From Reef Tank to Huey

In Hawai'i I became obsessed with coral reefs and saltwater tropical fish. Kevin and I went snorkeling every day, usually at excellent spots, and I just fell in love with the fish in the ocean. This led to a nightly routine, where Kevin would sleep and I'd sit on the computer in our condo researching reef tank set-ups. And I'm not just talking about a saltwater aquarium. I mean a live reef tank, where the decorations are live coral, urchins, anemones, and all that jazz. I also looked up minimum gallon requirements for the fish I desired to have, based on my snorkeling experiences.

Here are the fascinating species I saw out in the ocean:

This is a Hawai'ian trigger fish, also known as humuhumunukunukuapua'a. How could you ever forget a name like that? But apparently these fish are aggressive in live tanks, which makes sense because they were always pushing each other around in the ocean.

We saw two sea turtles while snorkeling this year, and they're always amazing. They're endangered, so even if we had a room-sized tank, it would do no good. They're not for sale.

This one is a puffer fish. We saw one of these, which was enough for me. They're pretty big (we saw probably a 14"-15" one).

These are convict tang fish. There are a variety of tangs. Dory, from Finding Nemo, is also a tang. These are hugely popular fish. These ones are smaller and live in schools, but I found out that Dory fish, which grow to 8"-12", aren't supposed to be in a smaller tank than 125 gallons (which is a big tank).

This is a butterfly fish, "because no one ever suspects... the butterfly[fish]" (OK, just a little call-out to Simpson's fans). There are lots of different types of these too, including one that looks strangely like the Moorish Idol.

These are flounders, who dig in the sand to disguise themselves and have their face on one side of their bodies, oddly enough. Kevin and I saw these off of the beach our condo was on.

And this is the beautiful Moorish Idol.

These are needle fish, who like to swim up at the surface, and often looked very perturbed when I swam by.

And these fish make me laugh. They look like they're wearing makeup. These are parrot fish, which are huge and beautiful. I, of course, liked to follow them around, which made them swim away, which made me follow, etc., etc.

Which leads to where I am today. Kevin would catch me in the bookstore reading "Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies" and doing even more research on tropical fish. I knew he was worried that I'd bite of more than I could chew. So last week I tricked him into going over to PETCO with me. We looked at all the fish, and I admit, only the saltwater ones were interesting. But, I finally settled for this one, which cost about $3.60,lives in fresh water, and I guess is pretty too for a very low-maintenance fish.

I think Kevin was relieved.

We've decided to name him Huey. Kevin suggested Bluey, which reminded me of "Kablooie" from "Hamster Huey and the Gooey Kablooie" from Calvin and Hobbes, and that just naturally led to us calling him Huey. Even if he isn't a hamster. Welcome to the family, Huey.

Photo Journal: Thanksgiving Point Gardens

To celebrate a couple of birthdays, all my family went to the gardens at Thanksgiving Point.

This one is my favorite, showing a time-honored tradition of soaking half the family when we get to the Secret Garden.

Dolphins, Geckos, and Monastery Tag

We've captured some of the fun and funny Hawai'i moments on video, and after swallowing my pride about being seen in a bathing suit so up close and personal, I've decided to share. First, after breakfast one morning on our lana'i, we saw a whole huge pod of dolphins swimming right by our hotel. They're far out, but you can see them if you look for the sideways splashing, as they were all jumping out of the ocean on their morning romp.

And because I like animals so much, I can't let a gecko go scurrying by without chasing it all over. I finally caught this one.

This one is from Napili beach, a very sandy beach with steep shores and small waves. This makes it perfect for "Monastery Tag," a game we learned from our guidebook. In this game, you race your partner as high up on the shore as you can get without getting beached. It may look really stupid, but when you're that close to the sand, it looks like you're moving a lot faster. I still have the sand burns on my skin to prove my devotion to this pastime. This one you'll want to turn your earphones down on--I was obviously having a great time.

I am Elizabeth Bennet

Jenny linked to this fun (and totally obvious) Jane Austen quiz to see what heroine you're most like. I knew the answer before I took it. Even though Jane Austen claimed she was most like Emma (I know, I should cite the source for this), I have always related most to Elizabeth Bennet.

Take the Quiz here!

And I love this hilarious description. Let's not forget that Elizabeth Bennet often found herself on the outside, being quite unpopular:

You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of ridiculousness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed.

Meow Meow Meow Meow

So I have one cat that honks like a goose and another that chirps like a song bird. And no, I didn't have any treats. Aja just wanted me to tuck her into bed, and Phoebe was just there because Aja was.

Beautiful Maui

Today we got back from our vacation this year to beautiful Maui. It was such a great time! Last year Kevin and I only got to spend two full days there, so we figured we'd go back and do all the things we were dying to do earlier. In addition to taking a surfing lesson (I stood up on my first wave!) and snorkeling, our activities pretty much consisted loafing on the beach or taking in the excellent ocean view from our condo's lana'i.

Here are the highlights:

Lava hike (calling the lava sharp is an understatement) and snorkeling at the Aquarium

Reading on the beach. Kevin read Bel Canto. I read Three Cups of Tea and then, when I'd start feeling guilty about being on a tropical island and reading about poor Pakistani children, I'd switch to Confessions of a Shopaholic (both excellent books in their own right).

Took in some fabulous sunsets (Maui is best for this)

Also took in some local culture. This guy (no, not Kevin--behind him) is walking up and down the beach, strumming his guitar and singing, wearing only a thong and a cowboy hat. Excellent stuff.

The Dragon's Teeth in West Maui

The Nakalele Blowhole

Maui's other West Coast sites

Iao Valley State Park. I'll have to tell you later what that mountain represented to the native islanders just 200 years ago, if you're dying to know!

My Desert Plants in Bloom

"Some red lily."

Firewitch

Penstemon... with a focus on silvermound

Grand Canyon Iris (Kevin's family's original)

I Have Two Gumbie Cats in Mind

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her coat is of the tabby kind, with tiger stripes and leopard spots.
All day she sits upon the stair or on the steps or on the mat;
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her equal would be hard to find, she likes the warm and sunny spots.
All day she sits beside the hearth or on the bed or on my hat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
The curtain-cord she likes to wind, and tie it into sailor-knots.
She sits upon the window-sill, or anything that's smooth and flat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!

So for Old Gumbie Cats let us now give three cheers
On whom well-ordered households depend, it appears.

(T.S. Eliot, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats)

Small Things Are Happening

Little by little, small things are taking place in my garden.

The tulips have budded.

The herbs de Provence have sprouted.

My 10-inch dwarf lilacs will bloom this year.

Tiny, tiny lavender has blossomed.

A coneflower in the making.

How I Love Martin Luther

I have the right to believe freely. To be a slave to no man's authority. If this be heresy, so be it. It is still the truth. To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. I cannot--will not--recant. Here I stand: no man can command my conscience.

On My Commute Home

Ever seen a bicycle that looks like this?

Update 5/16: Since the other picture was small (taken from my cell phone), here's a picture I found on Google Images that matches the same type of bike. Crazy!

San Francisco!

This weekend Kevin and I took a mini-break to San Francisco to visit my Aunt Voni and Uncle Len. For a 48-hour trip, we got an amazing amount done, the most important being introducing them to Kevin and having some wonderful conversation and excellent food.

Voni and Len are such amazing people, and I blogged about them previously here. They have been very important figures in my life and those of my siblings, and they have always been so attentive to us, treating us like we were their grandchildren. It was wonderful to spend this time with them, and for them to give us their whole weekend!

Here are a few highlights in pictures, video, and quotes:

Trolley ride: "Pedestrians always have the right of way, except in front of trolleys."

Skyline: "They built that tower to look like... a firehose."

Pier 39: "Seven dollars? That's a great price for salmon fish and chips."

The Bay: "There's a cargo ship from China, hauling a bunch of crap to sell at Walmart."

Sunbathing: "I just called because one of the sea lions says that he misses you."

Chocolate Heaven and Ben & Jerry's: "He's already got three kinds of chocolate. I think he'd find the strawberry very refreshing."

The house: "A beautiful neighborhood, with the best-tasting tap water."

Sunday Brunch: "The calamari salad needs more squid!"

Returning the Blogosphere Shoutout

Look what my friend Rachel made for me.

Poll Results

Thanks to those of you who voted in my news poll from this post! Some results surprised me:

1. I guess leaving TV off the poll wasn't as big of a deal as I thought it would be (I got two votes in "other")
2. While I'm not surpirsed websites were the most common source of news, they were used much more than I thought they would be. I understand the blogging world is an Internet world, but since most of my readers are friends and family (and not huge Internet junkies), I was surprised at the large margin on this one.
3. It also appears I have one other kindred spirit in the realm of magazine news.
   

Got Rockstar Power?

I do.

Grafton Street Review (with bonus U2)

This has been a great weekend for me and Irish music. The first event was a concert last night that D'Arcy invited me to at The Depot with Swell Season, who won the Oscar for best song for 2007 and stared in the Sundance Film Festival movie Once.

This concert was amazing! I have never been able to experience such passionate art that up close. These people are the real deal: Glen Hansard, the main singer, quit school at 13 to play music on the streets of Dublin. He's got this ratty guitar, a ton of passion, and a very approachable style. He did a great job of working the crowd. (Thanks, D'Arcy, for the photo!)

The opening act was even so cool with this total hippie Irish guy by himself who sang and sometimes beat the drums or played the penny flute while the audience provided a drone. Just a great, real experience. You can also check out what D'Arcy and Stina had to say about it on their blogs (we ran into Christina and Dave after the concert--it was definitely the place to be on a Friday night if you are into cool Irish music stuff).

And speaking of Irish music, tonight Kevin and I got to see the much-anticipated U2 laser show at the Clark Planetarium. This is a show that takes me and Kevin back a ways, as we used to go to the laser U2 show at the old Hansen Planetarium back when we were kids. We hadn't lost our touch, and were able to get our traditional back-row seats, which, just so you know, are always the best seats in a dome planetarium theater.

This show was great. Laser technology and imaging has come a long way in the last decade, and the screens were multi-dimensional and cinematic. The songs didn't vary from the usual U2 lineup: Where the Streets Have No Name, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride, With or Without You, Bullet in the Blue Sky, The Fly, Mysterious Ways, I Will Follow, Desire, Beautiful Day, Elevation, and Vertigo. As a lover of U2's music, I would have loved to hear something that's not commonly played on the radio, but these were all good song choices. I give them props for making me sufficiently affected during "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "Bullet in the Blue Sky" with their imagery and symbolism of warfare, as it takes a lot to shake me out of the comfort zone of these songs I've heard over and over. Even though "I Will Follow" isn't on my list of top 20 U2 songs, I loved the abstract dance of lasers on the globe-shaped canvas on this one. I also love "Elevation," but suggest they ditch the winged dolphin featured throughout the song flying in and out of canyons for something less awkward. Overall, very much improved from what the show used to be, and very well done.

Red Butte Garden Plant Sale

Every Christmas my father-in-law gives everyone in the family a membership to Red Butte Garden, and every spring we make it a tradition to go to the members-only plant sale. Kevin and I loved this opportunity to round out our flowerbeds and gardens with plants today at the sale.

Here are "the bummies" looking at a butterfly:

And me staring into the sun, holding my newly-discovered chocolate mint plant:

And at last, Kevin checking out with our cart:

My plants:

• chocolate mint
  
• oregano
  
• rosemary
  
• lamb's ear
  
• firewitch
  
• echinacea/coneflower (one feathery, one double)
  

Kevin's plants:

• penstemons (several sorts)
  
• apache plume
  
• desert sage
  
• bleeding heart
  
• lily ("some red one")
  
• desert four o' clock
  
• "some mystery plants"

Poll: Where do you get your news?

I've been a New Yorker Magazine subscriber for a little over six years now. I believe it's a 46-issue/year magazine, so I very often have more to read than I possibly can. I love this magazine. I like its cartoons (who doesn't?), I like its snooty weird little advertisements, I love "The Talk of the Town," and the reviews of movies, books, plays, etc. I like seeing what is going on in America's biggest city.

But I also like it because of the way it reports news. I'll tell you, they don't claim to be "fair and balanced." They search for a new, odd angle to every news story. The writers analyze, rationalize, opinionize and provide innuendo. The news stories have themes. That's why I like it.

I used to subscribe to either Time or Newsweek, but now I can't even remember because both seem so similar. I hated them. I thought they were bland and boring. I thought they reported badly. But, on the other hand, doesn't it seem odd that I like to get my news from The New Yorker?

Before you start labeling me a total wacko, I need to explain that magazines are not my primary source of information. I wake each morning to NPR, and its "Morning Edition" is what I listen to for a full hour before I arrive at work. On my commute home, I listen to NPR's "All Things Considered" and "The World." And then, on weekends, there's always "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" which is maybe another embarrassing source of news, but it's a sassy, hilarious way to poke fun at what goes on around us.

But, to balance that out, I actually subscribe to a physical local newspaper, The Deseret News (yes, they dropped the lame "Morning" from their title in the last month). I read that every day too, but mostly the front page, the world news page, and the front page of the local section. Then I read what I like to call "the crazies" on the Opinion page. I confess that I find this newspaper the least informative between NPR and The New Yorker. Isn't that odd? Instead, my poor dear husband has to listen to me when I have on my editor's hat slamming the terrible, terrible way things are written in that newspaper. After that, he'll usually sigh and remark on how the writer probably got C's in college. Oh man, the snobbishness that ensues, but hey, it's all in good fun.

So, after these confessions, admissions, and allegations, I want to ask you, where do you get your news? Look up to the top right of this blog: there's a poll (first one on Bristlecone Pine!). I'd love to see how you learn about your community and the world. Feel free to leave a comment as well.