National Novel Writing Month Just Days Away!

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!

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

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...

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...

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

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

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.