Kaimuki

Ka imu kī.  meaning "The ti root oven" in hawaiian...meaning i live in an oven!

But I love it. It's been so much cooler though, as in 70 degrees, this winter so no more blasting the AC all day.   Well, I love my little bungalow but Mike and I have officially signed a new lease somewhere else...for many reasons, but the most important being to save money. We currently pay almost 2500 (a mortgage right?) for this place we live in now, but by downgrading to the "cottage" I shall phrase it, we could probably save 500-600/month.  The best part is that we can get small dog!!!!!! Super exclamation marks for that...but maybe not until I get back from PI.

So I'm excited! Its a little 2 bedroom/1 office/1 bath place up on a hillside in Kaimuki.  Overlooks diamond head, not at the base of it like my place now.  One year lease was signed, so I guess I'll be in Hawaii til 2014. Took a look at some of the real estate on this island, and gooood lawd--gotta be a millionaire to own something decent around here! No, thanks:)

So work has been unusually slow this winter, and because they hired so many travelers, the regular staff have been getting their hours cut. I've been getting cancelled at least one or two shifts a check..and when you only work six shifts--it's kind of a lot! Thank goooodness, I have like 200hrs of PTO to pull from or I would be struggling.  Saved so much PTO last year for this up and coming Philippines trip this February. Going with my family for about three weeks--planning on actually sightseeing this time and not just staying in the provinces. Excited for that..and excited to see Inang! Yay, I think I'll cuddle with her every night that I can because I miss her so much.

So I was supposed to work tonight..but here I am wide awake. Just finished doing laundry and packing a little suitcase for home this Weds.  Ahh, home for the holidays =) Planning on just borrowing all my sisters' winter clothes to stay warm..heheeeee! 

Tis' the Season

Oh joy! Oh joy! My favorite time of the year!

I love Christmas. I love, love, looove everything about it--how friends and family get together, shopping, the smell of christmas trees, holiday latte's at coffee shops, christmas songs, and most of all a time to be thankful and celebrate our blessings!

I'm actually feeling super-spirited lately. Maybe because of a bunch of reasons, but if I could rock christmas gear everyday, that would be the best! Mike and I got a little 4ft christmas tree (sooo expensive in Hawaii!) and I admire it everyday. Sit on my couch and think to myself--wow, never thought this would be me at 28. Renting a house built in the 1960s, with a little 4ft Christmas tree, no family except a few good friends with me on this island in the Pacific.  I find myself content though--happy with my simple life and big dreams. :)

Mike is not the biggest Christmas person like me, but he doesn't bash it either.  He agreed to buy a tree even if we're both going home for Christmas, and even strung some lights on our window.  Aside from that,  he's been working hard on his thesis paper, and I am suuper proud of him because he's done!!! Presentation of his thesis in front of a panel of professors coming up next week, and he'll be graduated. Woo-hoo! Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Now, go get a job :P

Going to my christmas party for work tonight. Buffet style. Oink, oink.

Sweet November

it's Election day!!! Is it crazy Im 28 and never voted before. I guess I always thought I was too un-informed, but thinking about it--I should have voted! Oh wells, next time I guess! haha. Wondering who will win our next presidential election.....hmmmmmm...

SD was a lot of fun. Can't believe Im going back, hah! After begging Mike and Philbert for their hawaiian miles, I was able to book a trip back home (19-25) for 200 bucks. Crazy right?! But Jamie and I agreed, you can't call us crazy for coming back again so soon unless you know what it's like to be away from your family during the holidays...esp in Hawaii---> Its sunny, warm, beachy....and no family. Even if you have a christmas tree...it still feels like summer, LOL! you can try and force the christmas feeling, but drinking hot cocoa on an 80 degree morning orrr shopping in shorts and flip-flops is soo not that holiday feeling that I miss so much! haha.

Dianne and Christian's wedding was B-E-A-utiful. Totally felt all the love, was a tear-jerker indeed. Happy for you Mr&Mrs. Martinez!!

Anyways, that's it for the morning. Heres a few pictures from my trip home, enjoy!

October

holy cow!!

It's October! turning 28 in a few days. It seems the older I get, the less I anticipate my birthday...the less of a deal it becomes. Like sheesh, slow down..I don't wanna be thirty yet. I wanna stay in my 20s forever!! hah, seriously! But nonetheless, gonna be happy spending my birthday back in Sd after two yrs of having it out here. Jus excited to be with family and good friends, nothing crazy...I think?!;)

So a lot has happened I guess you can say?? Finally got to go on a trip with my sisters/etc to Costa Rica...&that trip was amaaazing!:) Ruth had her first baby and Dianne, my friend of 23yrs (holy shat!), is getting married in a few weeks..I keep thinking to myself "wow." Yeah, that's it--just wow. More than words. Haha. Not too long ago, we were practicing retarded dance routines in cool overalls...never imagined all of us this far ahead. I'm excited for everyone though!! & proud to say the goody-goody girls...never turned bad. Heheheee!!:D

What else? All settled in here in our house finally..and guess what? Our six month lease is already up!! Haha! Wtf?! Time flies I tell you..almost too quickly!! Been going out of town every other month practically, so i still feel like I live in SD too. Only time I probably really miss home is during the holidays..that's cuz I have no family here!! Haha, welll besides my koko isle sistahs and mikes sisters...but still, nothing compares to the real thing! I also miss fall fashion and wearing boots..growing out my leg hairs cuz it's cold anyways..wearing sweatpants& socks to bed....oh and Mexican food..among other things. (I'm rambling)

Anyways, gonna try to start writing in here more only cuz I looked back at a few posts and its nice to see how crazy I was looking back..especially all the crazy emotions I had when I first moved here. It literally made me sick!! (Btw, as excited as I was to move...preparing to move here filled me the worst mix of feelings/emotions i have ever experienced in my life) Haha! & I like how my New Years resolutions are the same every year for the past five years...puahaha! oh lawd, have mercy on me. K gettin delirious now, time for shut eye. See you guys soon! Xoxo

Omg...

ok, I know I tend to talk a lot about work...but really...reeeally really...Work has been sooooooo crazy. Like WTF. how does an 8-bed ICU..have 18pts and not enough staff. I have been getting the heaviest/busiest patient assignments BC we have a bunch of agency retardos who don't know what they're doing. The patients are sick as hell. Everyone is so busy, no1 barely gets to eat or have a fun conversation unless we go for "liquid breakfast" after work. Every day off we have staffing is calling us three times a day if we wanna work..sooo not cool!! I'm soo tired!!haha. I starve at work..I'm dehydrated...my body aches..and sheesh, I can't wait for a vacation!!!!! :/

Attitude

saw this really great quote on facebook that I can totally relate to....&love!


"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than the facts. It is more important than the person, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company.....a church...a home.


The remarkable thing is that we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.  We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude....I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you....we are in charge of our attitudes."


=)


Happy Friday to you all. && a very BIG congratulations to Mayoyo#4, graduating from Nursing school todayyyy!!!!!!!!  Ms. Suma Cum Laude (topped me!!), Marilynn Mayoyo!!!! Very proud of you!!!!!

New chapter....

So Im chillin in my new house in Kaimuki! Have all my important stuff all here now,& have a few more things to move mainly the big furniture and I should be all ready by the time my sisters/nieces/& their significant others come to visit. I am SOOOO exciiited!!!!!!!!


So far things have been great. After I came back from a lovely two week trip to SD & VA to see Inang, things have been pretty fast forward. We got the keys to this place on April 1, so since then I was between moving things back and forth and studying for my CCRN (which i passed, yay!). It came to the point where I was tired of having my things in two different places so I decided to just move mostly everything here! The location is awesome..right near diamond head, restaurants, the beach, waikiki. I love Koko Isle always, but being by the freeway has by far made the biggest difference. I can leave 20 mins later to work and I no longer struggle to stay awake on my commutes home! haha. & I dunno, I guess it's just kind of a fun place for me to be in general at this point in my life....


the CONS. The house is older, but still cozy cute. I like it. Cozy little bungalow, haha (forreal a bungalow tho!). BUT around 12p-3pm the house gets pretty HOT..like circulating warm air! I guess thats why I'm like 5 shades darker now...cuz when it gets hot I jus ride my bike to waikiki or get my ass to any beach! Been getting suuuper extra doses of sunshine lately, might need to buy me papaya soap pretty soon! That would be my biggest peeve, but other than that..I would say it's definitely not as quiet either cuz its close to town...but not too bad either.


Living with Mike has actually been pretty good. I would say we have only fought once so far since moving in....and it was over couches. LOL. We pretty much compromised that one out. But other than that, he is busy doing his own thing-- Always surfing, trying to graduate, or whatever....so I'm not like around him 24/7. I have actually found more time for myself..not having to leave my stuff at home to "come over" to his place or anything. I hated that! lol. He is a pretty chill guy when it comes to most things and I feel like we balance each other out pretty well.so yeah..I hope it stays that way! haha. Went to his Graduation luau today (although he's presenting his thesis in july), and I am pretty proud of him!! Super knowledgable/passionate in what he does...he had plenty of potential employers already seeking him out and giving him #s after his speech at the luau..so I know he'll be fine post graduation!


Other than thaaaaat! thats mainly it. Jus the whole moving thing! Wanted to share my experience with you guys. Picked up my dress for Dianne's wedding!! Time to lose weight!! hahah. Until next time!

Life..

it's only the 13th of the month, &the #of patient expirations in our little ICU for the month is already 14. Death&dying. Mourning& grieving. Blah, I thought I was almost numb to the emotions of it, being exposed to it all the time at work. But last night was different.

She was only 26. Young, healthy, no drugs--normal girl like you or I. Went to bible study all the time. Came home from church with a headache, telling her aunty she didn't feel good. & that was it. She collapsed, had a huge irreparable bleed in her head. 

Life is short. She is the second 20-something y/o who died in our unit this month. Really put life in perspective for me. Thinking how that could be me or anyone I knew. & I guess all the emotions and stories of her friends/family got to me...and my coworkers too. Was a pretty sad night at work. I guess because it was all too relative to all of us. Some of us looking at the situation from different standpoints: as a parent, sibling, or friend. Her sister was named Maricel too. She was rushing to fly from Australia where she moved, too say goodbye to her sister if it wasn't going to be too late. 

&so I was reminded that tomorrow is never promised. That if you love someone, tell them. If you miss someone, call them. If you want to say something, say it. If you want to go somewhere, make it happen. If something makes you happy, embrace it. If you're worried about something, let tomorrow take care of it...

Life is truly precious! So make the best of every moment &appreciate every day we are blessed to live.. Life is really too short to be anything but happy:)

soo yeah, I LOVE YOU GUYS! (haha)

ps.  my 2012 has been so far amazing:)