"We all want something beautiful..."

NEW POST! NEW POST!
So my mother and two of my sisters are in Maui right now with their families. I'm excited for them, and a little jealous, as Utah is cold and windy and wet and ugly right now. So I've been thinking a little bit about the differences between Utah and Maui lately, and besides the glaringly obvious, I want to tell you something I've noticed.
I texted Heather yesterday and told her that they had to go to Giannotto's Pizza in Wailuku. Why? The food is good, not spectacular, but very good, but most of all the owner, David Giannotto, is one of my favorite people in the world. I only went there one time, it was busy and there were several people in front of me in line. As soon as I walked in, however, Mr. Giannotto said hello and thanked me for coming in and assured me he'd be with me in just a minute. When it finally was my turn he gave me his undivided attention, shook my hand across the counter and introduced himself as David, asked me where I was from and how I liked it there. His staff was equally friendly as they took over preparing my order, despite the hectic atmosphere. The two boys asked me how I was doing, referred to me as the "lovely young lady in the corner" and one winked at me when he handed me my food. They thanked me over and over again for coming. The whole time I was there I felt like I was the most important, most beautiful customer they'd ever had and I didn't want to leave. And it wasn't just me. I could tell that the other customers coming and going all felt equally special. If you read any reviews for the place they all say the same thing, too.
That's kind of a special example, even for Maui, but my point is in the month I was there I was noticed and complimented and even hit on more than I ever have been, before or since. And I'm not a stunner or anything, but the men in Hawaii just seem to be more appreciative, or at least more openly appreciative, of women. I've heard the same thing about men in other countries. It was a great confidence booster, I think every girl should go just for that. But it makes me wonder why the nice Mormon boys in Utah, and most of the rest of the U.S., don't get it. Girls like compliments. We devote a lot of time and energy and money to making ourselves look good, and although some feminists might claim otherwise, lets face it, we mostly do it for men. I know some girls don't know how to accept compliments well, but maybe that's because they don't hear them often enough. Telling a girl she's pretty or has a nice smile does not mean you want to marry her, it's okay. In Hawaii I just had to walk down the street and guys would turn their heads to watch me, and smile at me or wave and say hi. Here nobody gives me a second look. Or if they do they hide it very well. Here people make fun of me for openly admiring an attractive young man that walks by. Why is it socially unacceptable to even look at someone here? So what if they're married or dating someone? A compliment or even just a smile is not a contract, but it might help them feel better about themselves.

Just live your life...

The other day someone asked me what my hobbies were, or what I liked to do for fun. A question that is pretty standard when you meet someone new. I hate it though. I feel stupid saying "I don't know, nothing" because it makes me sound really boring, but that's the true answer. I mean, I don't read for fun anymore, except for magazines when I'm bored and the scriptures, and you cannot tell someone you just met that your hobby is reading the scriptures unless you're Elder Holland, they'll know that you're lying. I don't play sports or do athletic things on a regular basis, I don't do outdoorsy things much either unless it's part of a job or something. I don't play any sort of instrument, I hate video games, sometimes I say I like to dance but then people expect me to be good at it and all I really do is shake my booty and act like a fool. I don't even scrapbook or sew. I dabble in all of those things, but I haven't picked one or even a few to stick with. The same person that asked me the question suggested my hobby was adventuring after I told them about my trip to Hawaii. I liked the idea of calling myself an adventurer, but then again I couldn't even stick with that very long.
Honestly what do I like to do for fun? I like to add to my list of things I've done that not many other people have. Things like sleep in an outhouse, ride in the bucket of a back-ho, burn my bra. And those things can't be planned or scheduled, they must happen organically. Those things just seem to come with my life. So I've decided, screw hobbies, I got better things to do.

'round here...

My time in Maui is drawing to an end...it's been a fun time, but I still have to job prospects and no other options of places to live, and I'm running out of money. I guess Hawaii is just not my scene right now. I think it's a great place to visit and vacation, but it's not easy to relocate to. And relocating is okay to do by yourself, but vacationing is not so fun to do alone. But this trip has given me lots of time to think and regroup so the thought of spending the rest of the summer in Utah no longer makes me want to shoot myself. And honestly a major reason for me to go back to Utah and not Alaska is I still have two tickets to the U2 concert in June that I haven't had any luck selling, and it would be a crime against humanity to let those go to waste :)
Anyways, I have had some good adventures here, and I am planning on having more before I go! haven't learned to surf or anything yet, haven't even gotten in the water yet actually. Playing at the beach is one of those things that is not much fun by yourself, unfortunately. But I have been on the beach long enough to get a sunburn at least. I've taken the buses all around the island, hit up some good touristy spots, hitched a ride from an old filipeno man, ate some mangos right off the tree, stuff like that. I feel very "white" when I'm around the locals out here. I was sitting at a bus stop the other day, and this group of old Hawaiians was talking. They obviously knew each other well, and I was politely trying not to eavesdrop, when I hear "Heeey, Sistah!" and look over to see this huge, dark hawaiian man with long hair grinning at me and waving. Me: "...hi.." Him: "You visiting?" Me:"...kind of...yeah" Then he just laughed and ignored me. People wave at me all the time here, sometimes it's nice and friendly, sometimes it's a little creepy. Also, for those of you who don't know, when you greet someone here they like to kiss you on the cheek, or at least put their face on yours. It kind of threw me for a loop the first couple times, especially when this young guy from the singles ward did it. I had to fight the urge to dodge.
People here are great though. I've only really been skeeved out once, in more than two weeks living here by myself, so I think that's pretty good. I don't know, it's definitely been an adventure, broadening my horizons!

if you ain't got no money take your broke a** home

So I was starting to stress because I haven't had any luck finding a job or a place to live here on Maui and I was spending all my time freaking out about that and not having any fun. I was about ready to just call it quits and go home, wherever that is. But, some really wonderful people, Rachel and Rich James have been kind enough to let me sleep on their floor for the last few days while I figured things out, and yesterday I met up with a realator friend of Trace and Heather who has a room in a house he's selling that he'll let me stay in until the end of the month, and he won't even charge me! How incredible is that! So by that time I will either have found a job and another place to live, or I'll go back to Utah or Alaska having spent a month in Hawaii:)

Okay, this post isn't about Hawaii so much as it is about creeps. I seem to attract them wherever I go, I don't understand it. The guy that gave me a ride home from the singles branch here is 10 years older than me, has been on unemployment for 3 years, has an illegitimate son in Texas, didn't go on a mission because he didn't feel like it, isn't even an Elder yet, never went to college, and still smokes. Sounds like a catch, right? I'm not interested. Never expressed any sort of interest, did not flirt or even act like I cared about what he was saying to me. I used him as a ride home, and that's all. Yet he still seems to think that I would be a great marriage candidate for him, to help him "straighten out." Why? Because he thinks I'm beautiful. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the complement. It's always flattering to be told you're attractive, especially by a member of the opposite sex. But it's starting to bother me that that seems to be the only thing that some guys notice, and they think that's reason enough for me to spend time with them. Try complementing me on say, my personality or my sense of humor, and maybe I won't be so creeped out by you. Just an idea.

"Moving to Hawaii is like falling in love..."

So apparently Americans don't stay in hostels very much. I've only met two other people here that are from the states. But I've met people from France, Germany, Argentina, Japan, England and Australia, so that's fun :) The people here are really nice, and they all get excited when I tell them I'm moving here not just vacationing. I went to the single's branch in Kahului today, and it was great, although probably more than half of the branch got there late, like really really late. The girls in the Relief Society presidency offered to let me know if they here of any jobs, and I got a ride back to the hostel with someone in the branch too.
It's funny, cause i always hated taking the bus in Utah, and generally refused to do it, but I actually like the buses here. Some are free, and the others are only a dollar per boarding. Though this morning I took a bus down to church, and I think I paid for a ride that was free...oh well, I'll learn. I already have a favorite bus driver :) I think I'm going to be using the buses A LOT, because walking around in bad shoes gave me some nasty blisters. And my back is really tight and sore from lugging around a heavy backpack for a couple days.
I went down to Kihei yesterday and started applying for jobs. I'll do more tomorrow, and I think I'll also go check out Lahaina and see what it's like over there. Still looking for a place to live, and the hostel is full tonight so I can't stay here anymore, but Heather's friend Rachel in Kihei will let me stay on her couch tonight at least. I have yet to get to the beach, but I'm sure I'll have plenty of time for that!
Oh, and yes, of course it's beautiful and warm and I saw my first rainbow before I even got off the plane :)
Love you!

pourin' some sugar...

I had a job interview yesterday to work as a naturalist in Hawaii with the Pacific Whale Foundation. I think it went pretty well. The interviewer showed me the binder he had with 500 resumes and said they only choose about 25 to interview, and only 6 or 7 from that to interview a second time. He said they'd let me know in a week and a half, two weeks max. The problem is, I don't want to be a naturalist. I didn't even apply for the naturalist position, I sent my resume in to be a purser on the boats. And after that interview I almost had a breakdown about going to Hawaii. Ask my mom, I called her all freaked out. I was getting overwhelmed by the thought of having to wait to find out about the job, because that would determine where exactly I lived and then how to even get from the airport to the other side of the island with all my stuff without it costing a lot of money, where to stay the first couple nights there...
Fortunately, the freak out didn't last. I just had to refocus on why I'm going to Hawaii in the first place. I don't need that much stuff, I can take one bag instead of two, that makes it easier to take the buses and stay in hostels. And I am not taking a job as a naturalist if it's offered to me. I was getting stressed out just thinking about it, all the training, studying, certification and preparation that goes into a job like that. I know because I did it the last two summers. A job like that starts to define your life, because it's not just a job, it's a career builder. And I have already decided that i don't want to be in that career. It's not that i don't want to work hard, I have no problem working hard and long hours to support myself. I know that that's what I'll have to do. But while I'm in Hawaii I want a job or jobs that I don't have to take home with me, you know? I'm going to Maui to chill for a while and switch gears in my life, clear my head a little bit, and being stressed out over a job would ruin it for me.
So, crisis averted. I have a reservation at a hostel in Kahului for the night I get there, then I can take the bus down to Kihei the next day and start looking for work. All good in the hood :)