Mele Kalikimaka...already?

It's November and 80 degrees in Hawaii...an odd Fall for a girl from Idaho.  Halloween was a new experience.  My son didn't have to wear a parka over his costume, neighbors handed out candy in their driveways, and instead of Irish coffees, Mr. Stephanie and I had cold beer at the end of the night.

Immediately after Halloween, the Christmas decorations started going up around the island.  The absence of a frosty lawn, snow capped mountains and being able to see my breath in the air makes it hard to believe that the holidays are so close.  I'm still in summer mode as right now, it feels just like an Idaho summer.  The mornings and nights are a little cool and the days are just sublimely warm.  If you don't get a Christmas card from me, I apologize, but it probably means I'm sitting on the beach and have completely lost track of time.

Stephanie Jr. voiced his concern about the warm weather when he mused, "Are you sure Santa comes to Hawaii?"  I assured him that yes, Santa does indeed come to Hawaii and that if he's smart, it's probably his last stop.  Who knows, maybe we'll even see him at the beach on December 26th!

While it is a little weird to be doing my Christmas shopping while wearing a sarong, I'm not complaining.  This year, I'm trading in egg nog for a mai-tai with an umbrella in it...and I'll be sipping it on my lanai with a Santa cap perched jauntily atop my head while humming "Mele Kalikimaka."

Getting Lei'd in Hawaii

The warm days and nights in Hawaii make for great indoor/
outdoor living. Most residents don’t have air conditioning, so we tend to leave our windows and sliding doors open at all times. This allows the trade winds to come through and make our indoor lives much more comfortable. Letting the trades work their magic is wonderful, but it comes at a price…we can hear everything that goes on around us. The chirping birds and lizards take a little while to get used to, but it’s really the human noise that is the hardest to deal with. Compound the open air atmosphere with condo living and you’ve got a recipe for some sleepless nights and disturbing moments.


Case in point…we can hear a symphony right outside our door. A symphony of sneezes and coughs, that is. It’s magical, truly, if only I could record it and play it for you all. “Cough cough cough cough cough…a-choo a-choo…cough cough cough cough cough…a-choo a-choo…” Well, you get the picture. There are also the dogs that get left home alone all day, the babies cutting teeth, and the occasional domestic disturbance. While this noise is bothersome and annoying, it cannot compare to the Cinemax at night-type goings-on across the courtyard.

If I made a list of things that I do not want my children to hear, the “romantic” events that occur between our neighbors would be number one. In a place where the wind carries all sounds, you’d think people would either shut their windows or learn to keep a sock in it. Not so for the Mr. and Mrs. Ron Jeremy of our condo building. My guess is that they’re newlyweds…no one can possibly be that loud, that often and for such long stretches of time, unless they’re still in the “I love the way you snore” stage. It’s especially embarrassing to be sitting in the living room watching television with my husband and, say, my mother or his mother or one of our kids, and have what sounds like the deli scene from “When Harry Met Sally” force its way into our ears.

We must not be the only ones bothered by these carnal condo dwellers. Recently a notice appeared on everyone’s door about keeping the noise level to a minimum so as not to disturb the neighbors. Alas, I don’t think our happy couple got the message. Until they do, we’ll just have to pretend we don’t hear anything and keep the TV volume turned way up.

Reach Out and Touch Someone

When you live on an island, in the middle of the Pacific, 2600 miles or more from your nearest family and friends, you begin to rely heavily on your cell phone and internet to keep in touch. It's a weird feeling to know that you can't just hop in the car and drive to Missoula or Seattle or Portland or well, anywhere except the other side of the island. Not that we journeyed to those places every weekend when we were on the mainland, but we knew we could if the mood struck us.

Living in Hawaii, our calendar is pretty full with airport pickups and dropoffs. Our house is now under the category of "destination" for much of our family and some of our friends. And I know how people feel about having a seemingly non-ending stream of company, but for us, on an island, in the middle of the Pacific...it's great.

The people who come to visit are our link to the mainland. It's really quid pro quo. We show them around the island, let them stay with us so they save a little money and in return, we get to see our loved ones which lets us know we haven't been forgotten. Little do our guests know, they are doing us a big favor.

It can get lonely being so far from home and anticipating visitors makes a huge difference. We try to tailor the experience for each individual and while we aren't tour guides, I think we do a pretty good job. We get to show our guests the favorite local spots and what island life is really like, not just what they'd get at a hotel. (Although, I do a mean turn-down service at Stephie's Beach Shack.) Our guests leave for the airport with smiles on their faces while I wave slowly, a tear running down my cheek thinking, "Please come back."

It's Not the Heat So Much...

OK, it's October and it's 88 degrees. How weird is that? Being from the Northwest, it is really hard to wrap my mind around this kind of heat at this time of year. You know that old saying, "It's not the heat, so much as the humidity"? Well, now I understand. Picture 88 degrees with the highest humidity you can achieve without it actually raining. Welcome to Oahu in October.

Apparently, we are approaching the rainy season, which accounts for the humidity. On top of the heat and humidity, we are experiencing something called "Kona" which means "Leeward" or "calm". In essence, no wind. We live on the Windward side of the island and generally get to enjoy the trade winds that make the heat bearable. Air conditioning is a luxury here...electricity is expensive, so the trade winds really make a difference. We've got the fans going full blast, bowls of ice in front of them and when it gets really hot and sticky, we do what we did in Idaho and head for someplace air conditioned. The mall, grocery store and Starbucks are all good choices. The beach, although not air conditioned, is nice too, but you can only stay so long before turning pink.

Uncomfortable as the heat is, at least we aren't shoveling snow, right? I think back to the last two Idaho winters and realize that I really shouldn't bitch about the weather in Hawaii. On the plus side, my 7 year old won't have to wear a parka over his Halloween costume this year, we can wear shorts to Thanksgiving dinner and what the heck, we can even open our Christmas presents at the beach if we want to. I guess a few weeks of discomfort is a small price to pay for spending the winter in paradise.

Before and After

Living in Hawaii has changed me and I think it's for the better. Moving far away from the people and places you are familiar with forces you to look inside and decide what's really important. I've discovered things since I've lived here that I know will stay with me long after I leave.

Before I moved to Hawaii...I never would have left the house without makeup.

After living in Hawaii...Sometimes, sunscreen is all I need.

Before Hawaii...I thought location could cure all ills.

After...It's really the people in your life that make the difference.

Before Hawaii...I was always searching for something better.

After...Maybe the grass isn't always greener. I'm thankful for what I have.

Before Hawaii...It was always rush, rush, rush.

After...It's ok to chillax and smell the proverbial roses.

Before Hawaii...I hated flying.

After...Well, ok, I still hate flying.

I'm glad that we were given the opportunity to do something completely different; I'd never lived outside the Northwest before coming here. There is a lot that I miss and I get homesick almost every day, but being in Hawaii has been a great way to shake things up and see what I'm made of. While it hasn't all been great, it certainly hasn't been all bad. One of my favorite things to do here is to go to the beach, stare at the ocean and not think. At the beach, it's not about yesterday, it's not about tomorrow...it's about now. To live in the moment, at least a little bit, is probably one of the most valuable things I've ever learned.

What I Like About You

10 Cool Things About Island Life:

1. The Beach


2. 5-Day Forecast: 88, 89, 88, 88, 89


3. Don't Need a Huge Wardrobe...less is more


4. Amazing Scenery


5. Save Money on Hair Care...too windy to have a fancy do


6. Friends and Family Actually Like to Visit


7. Getting a Tan for the First Time...EVER


8. Sounds Really Cool to Say, "I live in Hawaii."


9. Diverse Population...can hear "G'day, Mate", "Konnichi Wa," and "Aloha" all in the same grocery store


10. And did I mention...The Beach

A Musician by Any Other Name

Music is ever-present on the islands. Strolling down the street, you'll hear tunes blasting from cars and songs coming from outdoor speakers. Reggae and island style music seem to be the predominant choices around here. Walk into any grocery or retail store and you're bound to hear some of your favorite tunes adapted to the island style. (Picture "Enter Sandman" with ukulele.)

While the island and reggae music are great, sometimes you're just in the mood to hear something else. Anything else. Which brings us to Open Mic Night at our local cafe. For some unknown reason, I thought that maybe, just maybe, musicians would be of a different ilk 2600 miles from the mainland. My mistake. The words "Open Mic" are the same bugle call for weirdos and misfits here as they are on the mainland. Entertaining, surprising and mostly fun, open mic is a great way to pass the time for the low low price of a cup of coffee.

Last night, there seemed to be somewhat of a theme at open mic. The stage was overrun with banjos and harmonicas a la Soggy Bottom Boys. I really like that style, but after an hour or so of act after act doing the same thing, I started to feel like I should throw on some overalls and blacken out a few teeth. It seems to go like that, though, different themes every few weeks. A couple of weeks ago the theme was "let's sing originals about the environment in a new-age jazzy kind of way." Not my personal favorite.

There are, of course, a few people who get up and do some reggae, and even though you hear it a lot, it still gets you groovin' and tapping your toe. Then there's my husband, Mr. Stephanie, who sticks mainly to his rockabilly originals and rock n'roll covers. He doesn't really fit in, but people seem to like that. Something a little bit different for the coffee house scene. One of the standing favorites is a guy named Peter. He plays a 12-string and I guess the best description for his style is "Progressive Rock." I'm not sure if that even fits, though. He does heartfelt originals and his voice reminds me of Geddy Lee. Everybody loves Peter.

Musicians are just as weird and fabulous in Hawaii as they are anywhere else. The uber-talented pros are always great to watch and even the just-starting-out acts have something to offer. I, for one, am glad they're willing to put themselves out there for us to enjoy, sing along with, and occasionally make fun of...