Making the Thanksgiving Rounds

With shift work in a place that operates 24/7/365 you just have to roll with the holiday schedule because we all are going to suffer together. My shift, the Kohola (whale in Hawaiian) shift, was assigned to work over Thanksgiving. This caused a series of Thanksgiving celebrations to unfold the week before and a few more with the students at work.

I honestly wasn’t really all that disappointed that I had to work the actual day. The logistics team made some amazing food and it was great to see the students rally to make thank you cards and decorations.

Plus I got two Thursdays off in a row making it possible to go to line dancing twice in a row!

Wednesday, November 18^th: Thanksgiving at Gary’s with Tide Pool Adventures

Thursday, Novemeber 19^th: Friends-giving at Caleb’s, Line Dancing double dose!

Wednesday, November 26^th: Thanksgiving at PQ

Saturday, November 28^th: Hilo Parade of Lights

Monday November 30^th: Waipi`o Valley

Reflections Part 3: Be Messy Journal

Create something with toothpaste

Self portrait with Mud

With the end of the year rolling in fast, I am still working diligently to complete my Be Messy Journal goal. I have been taking the journal to work with me and have been finding it interesting how it is a great conversation starter. I have even challenged some of the students to try some of the exercises. As an incognito co-author I have had to be careful. Students aren’t supposed to know our last names. Mine is written on the front of the book for all to see. I am grateful that there is nothing unique about the name Heather.

Create an award for yourself (refrigerator door worthy) 

Finger-paint

Paint what you are thankful for

Found Poetry

Halloween in Hilo

In Michigan growing up, Halloween was a time when you have to combine creativity and practicality. What costume could I come up with that was good but also warm? In Hawaii, warmth isn’t an issue. The warm weather also gives rise to the front lawn party signaling trick-or-treaters to come their way instead of the ol’ front-porch-light signal, a candle in comparison to the front-lawn-party beacon.

For the first time in ages, I had to put my costume creative juices to work. Over the past 2 months I have been adding line dancing to my off-shift ritual. I go the Thursday I get off. I am usually bone tired and in disbelief that I have any brainpower left to get my feet to go where they are supposed to. In the end, I start my walk home at 11:30pm completely reenergized. Line Dancing has become my therapy. And so with the opportunity to have that feeling twice in one week, I made myself dig deep in the ol’ creativity box. With little to work with in my closet, I was pretty proud of what I was able to pull off. I only spent $2.50 on the cape (a shirt that I sowed into a cape shape by hand), turned other articles of clothing inside out, wore some backwards, and used yellow card stock paper to create the accents.

A part of me thought I would be the only one there who dressed up. After all, it was optional. After I arrived I was so glad I did! Everyone embraced the fun and by the end of the evening two Batmans and a Cat Women had showed up as well. Taking the forgotten-sidekick angle was a superb idea!

The night prior I got to cross a hard to find item off of my bucket list: a silent film with live music. The Palace theatre was celebrating its 90^th birthday by showing the original film that opened the theater in 1925. The pipe organ player was absolutely phenomenal! This guy played for two hours straight without one sheet of music. The standing ovation at the end was well deserved.

Friday, October 30^th: Silent Film At the Palace “Don Q- Son of Zorro”

Saturday, October 31^st: Halloween “Fun” Raiser Costume Party

The Black Sand Beach Tour

I have discovered that one thing that I really love about the Big Island is that it likes to defy all of the stereotypically things about Hawaii. After all it is one of the few places that allow you to frolic in the sand and the snow in one day. The idea that Hawaii is full of these beautiful palm-tree lined glistening white sand beaches on every shore is another fantasy. The Big Island is the youngest island in the chain and is still growing in size. The island was created from lava, which is black. Over time, the water whacks against the rocks breaking them down into smaller and smaller pieces creating sand. With no established reefs to break the waves from shore, the beaches on the windward side of the island are rocky and almost all have black sand instead of white. 

On the outskirts of Hilo there is a line of beach parks that fill to capacity of a Sunday afternoon. Locals and their families set up camp along the shores with EZ-ups, coolers, and food for the grills. Another great thing about the Hawaiian culture is that they are all about family. If you are called Auntie or Uncle is a term of respect.

This off-shift I also took the opportunity to explore another area of the island called Puna with a co-worker. Puna has a reputation of being very hippy and very off the grid. I once heard someone say that a lot of PQ staff from the past have gone into Puna and didn’t come out. We both made it back to Hilo but there was a part of me that felt if the world was flat, I traveled to the edge the far edge. Hard to explain the feeling really but seeing a road sign that pointed you to the End of the Road was persuasive factor.

Monday, October 19^th: Hilo Tour with

Richardson’s Ocean park, Leleiwi Beach Park, Carlsmith Beach Park, Kealoha Beach Park, Onekahakaha Beach Park

Tuesday, October 20^th: Puna Bus trip, Kalapana, Kahena Black Sand Beach, Painted church

Almost All Local

I have worked at PQ now for three shifts, and feel so fortunate for the assignments I have been given. I have worked with all different parts of the program in three different locations. This has allowed me to get paid to interact with areas of the island that I thought I would have to seek out on my own. So, I decided for this off-shift I would try and keep things a bit more local.

First Friday in Hilo was hopping with local business staying open later exhibiting artists and musician all around town. I ran into some PQ peeps and joined them in checking out the contemporary art exhibit with up-cycled art. Always so inspiring!

The Horticultural Show was very educational as I am still trying to learn the flora and fauna for the islands. So of my greenhouse knowledge has carried over, but moving from zone 6 to zone 11 changes things. I am so thankful for the shipment of tropical plants Frey’s got this past season. I have seen them all in great abundance.

Kaumana Caves was a lesson in how to maneuver around Hilo without a car. Two car-less co-workers joined the adventure as we walked in dark places where lava once flowed.

Makalawena Beach broke the “local” rule `tis true, but one does not turn down an invitation to a place that is not accessible by bus.

Friday October 2^nd: First Friday

Saturday October 3^rd: Autumn Horticultural Show

Monday, October 5^th: Makalawena Beach

Wednesday, October 7^th: Kaumana Caves