Hawaiian Kine Professional Attire

I still remember when I first started working at Ilima and everyone told me that I wouldn't be dressing the same the following year...well I still dress the same :) I even managed to move down to elementary school and keep the same wardrobe. Granted, I don't work hands on with the little ones that often, but still I consider myself a professional dresser even by mainland standards.

When Chris and I really started getting serious, I'd get a lot of comments about how he dressed since he was pretty infamous for being casual, but he can clean up if he needs to. Now, he's got a pretty standard attire of a t-shirt and khaki pants or jeans. Wednesdays he's started wearing a tie and dress shirt just for fun.

So that's us...but what about the rest of Hawaii's working educators?

This past January I went to a professional development. I won't name what it was, but it was a training that involved district resource teachers, administration, fellow teachers, etc. This particular session I arrived early and as I gathered my stuff, my jaw just about hit the ground at what I saw. At first I figured, maybe I mistook what I saw, but then my admin joined me at the table and before she put her bag down, I saw her jaw just about hit the ground too and I knew without looking at it what she was seeing.

Now, a little caveat: yes, dressing in Hawaii can be viewed as somewhat less casual than mainland attire. However, this outfit was pretty...interesting. Judge for yourself:


Several people were pretty scandalized by this particular individual's choice of attire. I can't, for the life of me, figure out why someone would dress like this to a professional function...the best I can figure is that she had a really good night and had to do a walk of shame to work. But she sure wasn't acting shamed since she just walked all around with her head held high...and her shorts pretty high too!

Regardless, my eyeballs and my brain had a field day with this one. SO SCANDALOUS! And of course while I might be pleading scandal and shock, I am obviously not mature enough to just judge her and let it go. So when I saw her at the bank, I had to capture the moment. I suppose if being in education doesn't work, there's always the paparazzi for me!

Still though...I mean, come on people...I have underwear that's longer than her shorts! :) And it's the Big Island. Can you blame me? This kind of nonsense is the spice of my life now!!!

Chris vs. Cow

I'm sure some of you have heard about Chris' latest....misadventure. I am trying to figure out how to upload the video, but in case you hadn't heard - Chris had a run in with a cow - literally.

After spending this morning in the emergency room, I am very happy to report that he is fine. He is just bruised and banged up, but nothing is broken. The doctor's verdict that in the case of Chris vs. the Cow, Callisto takes the title. (I have no idea that our HMSA co-pay covers male ego-boosting!)

More to come...

They'd Pay Money for It???

Hilo is a pretty small town and apparently there aren't many cake bakers. Me and my big mouth talking about my cake decorating apparently led people to believe that I had a business and in just the past week, I got asked to make two cakes (one of which is to feed 100 people - YIKES!). It's hard to believe that people would actually pay for my cakes considering I just do it for fun.

My first (and pretty major) dilemma is figuring out how much to CHARGE for a cake. Decorating cakes are pretty labor intensive, even if you eliminate the baking part. The local supermarket, KTA charges $100 for a basic sheet cake that feeds 75 and $500 for a 3-tiered, basically decorated wedding cake. I guess I have to do some research on what's the going rate around here :)

Just for fun I put all my bestest cakes on a little flier. The only one I'm missing is Abby's beach ball because I don't have a great picture of it.

Just out of curiosity, how much would YOU pay for a decorated cake?

Running of the Bulls

This blog is long overdue, but we were hoping someone who got photos would send them to us....

I've always had a curiosity about the running of the bulls in Pamplona. It seemed like a very dangerous and exciting thing to do. Well after February 20, 201 I can safely say that I am not curious anymore. Chris and I spent today at the Panaewa Rodeo. It was a hot day of roping, barrel running and mutton busting.

Chris decided to enter in the spectators' event: The Bull Run. We hadn't seen this before at the Waimea rodeo, but the premise is pretty simple. Basically they let loose two bulls and both have a blue ribbon on them. One of the ribbons is a $500 winner, all you have to do is get it off the bull. Doesn't sound TOO bad right?

I have to figure out how to upload the video (sans my commentary - which apparently people love, but I do not). For now you'll have to see some pictures:

THE BEGINNING...

OF A VERY...

VERY PAINFUL...

CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH A BULL!

NOW CHRIS WILL TELL YOU HE'S SPRAWLING (WRESTLING)...
I WILL TELL YOU HE'S GETTING HIS BUTT KICKED

DOING THE SMART THING AND TRYING TO GET AWAY

What you see is actually the SECOND time Chris get attacked by the bull. The first time, the bull hit him head on and Chris actually rode the bull's head for a few seconds. I was too busy freaking out to actually get that on video though.

No one won the $500, but thankfully Chris has learned his lesson and has no desire to wrangle bulls anytime soon. And neither of us are curious any longer to experience Pamplona's running of the bulls!

Lest you are worried, Chris is just bruised and banged up. We spent the next morning in the ER and after X-Rays, blood work and a CAT scan the doctor pronounced that he had "abs of steel" since"all the organs were where they were supposed to be." (Can you tell the doctor was a male doctor?!?!)

Before anyone starts asking how could I LET him do this...I don't let Chris do anything...He's his own totally stupid 30+ year old self. I am not taking any responsibility for his dumb decisions. As a teacher I merely say, "natural consequence" and let that stand on it's own.

:)