade sections. I can't seem to get Anna or Drew interested in reading the paper, and for Gregg, it's a mere cursory glance.

MWR held an Easter Egg Hunt at 1000 at Orote Point so I took Anna and Drew. We just made it in time and Anna managed to snag only two eggs. In an effort to be healthy, the eggs were filled with plastic toys like kooshes and crayons.

Gregg has been sick this weekend; he thinks it's from Tarza---I think it's just going around because colleagues have been sick at work and the flu is still trending strong in the mainland.

I have been listening to kd lang sing Leonard Cohen's song, "Hallelujah" (you might recognize it from "Shrek"). I hadn't paid much attention to kd lang because she started out in country and that wasn't my favorite genre back when. I have to thank Rhonda, one of my university friends who felt called into nursing to help with the AIDS crisis, for introducing this wonderful singer to me.

Easter Sunday started out lazy. I woke at 0510 and couldn't get back to sleep (curse you, 0500 weekday run habit!) and I had the house all to myself for an hour or so. We dressed for church and said farewell to George and Carol Butler who are leaving Guam to live in the mainland. We planted a mango tree in their remembrance; they told us they wouldn't be gone forever. As believers in Christ, we already know that and today was a celebration of that promise.

When we got home, Flea had deposited a little blue mousie on my pillow and this is a picture of him playing with a teal-colored mousie (check out his claws). Drew and Gregg spent the afternoon calibrating the software for the upcoming Pinewood Derby and Anna built a house for Spongebob out of Legos.
PS: Gregg was not thrilled with Drew's outfit because of the mix of stripes and plaids---Drew loves to match colors, but not necessarily patterns. I think he made a spectacular choice for an Easter outfit!

The Best Days Ever, According to Drew

2008-03-20T03:44:00.000-07:00

The kids have been on spring break this week so Gregg took leave and I used special liberty for Tuesday and Thursday (to avoid increasing workload for everyone else).

On Tuesday, we had our home visit with Grace. It's always humbling to see ourselves through someone else's eyes. We have a number of tasks left to complete and one is the expensive one---the trip to INS to get our fingerprint cards and immigration paperwork...

After the visit, I took Anna and Drew to Micronesia Mall so Drew could watch "The Balls," his name for the dynamic display outside Macy's. He could stand there for hours and watch the balls travel around the tubes and wires. We ate lunch and waited for Funtastic Park to open. We rode the "Creature Coaster," crashed into each other on "Road Rage," and they finished up with a ride on the "Pirate Ship." I was running out of money and Anna wanted a smoothie before we left the mall.

We stopped at the NEX on the way back so I could get a new watch. My old watch, which was a Mother's Day present 3 years ago, had developed a metal snag on the mesh wristband and I had already snagged my uniform skirt and poked myself a couple of times.

We hung out at home until time for judo class. I told Drew I would be testing for my blue belt on Friday. He was aghast. "I've been taking judo longer than YOU, Mom," he declared. I learned how competitive Drew was because he asked Sensei how long before he could get HIS blue belt and reported back to me.

Today, Thursday, we went to Tarza. Drew has been begging forever to go. According to Drew, this week has been "The Best Days Ever." Isn't it wonderful when we recognize every day has the potential to be "The Best Day Ever"?

Kick the Fat 5K, the Holiday Resort Stay, and Everyday's a Holiday!

2008-03-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

We had good intentions to run the Kick the Fat 5K on 15 March as a family. We also had to use our certificate for a free night's stay at the Holiday Resort and Spa in Tumon because it expired on 14 March. Of course, everything else was going on 14-15 March: the grand re-opening of the Clipper Landing which all our friends were going to, regular judo class, and a full day of work beforehand with NOD.

After much angst and discussion, we went to Tumon and checked in to our hotel. We inspected the hotel pool and promised Anna and Drew they would get to play. We ate at Tairyo Sushi and learned the place gets much busier later in the evening; we make it a point to go when it first opens. When we got back to the hotel, the pool was closed for the evening. Anna and Drew were disappointed, but I promised to take them first thing in the morning---after we ran the 5K, that is.

Gregg wanted to go to the Tower of London Pub because COB was going to be there. I sent him with my blessings. I called reception to request a wake-up call and settled in to read and relax in a strange bed with the kids.

On the day of the race, Gregg groaned. I didn't push him further; Anna decided to stay and sleep in with Gregg. Drew and I took off for Chamorro Village. I didn't think we got there late, but by the time we crossed the street and wasted time looking for a public toilet, we had to join the race at the back of the crowd. When the start was announced, we ended up walking for a while until the crowd thinned out. Even then, we wasted a lot of valuable time dodging in and out of clueless people. And then, the turn-around point was WAY beyond where they said it would be! So, I think the course was actually longer than 3.1 miles. Race etiquette says that once you're in the chutes for the finish, you don't pass people. Unfortunately, clueless people start walking at that point, not realizing the clock doesn't stop for them until they pass the finish line... I had already resigned myself to not improving my times and this was seriously demoralizing. The only good thing about the race was the t-shirt with the cool Chamorro pictograph.
We didn't stay for the awards or prizes. I had NOD so we went to the hospital and made rounds. It was quiet.

Back at the hotel, Anna and Drew changed into their swimsuits and played in the pool for an hour before getting bored. We got showered and dressed and headed out for breakfast. We checked out the hotel buffet, but wanted something a little different. Unfortunately, there is nothing open or for breakfast within a reasonable walking distance so we ate at the hotel. Drew loved it and told me he thought it was almost as good as the breakfast buffet in Hong Kong.

Gregg needed to get back to base to finish up a legal matter so we swung by the Boy Scout Hut to pick up another pinewood derby kit for Anna and some weights (just in case). Because I was the NOD, I was assigned to a funeral detail for LCDR Michael L. Murphy. You know, the obituary said there were no surviving family members, only friends and that would be who received the flag. I was terribly afraid the funeral detail would be the largest contingent there for his memorial and burial at sea. But the Chamorro culture is fabulous and many families showed up, including children. I was so proud, both of the Guamanians who adopted him as their own and of LCDR Murphy, whose personality must have endeared him to his adoped family. I would volunteer again to do burial detail.

I took Anna and Drew to tennis practice at Tiyan. I really like their tennis practice. I get to sit in the shade and read for an hour. It's so relaxing for me.

We had a Saint Patrick's Day celebration at Senior Chief's house---only this twist was multi-cultural instead of Irish-focused. Gregg's contribution to the festivities was Thai beer. I came back early to clean the house (which had suffered from all our activities in the morning) and considered making rounds at the hospital, but I was so tired I wouldn't have been safe driving. I did phone calls instead and it was still quiet, always a good thing.

Another Improvement in Run Times for Bank of Guam Run for the Red 5K

2008-03-09T04:19:00.001-07:00

I swear, the course for the American Red Cross 5K must have been short because I find it hard to believe I dropped nearly 2 minutes off my run time. I ran this 5K in 27:09. Of course, it was a relatively straightforward course that didn't require making multiple turns around the block in Hagatna. It was also set up counter-clockwise, so I had difficulty figuring out where I was in terms of landmarks and where I could safely speed up, knowing I would have enough oomph to finish the race.

Two jog strollers passed me by this time, but when they're pushed by men who are at least 6 feet tall and have legs that end at my neck, well, I know I can't compete. However, I did hear one jog stroller behind me that pushed me the whole way. Every time I heard the creak and whirr of those hideous plastic wheels on pavement, I sped up. I heard a male voice say, "You need to loosen up. You're running like a boxer all tight." I imagined this person running and giving advice to me the entire race and I think that might have been what pushed me forward. However, it was a fast race overall as the third place finisher, Marie Benito, finished in 18:52. She placed first in my division, the master. I don't think I've ever run faster than 6:21 splits and that was when I was running 4-6 miles a day and about 20 years younger so I'd really have to put out some effort to be truly competitive.

Drew also improved his run time, but I'm not certain it's correct. He says it is 25:34, but that would only put him 7 seconds better than his best. I would like to think he also ran faster this time. I'll wait until the PDN prints out the race times.

We also ran the 3.5 mile Rainbow Run last Saturday. My run time was 33:25, which equates to about a 9:30 split. As long as I keep dropping my splits, I'll be very happy. Because more competitive runners were off challenging themselves with the Hafa Marathon, I managed to snag third place in my division. Not bad! And Drew got 5th place in his division. I wish I would have taken a picture of him standing with the boys who were all a foot or more taller than him.

I Bested My Run Time in the DODEA 5K

2008-02-23T20:35:00.000-08:00

Finally! I ran the DODEA 5K yesterday in 28 minutes and 57 seconds so I came under 29 minutes in my year-long quest to run a sub-25:00 5K. It's so humbling to remember that at one time I used to run 6:15 splits....I just don't enjoy the pain (nor the dry heaving) at the finish line. Despite the conditioning runs I did in the week leading up to this race, I was fatigued for the rest of the day.

I was only passed by one jog stroller this time and, quite frankly, he would have crushed me easily without the jog stroller.

I have to tip my hat to Deb Bute, though. She caught up with me at the turn-around point at Alupang Beach Towers and I vowed I would not be passed by another jog stroller for the rest of the race. So I sprinted a little, then settled into a higher race groove. She caught up to me and I had to sprint once more. For sure, I thought I had her now because she was shoving the stroller ahead and trying to get some ease---ah, ha! weakness! Alas, a little later I heard her daughter cheering her on and looked back to see she was gaining on me again. No. More. Jog. Strollers. I sprinted for a while this time and finished ahead of her.

Richard A Lovett advised in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue of Running Times, "[W]hen you pass people, pass in a manner that indicates you expect them to remain passed." But he also recommended against starting out too fast. I actually started out faster than I normally run this race and that is because I knew I would have enough energy to finish---I needed to push myself and even if I slowed down, I would still be running faster than I would if I started out at my usual rate. This article from Runner's World explains my rationale and the research that supports it.

Drew was tired and didn't come near his personal best of 25:41. He was still satisfied. He's always a "glass-half-full" type kid and we are so blessed to have him. I am still trying to talk Anna into running with us and I might have her with this argument: "You don't play tennis to get in shape; you get in shape to play tennis."

JFK High School is sponsoring a 5K next weekend and it will probably be hilly. The Guam Running Club is sponsoring its Guam Hafa Marathon the same day. Decisions, decisions...do I run the tried-and-true 5K or push myself for the 13.1 miles? No problems deciding on races for the following weekend, though, because that is a flat course to support the American Red Cross.

We finished up the day with more activities: I supervised taking blood pressures at our health display at the NEX in support of American Heart Month. Anna and Drew went to tennis lessons, this time at the Tiyan Tennis Courts because of the ongoing competition at the Tennis Center, and we saw "We are the Pirates Who Don't Do Anything," at the base theatre. What a great movie! It started off slowly, though, and I was very concerned that this movie was not up to standards, but it completely redeemed itself after the slow start. We had a nice family discussion on the short car ride home.

SHRM President's Day 5K

2008-02-17T11:53:00.000-08:00

Drew ran his best time ever----25:41! He's even pictured in the Guam Pacific Daily News.

I wish I could say I improved my time as well, but I discovered it really does matter what I eat. I also didn't pay attention to hydration the day before the race. As a result, I felt major GI distress that left me walking part of the course and feeling malaise the rest of the day. It's just another lesson learned on my own goal towards running a sub-25 minute 5K. If you're curious, my time was 33:02, which is still a respectable time. However, of all the women's age groups, the runners in the 40-49 range tend to run the fastest---Mylene Garcia ran the 5K in 24:04.

I've been trying to talk Anna into running---it's excellent cross-training for tennis---because she could medal every single time if she ran even as slow as me.

No Park and Run Today

2008-02-15T16:16:00.000-08:00

Last night we discussed running the International Reading Association's Read-a-Thon 5K but I decided this morning to bail. You see, the race had no pre-registration and I didn't want to have to leave 15-20 minutes earlier than we normally did in order to register for the race. Another reason was last night's sparring session at judo left my aging bones and muscles in a slight degree of discomfort.

After judo, I felt exhilarated because I was sweating and my muscles were warm. However, a night of sleeping surrounded by furry black cats left me sore and stiff. I got up at 0100 to take some ibuprofen and still woke with a headache. So, rather than being a running morning, it became a yoga morning. I didn't get any complaints from the kids about my decision. We'll still run the SHRM 5K tomorrow so I should be able to benchmark my time.

Drew lost another tooth, this time at school when Cole accidentally hit him in the mouth. The tooth fairy was very diligent and delivered on-time and on-budget...

Today is a relaxing day as I put the kids to work cleaning the house (Drew loves the vacuum cleaner duties). The kids wanted to make cookies so we'll get the cookie dough for shaping and rolling out in the refrigerator chilling for baking tomorrow. I'll pick up Cole for the tennis lessons this afternoon then we'll do our neighborhood progressive dinner. Finally, I'll prepare for tomorrow's children's sermon and make something for the potluck after church. I'm still undecided about doing a cardboard boat for the regatta on Monday. A little voice inside my head keeps telling me, "But it'll be fun!"

Moylan 5K Run for Your Heart

2008-02-08T20:39:00.000-08:00

Well, Drew and I got up and ran another 5K today. Unfortunately, there were two 5K's scheduled for today and the other run (Our Lady of Lourdes 5K) must have gotten the automatic timers because there were no times for this run. I know that I ran faster than 30:46 because the third place male finisher in the Senior Division (60+) ran that time and I passed him. I was only passed by TWO jog strollers today and they passed me very early on. I even passed other people (including the old guy) toward the end. I know that running more than once a week is paying off because I felt very good throughout the entire race.

I am rather demoralized at realizing the first place finisher in my division (Master) finished in 23:10. The third place finisher was under 25 minutes. The top runner, Lisa Mason, finished in 18:06.

Drew is going to Jack's birthday party and they are touring a helicopter at Andersen. I will take Anna to tennis lessons and Gregg will be going to play poker at the neighbor's house. Tomorrow is a little busy. We will go to church and Anna will sell cookies for Girl Scouts at the NEX while Drew goes to Boy Scouts. I, of course, will be getting the house in order for the next week and doing laundry. Fun, fun.

Running Out of Weekend

2008-01-25T19:54:00.000-08:00

When we moved to Guam, I assumed most of my time would be spent lazing at the beach, working on my blockbuster novel, and wearing sundresses with hats and heels (and, of course, work would figure in there as well). Boy, was I wrong. We tend to run out of weekend before we run out of activities.

This post is an effort to update everyone on what has occurred since we returned from Thailand.

Mary's New Year Resolutions
My resolution this year is to decrease my run time by five minutes. To do this, I'll need to increase the amount of running I do and increase my efficiency as well as improve my overall nutrition. I caught a severe cold the first week we got back (I would have sworn it was the flu except I never ran a fever) and I couldn't breathe through my nose. I was miserable. The second week I had duty and getting up at 0430 meant I would have to get up at 0400 to run (if someone didn't call in the middle of the night with questions or problems---which, of course, they did).

So, no more excuses starting Sunday. I WILL set the alarm for 0500 and get up and run. I have been doing yoga in the morning which has helped with the tight hamstrings and hips most runners get (and makes me feel better overall). I also bought a running watch to help with interval training. We will see if this changes anything. Here are my run times for the 5Ks run in January:
12 January: 30:15
19 January: 29:39 (I started counting the number of people I passed and the number who passed me---it was a pretty good ratio, then it went downhill. Once I was passed by two jogging strollers, I stopped keeping statistics)
26 January: 29:55 (and today I came in 44th in the female race; unfortunately, I was passed by FOUR jogging strollers)

I'm also keeping my uniform at work so I come home in PT gear. That means no excuses for not stopping at the gym for a quick weight-lifting session.

Incidentally, Drew turned in his best PR last week with 27:12. Not bad for 7 year-old stubby legs...

Anna and Drew
Anna is taking piano lessons and will re-start tennis lessons this afternoon. Drew has started piano lessons and will also be starting tennis lessons for the first time this afternoon. He also continues with judo and turned in a 3rd place performance this morning at the competition at Kontenda's Gym in Tamuning.

Gregg
Gregg started judo lessons with me in the adult class and Drew was very happy. However, he is still not satisfied. "My whole family needs to take judo," Drew says. Gregg will probably be taking a break for a few weeks because he "popped" a rib during a throw and had troubles breathing afterwards. He was feeling fine the next day so he decided to lift weights because it was his "shoulders" day. This was probably not the best decision as he felt fine until he attempted the 5th set.

Random Conversations
We were listening to the car radio on the way to the competition this morning and the announcer was discussing the 2008 Presidential hopefuls.
Drew asked, "Is Hillary a girl?"
I replied, "Yes."
"Why are they talking about her?"
"Because she's running for President."
"She can't," Drew declared. "Anna's going to be the first girl President."

Sixth Day in Chiang Mai (Sunday)

2008-01-09T04:17:00.000-08:00

Today we went to the Mae Sa Elephant Camp. We watched the elephants shower and their handlers scrub them in the river. One elephant tried to stand on his head, but he couldn’t get his hind feet completely in the air.

We walked to the elephant show where the elephants paraded around and performed many tricks. They danced, they kicked soccer balls, and they painted beautiful pictures. After the show, we fed them bunches of bananas and bundles of sugar cane. They hugged us with their trunks and we took many photos.

We were very impressed with the elephants’ artistic ability and bought one of the pictures they painted. We also stopped in the elephant souvenir shop where the profits were dedicated to caring for the elephants. Our guide, Kung, said some people feel guilty about the elephants in the camp. She said we shouldn’t feel this way because the elephants don’t have enough work to do with the loss of teak logging. Performing tricks is one way they can earn their keep.

We went to the Drew Cent---oops, the Monkey Centre, after that. We watched the monkeys count numbers, ride bicycles, and dive after a waterproof watch donated by a willing participant. Drew won a banana by finding the number “4” after the monkey was “tired” of the game.

After the show, we fed the monkeys tangerines and bananas. Anna and Drew played with two baby monkeys and Anna learned the wisdom of keeping her hair away from the monkey’s reach.

Kung took us back to our hotel and we had to decide what we were going to do with our afternoon. We ate sushi at Ikue and Drew and Gregg stayed in the hotel while Anna and I went walking around. I was in search of interesting textile shops and the one I was truly interested in, a wholesale silk factory outlet shop, was closed, which was probably a very good thing. We stopped at Naruk’s and I got my feet massaged for an hour while Anna got her very first pedicure and manicure.

We ate at the Walking Street Market which is held every Sunday from 4-10pm. Everyone, locals included, said this market was better than the Night Market. I have to agree, if only because I did not feel claustrophobic and the prices seemed a little better.

Anna and Drew ate fresh fruit for dinner---watermelon and cantaloupe. Strawberries are in season now and we got a cup. Drew took one bite and said, “Mom, they ruined the strawberries. They’re not supposed to have salt on them!” The strawberries were seasoned with salt and sugar---I’ve heard of freshly cracked pepper on strawberries, but never salt. I was the only one who finished eating them. Gregg ordered fried rice noodles with in an egg omelet---it was only 20 baht.

Anna and Drew chose a few "voodoo dolls" on key rings as mementos of their stay here in Chiang Mai. They finished up with cotton candy---a distinctively non-Thai tradition.

Third Day in Chiang Mai (Friday)

2008-01-09T03:51:00.000-08:00

We met our driver, "Eddie Murphy," in the lobby and drove to the first temple, Wat Suan Dok, the oldest temple in Chiang Mai. There we met a disabled artist, Pong, who painted pictures of her childhood on paper she created from "Buddha leaves."

We drove to Doi Suthep which most tour guide books say, "You haven’t visited Chiang Mai if you haven’t been to Doi Suthep." We took the cable car up, thinking it was a really long steep climb to the top, but it was only 306 steps up (or down). Doi Suthep is the site of the holy relics of the Buddha carried to the mountain top by a white elephant that dropped dead at the top. We walked around the temple site, remembering to circle clockwise on Eddie’s advice.

I picked up a brochure on meditation which explained the basic principles of Buddha. It’s very easy to be holy when separated from the world; I am reminded of the book, Sacred Marriage that explains marriage is also a holy endeavor and probably much more difficult to accomplish for spiritual enlightenment (the book review suggests "God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy").

When we got back to the hotel, we ate at a barbecue that displayed kabobs I saw on an earlier trek through the streets. Unfortunately, the kabobs did not live up to expectations. After the meal, we went to the Night Market and Drew got his beloved insects---with the provision that the mounted bugs stayed behind their glass that would be hung on his bedroom wall at home. If Drew couldn’t agree to that, Gregg wasn’t going to buy them. After much hand-wringing and bargaining, Drew finally agreed to Gregg’s conditions and the bugs joined our family.

In the meantime, my watch had hit the floor and the wristband broke for the third time. The first time it broke in Guam, I took it to a watch repair shop where they told me it couldn’t be fixed. I took it home and super-glued it. I dropped it another time and super-glued it again.

It fell on the floor while I was timing the kids’ fluoride rinse here in the hotel and that’s when I told Gregg I wanted a Rolex. So, I got one. Not a real one, but a nice fake one. Maybe someday I’ll want the real thing. Gregg bought a fake Submariner Rolex. What I found hilarious was the shop owner kept these "premium watches" locked away from the rest of his goods and we had to sit down in this large closet to view his selection. I also fell in love with the Rado (which I was not familiar with outside of Vogue magazine), but it did not have minute markings, so it was not very practical for work (which is why I wanted a new watch). However, even a fake Rolex is probably over-the-top for everyday wear…especially when blood and guts are involved.

Chiang Mai Day 5 - The Hill Tribes

2008-01-05T21:00:00.000-08:00

Mary K writes:

We woke up the earliest we’ve had to since leaving Guam to visit the Hill Tribes---a three-hour trip each way to a little village very close to the Thai-Burma border. We stopped at the Orchid Farm in Maerim where we learned about the life of orchids and butterflies. The orchid jewelry was exquisite---they took orchid flowers, covered them in resin to dry them out then coated them with lacquer. They edged the flowers with gold. So the flower jewelry really is flower jewelry, not an artistic interpretation. They also did the same thing with the butterflies.

We got back on the bus with our nine other new best friends (from Australia and Hong Kong) and continued to Chiang Dao Cave where a monk lived 100 years ago. The waters caused erosions in the rock that imaginative Thais saw as the animals of the jungle. We walked deep into the cave to view the Buddha statue. This Buddha was notable because he lay on his back "like a commoner," our tour guide, Maia, said. Most Buddhas lie on their sides.

You can tell the difference between the various Buddhas once you’ve been educated. Burma Buddhas are different from Thai Buddhas which are different from Chinese Buddhas. It’s all very interesting and we’ve decided to learn more about Buddhism so we can better understand the Asian culture.

We stopped at the best "truck stop" restaurant. The meal was served family-style: cashew chicken, sweet-and-sour-chicken, and mixed vegetables with steamed rice. We ate a chicken broth and tofu soup for starters and finished with sweet seasonal tangerines, probably from the local farms. Delicious! On the suggestion of our tour guide, we bought "healthy" snacks from the mini-mart to hand out to Hill children.

We made one more stop to view a giant Buddha and look out over a rustic northern Thai resort.

Finally, we drove up a rutted road and clambered out of the van. What an eye-opener. The various tribes are refugees from Burma and Laos: the Karen, the Palong, and the Akha.

Gregg writes:

Today we visited the Hill Tribes of northern Thailand. The Hill Tribes are the remaining members of three separate tribes from the Northern Thailand/Burma/Laos region. They are the Karen ("Longneck"), the Palong ("Black Teeth"), and the Akha.

The "Longneck" tribe got their nickname from the rings the women put around their necks starting at 5 years of age. In earlier times, the rings were used to protect the necks of females from tiger attacks in the woods, as the neck was where the tigers would attack. A second reason for the rings was to alter a woman's appearance to look like a swan, which was revered for its beauty by the tribe. And finally, the rings "protected" the soul, or spirit, of the wearer, which was thought to reside in the neck of the tribe members. Likely because that was where members were bitten by tigers when their spirits were lost at death.

There are significant downsides, of course, to wearing the rings. The life expectancy of the women who do so is between 45 and 55. And they suffer terrible back and neck pain throughout their lives. Not to mention the incredible discomfort they must experience on a daily basis.

Today, Longneck women are no longer forced to wear the rings - they are still forced to start at 5, but can decide to stop wearing them at 10. The decision is a difficult one, though, since those who choose not to wear the rings must leave the tribe and their family and go to another tribe that does not wear rings.

The second tribe we met was the Palong. The Palong are known for their extremely black teeth, which they get from chewing Betel nut. They chew the Betel nut for the "high" they get, which I'm told is something like that of nicotine but stronger. The chemicals in the Betel nut eventually turn their teeth completely black, as you can see in the picture below. The Palong also have extremely large ear lobes which they get from inserting increasingly large ear rings. Unlike the Longneck tribe described above, there are no underlying reasons for enlarging their earlobes, other than perceived beauty.

The final tribe we met was the Akha. They had no physically distinguishing characteristics, but they were consummate sales people. An unattractive trait they inadvertently picked up from the Thai sales people in the markets in the south. They specialized in selling Hill Tribe clothing for kids, as well as an annoying wood carving of a frog that makes a very loud noise when stroked with an included wooden peg. (Drew, of course, had to have one.)

Meeting these humble, extremely poor people was overwhelming. We already knew we were blessed with riches when we saw how poor the Thai people living in the cities of Bangkok and Chiang Mai were. But these proud people were poor even by their standards. Thatch homes with dirt floors covered by bamboo rods, a kitchen that was nothing more than a fire pit, and no running water to speak of. They had a communal shower that was a water pipe with a rubber hose attached, fed from the stream nearby. Yet they were too proud to beg for anything. (Not the Akha, who were quite adept at begging.)

We were all deeply moved by the experience and are looking for ways to make donations to help make their lives better. The guides who took us to visit them didn't have any suggestions on what we could do, so we are investigating on our own.

In the meantime, the one thing we all took away from our visit was how incredibly blessed we are compared to most other people in the world. I knew before going that there was abject poverty in the world. I've seen it in the Philippines and, of course, on TV. But I've never seen anything like this up close. It will stick with me and give me perspective when I hear others, particularly those living in the United States, complain about how little they have. Believe me when I say that the poorest people living in the US are unimaginably rich compared to the Hill tribes.

New Year's Day in Thailand

2008-01-02T16:21:00.000-08:00

We weren't sure what would be open on New Year's Day in Bangkok, but we knew no one would start early. We hired a taxi to take us to Chinatown. The driver suggested he drive through the main artery in Chinatown and if we saw something interesting, he would stop and wait.

I mentioned the Bangkok Doll Factory to him and he pointed us in the direction of the toy section of the market. We spent 30 minutes (we could easily have spent more, but that's how much time we budgeted before having him return for us). Anna fell in love with a yarn bird marionette and Drew snagged a multi-pack of Lego-type cars.

Our next stop was Vimanmek Mansion. However, the guard told us it was closed. The zoo was next door and it looked busy, but no one really wanted to go. Our driver asked if we wanted to go to the aquarium. This turned out to be an inspired choice as Siam Ocean World was a terrific treat! While more expensive than we had budgeted, it featured a theme close to the hearts of all school-age boys: Monsters of the Deep.

We were familiar with Underwater World in Guam and have annual passes. At Siam Ocean World, we received a free drink with a souvenir squeaky squid lid, rode on a glass-bottom boat and watched the sharks feed, and ate some of the best popcorn we've had in southeast Asia. We also viewed a 4D short movie as part of our entry package.

On our trip to the Floating Market, we watched a video in the van. Drew fell in love with Pingu. We traipsed through the Siam Paragon Mall trying to find a copy of the DVD without success. For consolation, we let Drew pick the restaurant for lunch; he chose Hard Rock Cafe Bangkok. After eating, we returned to the hotel to wait for our ride to the airport to travel to Chiang Mai. Fortunately, we didn't wait long.

Our First Full Day in Chiang Mai

2008-01-02T04:42:00.000-08:00

Arts & Handicrafts Tour
As part of our tour package, we chose to tour the tourist industries in Chiang Mai. Our first stop was Jolie Femme, a silk factory where we learned how much time it takes to weave the more elaborate silk brocades and how much the typical weaver makes in a month. Then, we had the opportunity to view and buy products made from silk.

Our next stop was the Gemstone Showroom which achieved ISO 9001 status. I turned to Gregg and told him I didn’t know artistic endeavors could aspire to this award. You learn something new everyday.

We visited a teak wood furniture store where Gregg searched for an elusive wood carving to hang on our wall. He couldn't find anything that fit his ideas and our budget. They had some exquisite pieces there, but we had just purchased a teak outdoor set from Bali. After that, we went to a rug showroom but there wasn’t much that caught our attention. Our last stop was the umbrella factory, Bor Sang. We were intrigued with the artistic abilities of the painters there and Drew had an artist paint a design on his shorts.

We came back home to eat lunch at Duke's.

Gregg was tired and the kids just wanted some downtime with their Nintendo’s, so I hired a tuk tuk and walked around Sbun Nga Textile Museum at Old Chiang Mai Cultural Arts Center. They didn’t allow photos so I spent over 500 baht on postcards and brochures depicting the historical costumes.

Khantoke
This was the only mix-up in our entire schedule. We waited from 1910 till 1940 for our driver who never showed. We hired a tuk tuk to take us to Old Chiang Mai Cultural Arts Center where we were so late we were shoved into a corner far from the stage. Fortunately, our friends were seated close to the stage so once we finished eating, we moved to their table. We couldn’t believe there were people who left in the middle of the dance program, but they did. So we snagged their seats on the floor (along with their pillows) for a real up-close-and-personal view of the dancers. Anna and Drew got into the spirit of the show by dressing in their Hill Tribe costumes (which we later discovered were representative of the Akha tribe).

The dance program consisted of two parts: the first part took place in the center stage where they did the “fingernail dance,” the sword dance, and the circle dance (where participants were recruited from the audience). The second part took place outside. The Hill Tribes were actual hill tribesmen (and women), not city people. We enjoyed it all and caught a lift back with our friends.

Our First Full Day in Bangkok

2007-12-30T02:48:00.000-08:00

I woke at 0330. I got out of bed at 0400 and turned on the tv. I pulled out the book and map on Bangkok and worked on a plan of attack. Here is what I started with:

Sunday:
Visit Palace
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Lumpini Park then Suan Lum Night Market
Get BK Magazine (free at restaurants)
Buy Metro magazine (at bookstore)

Monday:
Chinatown
Chao Phraya Express Boat Tour to Bang Pa

Tuesday:
Ask if anything will be open (holiday?)
Erawan Shrine/Temple (Thai dancing)
Wat Phra Kaew (Emerald Buddha)
Wat Mahathat

As it turns out, it is nice to have plans, but it is even nicer to be flexible.
We went to the Grand Palace and visited the Emerald Buddha.
We went to the Chatuchak Market and we came back via the Skytrain.

At our hotel, we tested the swimming pool, but our thin Guam blood couldn't take the unheated water. So, we dressed and went to the Night Market. When we asked for taxi service, the concierge asked us if we wanted to eat at the Seafood Market restaurant. He would give us free transport if we ate our meal there. No, we said. We'll pass.

When we got to the Night Market, we decided we needed to shop on full bellies. Searching the signs for direction to the food court, a Thai dressed in a security uniform asked us if we needed help. When we explained our problem, he said he knew just the place and led us through a parking lot away from the Night Market to the Seafood Market restaurant! Accepting it as meant to be, we enjoyed a superb meal. We walked back to the Night Market but were only able to walk through a few stalls before Gregg said he couldn't carry a sleeping Drew for the rest of the market.

Traveling to Thailand

2007-12-29T02:27:00.000-08:00

We arrived at the Guam airport at 0515 to leave for Thailand via Manila. At 0910 Manila time, we were sitting in the Sampaguita Lounge, passing a 6-hour layover. We initially investigated the possibility of exploring Manila, especially Mall of Asia, but six hours is a lot of time to sit in an airport, but not enough to safely travel to the mall and transit Immigrations. We did not realize how smart our decision was until Thai Airlines had to hold the plane for 30 people who were still stuck in Immigrations.

A good substitute for shopping was a full-body Thai massage....this is done with clothes on.

We made it to Thailand safely and our hotel. Unfortunately, the room they assigned to us had two double beds pushed together and promised to bring in another bed. Sleeping with Anna and Drew would have been okay, but I wasn't looking forward to sleeping in the crack. We requested a move to another room.

We were so tired by this time and it was only 1930. We went ahead and ordered room service so we would all sleep well. We had to keep waking Drew to chew his food.

Judo: The Second Tournament

2007-12-10T19:21:00.000-08:00

Drew's second judo tournament was completely different from the first. I was worried that he wouldn't be in the 42 lbs and under group. If that happened, he would be competing at the bottom of the next heavier category instead of at the top of the lower category. It's been a long time since I pulled out the bathroom scale. Fortunately, ours reads heavy (well, I guess "reading heavy" might be upsetting for some people), but Drew was well within the limits. Consequently, he displayed text-book take-downs and scored full points within seconds of his matches---barely enough time to snap photos!

Drew was so proud of his medal---he wore it for the rest of the day and took it to school to show his teacher.

Here Drew poses with his fellow weight-class competitors:

The Orphans' Thanksgiving

2007-12-01T19:26:00.002-08:00

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

We chose to celebrate Thanksgiving with our extended Guam family---this meant a potluck on Calvo's Beach.

We discovered how scrumptious fresh coconut is and the deliciousness of fresh palm.

Now Gregg has an excuse to go to Home Depot and buy a machete...

The Marianas Yacht Club 38th Annual Challenge Day

2007-12-01T19:26:00.001-08:00

We received an invitation to attend the Marianas Yacht Club 38th Annual Challenge Day on Sunday, November 11th.

We were able to experience kayak racing, wind-surfing, and small boat racing (Optimist, Laser, Hobie Cat) with experienced sailors by our sides.

Challenge Day also hosted the Trans-Pacific Six-Pack Race. The water craft are designed and built by the individual racing teams, composed of material of their choice so long as no parts are from actual boats. In this instance, the boats were made of empty plastic barrels. They were also propelled without the use of engines (but could use rowing, kicking, swimming or anything else).

In addition, we watched GI Joe take on Ken in a heated mini-raft race!

The MYC membership is composed of colorful characters: we met Peter Melyan, who told us he taught an accredited course on cockfighting at UOG. He regaled us with his Army stories. We could see he was in poor health; we never expected to see his obituary a short time later.

Halloween and Birthdays

2007-11-03T21:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I was going to go as a Goth Fairy (http://www.divadestruction.com/newbandpics3.html --my inspiration), but when the needle on my sewing machine broke and I was already 20 minutes late to the party, I gave up and went as myself (sometimes that’s scary enough). I will go as the Goth Fairy next year. I have the lace lace-up gloves, the fairy wings, and the black eyeliner. The black skirt with the black lace overlay is mounded in a corner.

I did my Physical Readiness Test on 1 November, so I couldn’t really stay out late. Despite going to bed early, I still woke up almost every hour (and sometimes more frequently). You would think by now I would have sufficient faith in myself to do fine on the PRT, but the day before, I had Dr J, my favorite DO, re-align my SI joint (it was like having a toothache in my hip) and rotate the T4-L1 vertebra that was causing me right bicep pain. I think I was afraid everything was going to fall apart. A little PMS didn’t help. In case you're wondering, I scored an Outstanding Medium. I maxed the sit-ups and the push-ups; I just need to do more interval training to get my run time down.

My next big project is trying to update my CV/resume so I can moonlight as a nurse practitioner at the local express care clinic. It’s not that I have that much extra time; it’s that I need the practical experience and the clinical hours if the Navy isn’t going to give it to me.

We just celebrated Drew’s 7th birthday (my, how time flies) which consisted of a birthday cake and juice boxes at school, a visit to Planet Hollywood with complimentary cake, candle, and song for dinner, and a trip to the NEX to spend his 7 birthday dollars. He sang, “It’s the best day ever…” from the SpongeBob Movie, so I guess we did okay.

Anna has been leaving notes around the house (and on the computer), “I want a pink laptop.” I suppose it’s a good thing to be focused. Dell sells them, by the way.

I’m the mom with the thankless task of being Cookie Chair this year. We started the Cookie Kick-off yesterday with a tasting session then a visit to the PIC waterpark. Anna is very excited. Drew and Gregg will do something manly, I think, or maybe they’ll just stay home and play video games. Wait, that’s manly. Well, they actually took Drew's best friend, Cole, with them to Tarza (note that the prices on the web link are for tourists). But they were still at home playing video games when Anna and I finally made it through the front door.

I skipped judo on Friday. I get stressed when I don't do my obligations because I feel as though it may become a slippery slope---I'll find more excuses the next time to avoid going somewhere or doing something. For the past few sessions, I’ve been the only student and I’ve had to wrestle the sensei’s 10 year old son. That’s not really all that bad; he is a blue belt, I do get one-on-one correction, and I learn highly individualized moves with lots of time for drilling. However, it’s a lot more fun to throw Dr Karen around because she’s a no-holds-barred-type person and I’ve gotten choked really good on a couple of occasions (not to mention some tremendous bruises on my knees and chin and rug burn on my elbows). It's just that I’ve had a low-grade headache that hasn't gone away since the PRT. I have to admit it’s nice to be unscheduled.

Drew's First Judo Tournament

2007-10-20T03:52:00.001-07:00

Well, Drew had his first Judo tournament and in true Guam fashion, the weekend started off packed. I had already paid for us to run the Strides for the Cure 5K at 0600 and was slated to attend the Cookie Master training at 0900 at the Girl Scout Center so Anna's troop could get the paperwork to start selling cookies. That was the same time as Drew's judo tournament and Sensei was convinced that Drew would make a good showing.

I ran through all sorts of scenarios: get a babysitter to watch Anna and Drew while I ran the 5K (yeah, right---a teenager showing up at 0515?); take Anna and Drew with me and have them wait while I run the 5K (to save Drew's energy for the tournament); or forgo the 5K. I ended up doing the latter because I didn't want to interfere with anyone's sleep even though I got up when the alarm went off at 0450 and dressed in my running gear and considered running around the neighborhood.

I sent an email to Nicole and stated I would attend the Thursday evening training instead. So that was taken care of.

Now all I had to do was keep two bickering kids from ruining the morning.

There were a lot of tears at this tournament; boys tend to be really vested in the outcomes of their endeavors. Drew wasn't. I don't know what happened to his competitive edge, but he was eliminated in the first round. I asked him about this and he said, "I thought this was just a practice warm-up."

Oh, well. There will be more tournaments where he can demonstrate his expertise.

So Much Fun on Tuesdays and Fridays

2007-09-25T03:37:00.000-07:00

Not only do we pack our weekends, it seems we are packing our weeknights, too. Anna has Girl Scouts at 1600 and Drew has judo at 1800. I have judo at 1900. That one little hour between all the activities is when everyone eats dinner.

I started judo this summer because Drew really wanted me to go to the "Parents' Class." I wasn't sure I would like it and I really had to push myself to get past the ickiness of "touching-someone-who-isn't-a-family-member (-or-a-patient)" . I also feel less than graceful on the mat; dance moves have never come easily to me without a lot of practice.

But now...well, I feel as though everything is clicking. I am remembering the moves (I love muscle memory because I don't have to think). When we do randori I am able to get submissions as often as I have to submit ("Mata!"). I am really happy to have a regular hour of exercise and to do something that is just for me.

When I come home, I am still sweaty and I feel relaxed and joyful. Judo means "way of gentleness" and I thought this was interesting:

Principles and Goals of Judo
Judo, which is translated as the "gentle way", teaches the principle of flexibility in the application of technique. This is the flexible or efficient use of balance, leverage, and movement in the performance of Judo throws and other skills. Skill, technique and timing, rather than the use of brute strength, are the essential ingredients for success in Judo. For example, in Judo classes you may learn how to give way, rather than use force, to overcome a stronger opponent.

The principles of Judo, such as "Maximum Efficiency" and "Mutual Welfare and Benefit", can also be used in our dealings with others in life. The ultimate goal in Judo is to develop oneself to the maximum extent possible, always striving for perfection, so that you can contribute something of value to the world.

Maybe a little bit of the pleasure I derive from the practice of judo is related to the preparation for and completion of class. I no longer dread class. It's amazing what a little mastery can do.

Top 10 Differences Between Navy JAG TADs and Navy Nurse TADs

2007-09-04T03:07:00.000-07:00

1. Lawyers sleep on at least a queen-sized bed.

Nurses get a cot with a sleeping bag.

2. Lawyers get a mini-bar.

Nurses get a vending machine.

3. Lawyers call the front desk for a wake-up call.

Nurses hear "Reveille, reveille, all hands heave out and trice up..." on the 1MC.

4. Lawyers call maid service for additional pillows.

Nurses stuff hands under their heads or double up their sleeping bags.

5. Lawyers eat at a 5-star restaurant suggested by the concierge.

Nurses crawl into government vans and ride to the chow hall.

6. Lawyers enjoy luxurious showers with the latest amenities.

Nurses enjoy brief showers with at least 5 other women, restock the heads with toilet paper from the supply locker, and wait for their turn at the sink.

7. Lawyers enjoy catered working lunches.

Nurses steal MREs from the Fleet Hospital stash.

8. Lawyers sit in air-conditioned conference facilities.

Nurses lay down in the dirt and let others practice dragging them around so everyone is familiar with the latest casualty movement techniques.

9. Lawyers order rounds and initiate hangovers.

Nurses take incoming rounds, get casualties "off the X," and stop extremity hemorrhages with a C-A-T.

10. Lawyers are familiar with the latest travel regs and would never tolerate 4 legs on an itinerary that resulted in more than 18 hours in the air.

Nurses return from their TAD and are aghast to learn they should have requested a business upgrade.

Camp Pendleton Tactical Combat Casualty Course (TCCC)

2007-09-04T02:49:00.000-07:00

I spent the last week at Camp Pendleton living a surreal life. The week leading up to my TAD was stressful because I was convinced I had packed away my cammies and combat boots. I scrambled at the last hour trying to find men's size 3 1/2 R combat boots or women's size 6 R. First clue: you can't buy them off the shelf.

Fortunately, while unpacking boxes from our recent move, I found my boots, still neatly stenciled with my maiden name and the tops folded down and laced, ready for inspection. Well, except for all the scuff marks on the toes. But, no worries. Field conditions mean no spit shine.

I spent the last night at home sewing on my name tapes and repairing the dry rot that ravaged the right rear pocket of one set of woodland poplins. I also repaired the shoulder seam of the blouse.

I started traveling at 1620 on 27 August, Guam time, and finally arrived at my destination at 0130 28 August, California time. I traveled from Guam to Narita, to Honolulu, to San Francisco and then to San Diego. My travel wasn't over until I caught the Cloud-9 shuttle to Camp Pendleton and then it wasn't just inside the front gate. Oh, no. It was the last gate before reaching Orange County. At that point, the Navy might have been better served to have had me land in LA and take a shuttle south to Camp Pendleton. I finally got to bed, which consisted of a cot and a sleeping bag, at 0200, then woke up to catch the government van to the chow hall at 0615.

You can read more about what I learned at TCCC here:
Naval Operational Medicine Institute

North American Rescue

If I were to go on an IA now, I would feel a lot more confident about my abilities to save lives. And, as an instructor, I feel much more capable teaching young corpsmen how to keep themselves and their Marines alive.

Body For Life

2007-08-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have thought long and hard about whether I wanted to post the following story on our blog. See, for the past 12 weeks, I have been deeply involved in a special project that has radically changed my physical appearance, and in doing so, has also had a dramatic positive affect on my inner self as well.

So, what is this special project? It's called Body For Life. It is a comprehensive exercise and diet program targeted at those who have fallen out-of-shape, grown overweight, eaten too many fatty foods and added too much cholesterol to their diet, and otherwise let themselves go. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to make a positive change in their appearance and their health. It has changed my life - and I mean that.

Don't believe me? Just take a look at the picture below (click on the picture for a larger photo).

The real change is in the statistics, though. In 12 weeks, I have taken 3 and 1/2 inches off my waistline (35.5 to 32), lost 11.5 lbs, lowered my body fat percentage from 22.2% to 14.0%, dropped my cholesterol from 296 to 253, triglycerides from 296 to 176, lowered my VLDLs from 58 to 35, and taken 2 minutes off my 1.5 mile run time (13:55 to 11:50).

I have just submitted my final picture and stats. I'll keep you posted on how I do in the competition.

Lieutenant Commander Mary K. Parker, USN

2007-08-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

[This post has been a long time coming and I apologize for that. I've recently been otherwise occupied by a special project (more about that later) and forgot to hit the publish button on this one.]

Mary K was promoted in June to Lieutenant Commander (abbreviated LCDR).

She has worked long and hard in her military career and certainly deserves this recognition. Nearly 11 years as a US Marine, then another 11 as a Navy Nurse. She has never chosen the easy path, that much is certain.

As for me, a little pity please. Since she now outranks me, I have to call her "Ma'am" and salute her when in uniform. Ugh.

On the other hand, her new rank entitles us to a larger house on base. Not too bad.

Anna Finally Gets a Trophy

2007-08-04T22:43:00.000-07:00

Anna has been very upset since Drew won his first trophy in the Pinewood Derby race. Well, now she has one as well.

In my earlier post below, I talk about her appearance at the Guam Islandwide Science Fair. She took 1st Place in Chemistry in her age group. On May 30th, Guam held the awards ceremony and Anna received her trophy.

So, you would think all would now be settled in the Parker household, wouldn't you? No such luck. Drew is now upset because Anna's trophy is bigger than his.

Everyone is Back!

2007-08-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

This is a late post because it has been a very busy week. Gregg, Anna, and Drew got back from Tennessee on Friday, 27 July. They had a great time and I wished I could have gotten the time off from work. They had only a few days of early retiring and early awakening before adjusting to Guam time. Gregg was happy to find Miss Hobbs gone (and she is doing very well at Mom's place, although she was distressed to find other cats living there). Anna and Drew were very excited to learn that Mackenzie, Samantha, Emily, and John would be returning in a few days from New York.

I thought I would have accomplished more while they were gone, but after a week, I was ready for them to return. I felt aimless without them. I talked with Mike next door and we agreed that families give us a reason to come home.

"It's just like magic. When you live by yourself, all your annoying habits are gone!"
- Merrill Markoe, What the Dogs Have Taught Me

NOD Duty and Bad Hair Day

2007-08-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

I had NOD (Nurse of the Day) duty Wednesday and Thursday which means I wake up extra-early on Thursday and Friday so I can make rounds of the inpatient wards and report to the Senior Nurse Executive so he or his representative can brief the Commanding Officer.

Of course, Thursday morning the power went out at 0423. My alarm was scheduled to go off at 0500. Nervous that I might oversleep, I set the duty cellphone to alarm as well as pray the back-up battery in the alarm clock would still go off. Needless to say, I did not sleep well those last 37 minutes. Then I had to make the decision whether I would go to work and shower or simply wash up at the sink because there was no power to run my blow dryer. I looked at my hair by flashlight and decided my unwashed hair would look better than air-dried clean hair. I vowed I would not look in any mirrors all day and I would tell anyone who made comments on my hair that it was due to a power outage and not a complete disregard for professionalism.

When I talked to Gregg that evening, he said the power still hadn't come on by lunch time. And no one said anything about my hair.

The only interesting and sad event on my watch was the death of an 18 year old local male who was brought in by ambulance (BIBA) with a pellet gunshot wound (GSW). In the Guam PDN, police were withholding the type of weapon used pending an investigation mainly because no one dies from a pellet gun... This particular pellet managed to transect the aorta and lung. When the ER crew inserted a chest tube, one liter of blood came out. This young man essentially died of cardiac tamponade.

Yesterday's NOD would have had an interesting duty as well because a 29-year old Japanese tourist nearly drowned at Fish Eye (I saw the ambulance and fire truck and saw them pulling the victim from the water on a gurney as I drove home yesterday) and a pedestrian was transported to Naval Hospital following a hit-and-run in Agat.

I much prefer the uneventful watch because any "excitement" for hospital personnel entails a very bad day---much worse than bad hair---for everyone else.

Eating Local Foods

2007-07-28T20:03:00.001-07:00

The last Sunday of every month is Potluck Sunday at Guam United Methodist Church. We really enjoy this because we get an opportunity to taste things we might not take a chance on and order in a restaurant or buy in a store. We also get to eat fruits and vegetables that are really different from what we might see in our local grocery store.

Today I got to taste a salad made with bitter melon, tiny peppers, and chopped shrimp. The bitter melon was simply too bitter for me. For the same reason, I cannot eat Brussel sprouts, even though I know they are very good for me (and despite going all gourmet on them). Pat told me bitter melon is good for lowering blood pressure. I told her my blood pressure would be elevated if I had to eat them.

I also tried a Chamorro casserole of taro leaves, coconut milk, spicy peppers, and mushrooms. The dish looked like cooked spinach. This was bitter too, but not unbearably so. I still wouldn't heap mounds of the stuff on my plate, but I could definitely eat it and be polite. Taro leaves are more typically noted for use in Hawaiian recipes, but they grow throughout the tropics.

Normally, someone makes Arroz Caldo, a Filippino chicken soup, redolent with ginger. Today we had a chicken broth with Chinese dumplings which was also very tasty.

I brought Rice Krispie treats and a bag of ripe bananas from our banana tree. Only half of the pan was eaten and I left the bananas there for others to take home. Pat promised me some lemongrass and I am looking forward to cooking some dishes with it. The mango season has been very good this year with optimal weather conditions. That means our freezer is full of sliced mango! It's also full of frozen bananas. We just ate the avocados and shared them friends until they were gone. I never thought I would tire of guacamole, but it's possible!

The fruits and vegetables selection may be limited but it's definitely a bounty to be shared with friends and family here on Guam.

Earthquake!

2007-07-20T02:52:00.000-07:00

This earthquake started almost as though it were a thunderstorm underfoot. It rapidly built up a crescendo and just kept going. I spilled my peppermint tea because my chair was moving so much. I heart something fall off a shelf but I'm not sure where it occurred because it looks like everything's okay.

This earthquake was not all that fun because I kept wondering when it was going to stop. I have no idea where the cats are---three black shadows disappeared and they won't come out from wherever they're hiding. Poor things.

I just filled out a report online at USGS Earthquakes Hazard Program and the intensity of the earthquake I felt was a VI---which means the shaking was strong and the damage was light.

Pre-Liberation Day Party

2007-07-14T04:20:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had a mandatory function at the War of the Pacific Museum. I was okay with this obligation until I actually had to leave home. I am highly introverted and large groups or crowds really drain me. Gregg, however, is an extrovert and he derives energy from these events.

I talked with my ensign and his wife and fussed over their new baby. Then I went and pestered the psychiatrist about his workload. Finally I got to do what I do best: crowd observation. That didn't last long because they started the party. Anna would have been so excited to see the Liberation Day Queen from San Diego's Guam Chapter and the Guam Liberation Day Queen and her court. She could even have gotten their autographs, that's how intimate it was.

And we had marvelous fiesta food. The cucumber salad had a nice bite to it from the boonie peppers and I wished I had gotten more tuna sashimi. I sat at a table with a CAPT, her husband and their teenager, a husband and wife CDR team, the CMC and her husband, and the new XO. How's that for strategic positioning? The only problem was my mouth was full when I shook the XO's hand so he never got my name.

The secret to making conversation when you're not very good at it? Make someone else do all the talking---especially if it's a topic that they're passionate about. I learned a lot about ukeleles and I'm pretty excited about it, too. I think I'll look at taking a lesson or two.

And then, my ultimate favorite: we sang the Marine Corps Hymn and the CAPT's husband and I finished up with the Marines guarding the streets of heaven. The last time I sang this song with that much gusto must have been at my very last Marine Corps Ball in 1993. Wow, how time flies. Now I've been in the Navy longer than I was a Marine.

What do I do for a living?

2007-07-11T03:21:00.000-07:00

Click here:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid979054715

Now exhale.

Miss Hobbs Will Be Traveling Back to the Mainland

2007-07-11T03:04:00.000-07:00

You know what's bad about flying pets in and out of Guam? They don't get frequent flyer miles. Cargo doesn't count for anything. However, you CAN claim them on your taxes as unreimbursed moving expenses (if, of course, that's what you're doing). But don't take my advice; contact your own in-house legal counsel for information on your unique situation. Gregg and I had a big discussion over this when we did our taxes. I was convinced that I could count the money I dropped on these as moving expenses because recent divorce court decrees had decided pets were property, not children who required visitation.

Everyone will be going back to the real US (as opposed to the satellite US on which we currently reside) this Saturday. Well, everyone except me and the cats. Hobbs will go sometime next week when I've had a chance to get a health certificate for her.

Gregg will play golf with his dad, the family will grill on Grandpa's pontoon boat, and everyone will have a marvelous time. I think Anna intends to get a bowling ball. I don't know how they plan on getting it back here though. Wouldn't want to be on the airplane if they stow it in the overhead bins....

How To Be Unhappy

2007-07-03T22:51:00.001-07:00

I found myself thinking ill of one of my co-workers and almost ready to talk to someone about it. Fortunately, the little angel that sits on my shoulder did some submission grappling with the devil on the other side and I was able to ask myself why I was thinking this, what I would receive from gossiping to someone else about this, and how others listening in would perceive me. I am so grateful to that little angel. I hope she gets her black belt soon....

I found this while I was cleaning up the clutter around my computer. I thought that you might appreciate the wisdom in it as well.

1. Make little things bother you. Don't just let them, MAKE them.

2. Lose your perspective on things and keep it lost; don't put first things first.

3. Get yourself a good worry, one about which you cannot do anything.

4. Be a perfectionist, which means not that you work hard to do your best, but that you condemn yourself and others for not achieving perfection.

5. Be right. Be always right. Be the only one who is always right, and be rigid in your rightness.

6. Don't trust or believe people, or accept them at anything but their worst and weakest.

7. Be suspicious. Insist that others always have hidden motives.

8. Always compare yourself unfavorably to others. This guarantees instant misery.

9. Take personally everything that happens to you.

10. Don't give yourself whole-heartedly to anyone or anything.

Miss Hobbs Still Doesn't Like Gregg...

2007-06-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

Gregg was convinced Miss Hobbs needed to be checked out by the vet right away and was especially concerned about fleas after our experience with quarantine. I watched her carefully and didn't see any scratching or feel any lumps below the skin indicating irritation from bites. Nonetheless, I took Hobbs in the next available day and they told me it would be expensive.

In addition to a full physical exam, they tested her blood and stool. Hobbs is exceptionally healthy for her age and condition. They did de-worm her at the clinic. However, several days later I had to take a stool sample in because she had diarrhea. Just as I suspected, she had coccida. Since she's had this before, the vet put her on a 21-day regimen. It's a liquid suspension this time rather than a pill, so I just pop a towel over her, pry open her jaws, and squirt a little of the syringe contents into her mouth. She makes a token protest but we both know it makes her feel better.

She has annoyed Gregg mightily by urinating on his gym bag. She has done this at least twice. She also urinated on the kitchen floor several times. Gregg initially thought it was because of Sparky, but he went on puppy training papers right in front of the door, not under the hutch where she puddled. I looked on the mentor site at Purina Cat Chow and it appears her problem is most likely stress.

Miss Hobbs is not the friendliest of cats and has been traumatized since kittenhood after getting tangled in a plastic grocery bag. Since she's been back, the whole cat hierarchy has been upset. Considering she spends most of her time hiding out under our bed, I'm not sure what the big issue is amongst the cats. When she does come out from under the bed to walk around all stiff-legged, it's very evident she's an old cat. I wonder if she hasn't suffered from some sort of dementia. Or maybe she's just mad that I didn't try harder to find her.

A New Home for Sparky

2007-06-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

After much discussion, Gregg relented and gave me additional time to find another home for Sparky. We made colored flyers to advertise Sparky's wonderful qualities and endearing expression and posted them on Big Navy, the mini-mart, and at the hospital. If I couldn't find someone to take him by the end of the week, I was looking at crating him and sending him to my mom back in the mainland---an expensive proposition, but one much more palatable than GAIN.

We got two calls just four days later. One of the callers worked with me and came by my workspace to find out more details. I drew him a map to our house and hoped for the best. He had a dog back home who weighed 84 lbs and it was too expensive to ship him here. He said he just accepted the fact it would be two years before he saw his dog again. Sparky would help him while he was missing his dog back home.

When I got home that evening, the doggie gates were down. My heart sank just a little. Part of me was so relieved---no more getting up early, no more spending time with the dog instead of my family, and no more conflicted feelings. Except there were still conflicted feelings: part of me was incredibly sad that I failed at loving dogs.

When I walked in the door, my observations were confirmed. Sparky had a new home.

It's a bittersweet feeling. Dogs force you to live in the moment with them. Cats live parallel lives with you. Something can be learned from living with both.

Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

2007-06-06T21:37:00.001-07:00

I became the [temporary] owner of a puppy on Tuesday, 15 May.

I was at Isla interviewing Brett Silk for a story on dog bite prevention when this woman pulled up in an SUV, pulled out a cardboard box, brought it in and set it down. She went back to the SUV. We all watched her from the glass doors.

"Does this happen often?" I asked.

"All the time," they said.

I guess the woman had second thoughts about what she was doing, because she returned to the lobby and said, "My son brought this dog home that he found along the roadside. I can't bear the thought of him being hit by a car but I can't keep him. We're moving to South Carolina and I'm taking care of a sick relative."

A moment of silence. Then I, ever hopeful, took a deep breath and said bravely, "Well, I have a credit card. Let's see if he's healthy and take it from there."

Three kinds of people exist in the world: cat people, dog people, and indifferent people. I am definitely a cat person. I thought Gregg was a dog person; he always talked about how he grew up with dogs and said he wished we had a dog. That is, until we actually got one.

The kids were initially very excited about having a dog. However, there is a big difference between having a dog, having a puppy, and having cats.

I had to get up earlier than normal to play with him, feed, and toilet him. When I got home at night, I played with him instead of reading my email or books, or spending time with my family. Working 12-hour shifts meant I didn't spend much time with my children before bedtime anyway. My discretionary time, always scarce, became microscopic.

Sparky, as we named him, adored playing fetch and could play it for hours on end.

Cats, on the other hand, love playing with me and, at about the time I'm getting tired, it seems they feel the same way. Without any obligations or hard feelings, we both move on to other activities. My cats lack the ability to inspire guilt in me, unlike Sparky. So there you have it: the way to get me to do something is use your big brown eyes and guilt me.

Hobbs is Back!

2007-06-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

I was talking to Mom on Sunday, 3 June, (late Saturday night her time) when I saw a cat walk across the patio. "Mom, I've got to go---Hobbs just walked by!" I dropped the phone and opened the door. The cat promptly took off running. Hobbs has been missing since late February when the back door blew open after we had gone to bed. Of all the cats, Hobbs was the only one who ran away.

I raced into the beddroom to get my shoes and ran back out, Gregg yelling after me, "If you find the cat and bring her back, the dog is going to GAIN tomorrow." I didn't hesitate.

Now the cat was nowhere to be found. I walked through all my neighbors' backyards calling, "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty. Come on, Hobbs..." Nothing. I walked until I reached the street. Stopping, I looked around. I did not get the feeling she had crossed the street, and I looked up the street. I thought it unlikely she ran that direction either. I turned back and started walking on the other side of the tree line, still calling out her name.

All of a sudden, I heard her familiar meow. "Hobbs?" I called out again. She meowed in response. We kept the dialogue going until I saw her sitting under a clump of trees, waiting patiently for me to catch up to her.

I carried her home, a feather's weight of fur and bones.

Memorial Day

2007-05-27T15:36:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day on Guam is different from anywhere else. This small island, intensely patriotic, unabashedly mourns each and every Son of Guam or the Marianas. Every loss is deeply felt and the rituals of rosaries and military honors are commemorated.

Guam PDN Memorial Day Article

Here is something from one of my Marine buddies:

Memorial Day is their day, isn't it? It is supposed to be the day a grateful nation pauses to quietly thank the more than one million men and women who have died in military service to their country since the Revolutionary War.

Or is it the day the beach resorts kick into high gear for the summer season, the day the strand is covered by fish-belly white people basting themselves in coconut oil, the day the off-season rates end and the weekend you can't get in a seaside seafood restaurant with anything less than a one hour wait.

Or is it one of the biggest shopping center sales days of the year, a day when hunting for a parking space is the prime sport for the holiday stay-at-homers? Or is it the weekend when more people will kill themselves on the highways than any other weekend and Highway Patrol troopers work overtime picking up the pieces?

I think the men and women who died for us would understand what we do with their day. I hope they would, because if they wouldn't, if they would have insisted that it be a somber, respectful day of remembrance, then we have blown it and dishonored their sacrifice.

I knew some of those who died, and the guys I knew would have understood. They liked a sunny beach and a cold beer and a hot babe in a black bikini, too. They would have enjoyed packing the kids, the inflatable rafts, the coolers, and the suntan lotion in the car and heading for the lake. They would have enjoyed staying at home and cutting the grass and getting together with some friends and cooking some steaks on the grill, too. But they didn't get the chance.

They blew up in the Marine Barracks in Beirut and died in the oily waters of the Persian Gulf. They caught theirs at the airstrip in Grenada in the little war everyone laughed at. They bought the farm in the I Drang Valley and on Heartbreak Ridge, Phu Tai and at Hue.

They froze at the Chosin Reservoir and were shot at the Pusan Perimeter. They drowned in the surf at Omaha Beach or fell in the fetid jungles of Guadalcanal. They died in the ice and snow of the Bulge and the Vosges Mountains. They were at the Somme and at San Juan Hill and at Gettysburg and at Cerro Gordo and at Valley Forge.

They couldn't be here with us this weekend, but I think they would understand that we don't spend the day in tears and heart-wrenching memorials. They wouldn't want that. Grief is not why they died. They died so we could go fishing. They died so another father could hold his laughing little girl over the waves. They died so another father could toss a baseball to his son in their backyard while the charcoal is getting white. They died so another buddy could drink a beer on his day off. They died so a family could get in the station wagon and go shopping and maybe get some ice cream on the way home.

They won't mind that we have chosen their day to have our first big outdoor party of the year. But they wouldn't mind, either, if we took just a second and thought about them. Some will think of them formally, of course. Wreaths will be laid in small, sparsely attended ceremonies in military cemeteries and at monuments at state capitols and in small town's squares. Flags will fly over the graves, patriotic words will be spoken and a few people there will probably feel a little anger that no more people showed up. They'll think no one else remembers.

But we do remember. We remember Smitty and Chico, and Davey and the guys who died. We remember the deal we made: If we buy it, we said, drink a beer for me. I'll do it for you, guys.

I'll drink that beer for you today, and I'll sit on that beach for you, and I'll check out the girls for you and, just briefly, I'll think of you.

I won't let your memory spoil the trip but you'll be on that sunny beach with me today.

I will not mourn your deaths this Memorial Day, my friends. Rather, I'll celebrate the life you gave me.

This Bud's for you, brother!

-Author Unknown-

Surfing in the Rain

2007-05-26T00:24:00.000-07:00

When it rains in Guam (and it does quite a bit), it can really come down. Harder than anything I've ever seen anywhere else. It is not unusual to get three or more inches in one hour.

The kids, of course, love it. They put on their bathing suits and play in the gutters as they overflow from the deluge. Check out Drew in our most recent downpour. (Click image for full size photo)

The Photographic Son

2007-05-24T19:16:00.000-07:00

Anna is jealous that Drew keeps getting his photo published in the local papers. This week he even made the flyer for the Annual Memorial Day Beach Bash...

Banana Tree in Backyard

2007-05-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

I just recently noticed we had a banana tree in our back yard. How cool is that? I guess my first clue should have been the presence of gigantic banana spiders...

The bananas here on Guam are small, about the 1/4 the size of the bananas you find in the supermarket. They are also amazingly sweet and creamy.

I've eaten a lot of strange fruit since arriving on Guam---I love coffee hour after church because the locals bring whatever fruit is in season to share with the church family.

You can see some of the fruits our family has eaten on this blog (although Gregg tends to be more reluctant to try the ones that look slimy):

http://scentofgreenbananas.blogspot.com/search/label/name%20that%20fruit

When we went to Hong Kong, I saw the Durian. I wish I would have known how to determine when it was ripe and to try it. Apparently it has a horrible odor (bad enough to be banned in the Singapore mass transit) with a heavenly flavor. I love paradoxes.

2007 Guam Islandwide Science Fair

2007-05-10T02:03:00.000-07:00

Anna decided she wanted to enter the Guam Islandwide Science Fair in the Chemistry division about a month ago. I asked her what she wanted to do, and she said she wanted to recreate the Mentos-Diet Coke experiment we saw on TV and on the web.

Good choice, I guess. She ended up taking first place in Chemistry in the 3rd - 5th grade division! Not too bad, particularly since she's only in 3rd grade.

Click here to see a short video of her experiment. If you have small kids, you should try this at home because they will love it. Simply get a pack of Mentos (about 15 or so) and one 64 oz bottle of Diet Coke. Roll a piece of paper into a tube with a hole that is slightly larger than a Mentos and long enough to stack about 12 Mentos in a row. Place the Diet Coke on the ground and remove the lid, then place a 3 x 5 card over the mouth of the bottle. Put your tube on top of the 3 x 5 card and directly over the mouth. Stack your Mentos, get ready to run, then pull the 3 x 5 card to allow them to all enter the Diet Coke. Watch the video if you have any questions.

Raceline Motorworks---the "American Girl" for Boys

2007-05-05T00:39:00.000-07:00

Imagine being out in the western Pacific, reading the business magazine, Fast Company, and seeing a story on a new entertainment at a suburban mall you used to frequent. Billed as the boy's alternative to Libby Lu or Build-a-Bear, Raceline Motorworks looks like a cool experiential destination for boys of all ages. And considering Drew is so competitive, this adventure plays right into his desire to win. I wish I would have thought of this.

I got bumped! (It's a good thing)

2007-04-26T03:43:00.000-07:00

Yeah! Just got bumped to business class! Lots of leg room, free beer, and those warm hand towels to wipe your hands and face. I'm a superstar, baby! Now, sing to yourself:

"I have a mansion forget the price
Aint never been there they tell me its nice
I live in hotels tear out the walls
I have accountants pay for it all.

My maserati does 185
I lost my license now I dont drive
I have a limo ride in the back
I lock the doors in case Im attacked.

I go to parties sometimes until four
Its hard to leave when you cant find the door
Its tough to handle this fortune and fame
Everybodys so different I havent changed."

Going Home

2007-04-26T03:26:00.000-07:00

Finished the Fiscal Law course I was attending today at Camp Zama and I am finally on my way back home. Still sitting in Tokyo Narita airport, taking advantage of their wireless connectivity. $5 for all day, not bad.

This was probably one of the better courses I have ever attended. Fiscal law is very important in the military, as you can imagine. It is also very complex. Guess who senior leaders turn to when they need it deciphered? Yep, JAG's.

The course was taught by three Majors from the Army's JAG school in Charlottesville, VA. Flew in just to teach this four-day course. They did an excellent job, in my opinion - well worth the trip.

I can now tell you the primary rule about spending money in the military - Purpose, Time, Amount. You can only spend money for the purpose congress intended it to be spent, only during the time that money is authorized (usually one fiscal year), and only for the amount congress authorized. Sound simple? If it was, I wouldn't have had to spend four days in the BASIC course. Truth is, one could dedicate their life to understanding the nuances of budgeting.

I picked up some gifts for Anna and Drew, as always. Also got a gift for Alana and her family, and one for Mark Arquette and his family. Hope they enjoy them - I am not the best shopper.

Never Leave Home

2007-04-26T02:28:00.000-07:00

Once again I am on the road when Mary could use my company. I was sitting at a counter in the Tokyo Narita airport, eating a traditional Japanese meal and drinking a Guinness when I read Mary K's post below. Her post hit me pretty hard. I should be there now, but I won't be for another 10 hours.

I know from experience that Mary takes these tragedies personally. She will rerun that terrible day over and over again in her head, searching for any clue she believes she should have caught, believing she can somehow alter reality or stop the inevitable. She knows deep down there was nothing she could have done, even if she were Super Nurse. If, somehow, she had brilliantly deduced that her patient was going to experience a stroke in advance, something numerous other doctors and nursed didn't do either, that still would not have been enough. She couldn't stop it. She knows this. But she will still continue to search for that elusive clue she believes she missed, so that she will know the next time.

You want a nurse like this taking care of you.

She's unfortunately been through losses like this before, as has any health care provider. It's the nature of the healthcare business, trying to prevent the unpreventable. I will never understand how they do it, these doctors and nurses. Working so hard to learn everything there is to know about the human body in a futile effort to control it and prevent it from doing what it is destined to do.

We, you and I, those of us not in the health care profession, owe them a deep debt of gratitude. They work so hard, with so little recognition, and rarely get the thanks they deserve. They do it because they care.

No one remembers the doctors and nurses that cured them of disease or eased their pain or delivered them at birth or removed their wisdom teeth or game them flu shots or set that bone or removed that appendix or did countless other things to make their passage through life more comfortable. We only think of them when we believe they screwed something up. Well, guess what, life is not guaranteed, and even God never promised you a life without pain. How we ever came to believe that doctors and nurses were somehow at fault when they failed to insulate us from being human I will never know. But I thank God they try.

Both my sister and my wife are nurses and I have tremendous respect for them. I like to think there is nothing I can't do, but they do something far beyond what I could ever do. They endure the inevitable health care crises that occur every day just so they can be there when their presence does makes a difference. I once read a story about a doctor who dedicated his life to helping the deaf hear. He combined technology with medicine and developed a device that, in certain individuals, would help them hear when they couldn't before. I remember it because he tells the story of a young woman who had been deaf since birth that he once had the opportunity to work with. He was standing in her room, post-surgery, when she heard her mother's voice for the first time. He said he had worked his entire life for that one moment, and it was worth every bit of it. Can you imagine?

Here's to my wife and sister. Thank you.