Mawwiage...

I am getting married to Ashley...a beautiful woman whom I have known for over five years now. There is a lot I could say about the path that has brought us to where we are...but all I am going to tell you is that I can't wait to see her in November. And hopefully we will get to see some of YOU too.

Four-Way Stop

Leaving the west side of Saipan and heading away from San Jose, past Chalan Kiya and up the hill towards the Northern Marianas College, it always seems to start raining. It seems as if it could be sunny and hot everywhere else that I go on the island, but as soon as I head inland I get rained on. It isn't quite so much of a problem since I turned in my scooter for a 96 Nissan Sentra. It just barely creeps up the hill at a maximum speed of 20 mph...but that's a whole 'nother post!

Once I crest the hill, the road levels out and signs seem to indicate that you are in the village of DanDan. I get a little confused about this, as it seems a good ways away from the actual homes that make up the neighborhoods of DanDan. Some friends happened to be sitting next to me and they straightened me out. Lower DanDan comes first and then up the hill you skirt San Vicente and come into Upper DanDan.

The point of all this, is that as you hang a right at the complicated intersection right after the fish market that takes you into either San Vicente or DanDan, you come to a crossroads. When you are heading into this crossroads from the south and the west, you have no stop sign, and consequently do not have to stop. (Just to clarify-Stop signs don't really make people stop here).

But if you are approaching the intersection from the back island route, to the north, or from the east coast of San Vicente, you are faced with stop signs. Now, if you still don't see the problem here, it's okay, it isn't exactly readily apparent when you describe it. And for the locals who read this, I am really not complaining. I love this intersection. But it is fundamentally representative of the danger, confusion, half-assing it and just general waste of time, materials and energy that seems to be rampant on Saipan right now.

Still don't get it? Draw a picture. Crossroads. Two way top, but the stop signs are adjacent to each other, rather than opposite. Wouldn't it be better to just do away with one of the signs? Did there used to be more? Am I just a dumb haole who doesn't know what he's talking about? Maybe. Just proceed through the intersection with caution...

brilliant ideas

I have them on a regular basis.
I do not remember them on a regular basis.
Enough about me...
I picked up a book titled 'A Moment on Earth"
from the end table of a house I am "sitting" at.
The book is a DVDBook about an idea a guy had
to synchronously film multiple places on the Earth.
Wonderful idea. It worked out.
Neat movie.
Check out the website for a little bit of a teaser.

A page from another's blog...

I have this friend, her name is Martha..and she apparently has a blog, a fact which I was not aware of until very recently. Ours is one of the longest surviving friendships of my life, since we met almost 20 years ago.

Although we were out of touch for quite some time, when we finally began talking again, I was amazed by her travel stories and the richness of her life. While I had been stagnating away in the same town for years, she had left our home state and seen some of the world, all the while-in my mind at least-holding on to the Baha'i ideals that we had been raised with.

She inspired me. She confirmed for me yet again that it was possible to try to live up to the demanding moral standards that we were taught as children. I rebelled against it. Maybe she did too, a little. But she kept the nose of her ship pointed in the right direction, while I left the monkey in charge of my ship and went below to have some rum with the wenches.

She knows (now!) how amazing I think she is. And this article on the persecution of Iranian Baha'is came from her blog. If you want to read some of her other stuff, beware...she is a damn smart girl...and an okay swimmer too!

Update

I have recently:

got this and other awe-some pics from WA
bought a slightly-used "new" car for $1300
worried about money
spent a few days house-sitting in a nice house with a gorgeous view of the bay
spent a couple hours soaking at Mandi Spa (mmmmmmm!)
tutored six Korean children and two adults
played in a soccer tournament hosted by the Saipan Korean Football League
given some serious thought as to where & how I want to spend the next year of my life
almost sold my house in Charlotte, NC but not quite
experienced my first serious case of writers block on a project with a deadline
really missed my dog
not stretched enough and experienced some serious pain as a result
worried about money some more
read Martha's blog and put off creating yet another email account so that I could tell her that I think she is an amazing woman and that we all have neuroses
prayed for assistance
meditated
reikied
still haven't massaged anyone
missed my dog who isn't mine anymore
missed my brother who (even though he's adopted) still is mine
wanted to tell my family and friends that
I love them ALL.

Love My Dogs...

It is wonderful to be able to get chances to do things that would be way out of my league in the states. Like writing an article for a magazine. Just sort of fell into my lap. I was honored to be asked to do it. I hope I get another chance. Check it out at the Island Locator Magazine blog and tell me what you think. My article was part two to one that I read the first month I was on island. I am supposed to be writing part three right this minute. Instead I am posting this blog. I hope Katie doesn't see this...it's coming right away I promise!