Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Who has more fun?


Well, I did it... I decided to dye my hair. I figured it really wasn't really that big of a deal, although in some ways it seems like a big deal. You see, I am the only blond in a family of dark haired people. My blond has always set me apart and made me a little different, a little special maybe? So thinking about dying my hair brown was like giving up a defining difference in me. A security blanket. Part of my identity. But...I dyed my hair and I am still the same person.

I keep getting startled when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, or when my hair blows in front of my eyes. It is strange to see brown instead of blond.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Party Pix






Some more pictures of the party. I realized that I didn't get permission from my friends to post their pictures on my blog, so I've just added a few "group" pictures. I hope no one has any problems with these. I'll try to add some more of friends once I get their OK.

As you can see we ordered a nice sunset for the evening.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Goodbye Dawn


My friend PCS-ed last weekend so we had a big PCS party for her. Reggae was the theme and we had surf movies, jerk chicken, reggae music, rum punch and a bonfire. It was a fun party.

PCS is military speak for Permanent Change of Station or... Moved away. I like it b/c you can simply say "oh, they PCS-ed" you don't have to be specific about where they moved to etc. It is just they moved away from here. When I lived in the states I found it hard NOT to say PCS - most civilians have no idea what it means so I didn't use it... but i find it to be so "universal". I guess in the same way Y'all is.

Kwajalein is very transient. We are all on contracts, most of us signed 2 year contracts with this new company (when I was here with Raytheon was 1 year contracts). So, if you like Kwaj you stay - if you don't you leave after 1 or 2 years. We all get used to people leaving. It can be hard though... friendships here are deep and intense. You become friends quickly because you spend so much time together and most of us don't have family around- your friends become your family. I've noticed that Kwaj friends you always end up seeing them again. Kwaj people are like that... they visit each other, plan vacations togheter, their doors are always open to other kwaj people who are coming through town etc. It is a unique bond the Kwaj-bond. I'm going to miss my friend Dawn, but I know I will see her again soon.

Friday, June 02, 2006

bad blogger

Yes, I know I am a bad blogger. I get it from my friends and family who frequently tell me that my blog is boring and needs to get updated. Yes. I agree. I mean to but just havn't been good about actually getting it done. I truly believe there is a procrastinator gene. There has to be... certainly it is not a character flaw.

Well, the exciting thing that happened to me today :
backstory: I am sick. Woke up multiple times last night coughing... :( woke up this moring with sore throat and general body ache and head stuffiness. Also, todays plans were to go scuba diving with my good friend who is moving on Monday. You really can't dive when you're sick so I called to tell her that I would go out on the boat with them, but couldn't dive. Well, on our way to the coral head they were going to dive (and I would snorkel) we saw dolphins!!! Ah, my favorite! We have spinner dolphins around Kwaj.

There were probably 20+ dolphins in this pod!! So, we slowed our boat down and just circled and played with them. They seem to like sound/feel of the motor, they swam, jumped and spinned around our boat for a good 45 minutes finally we stopped to anchor and they left. If we had kept motoring I am sure they would have stayed around to play. It is so weird that dolphins really seem to have personality. They truly come to play with the boats. As we turned and changed direction, they followed us.... I got some great photos and some video. I will try to post the video (never tried it here before) and if not I will get some pictures up. It always seems so surreal. Just to image that these dolphins are not trained, no one is giving them commands... they just come and play. They have personality. They enjoy it. It makes you wonder about intelligence :)

I love this place!