Cthulhu and Magneto!

So here are some pictures of our itty bitty little kittens. They have adjusted beautifully and are playing on the kitchen floor right now. These were taken on their first day at 11o1 where they made themselves at home almost immediately. The dark one is Magneto(mags or may pie for short and Cthulhu(the destroyer of worlds and Thu, or Thulhu for short) is the white one who looks like her mummy.

So, I introduce to the world Magneto and Cthulhu!

Number 3

It is June 20th and we are on our way home from our honeymoon. We are on our second plane ride, and headed from Arizona to JFK. We are home bound. I can’t say I’m ready to return to my day to day world. NY will seem stuffy, closed, dirty, and fast compared to Kauai. I enjoyed the easy days we had there. 3 mile walks in the morning, swimming or a pilates class in the afternoon, or just reading to each other by the shade of a tree. Our honeymoon was relaxing, happy, and cleared our heads.

Last night Plosk and I spoke of mortality again. We have talked about it a few times, what would happen if one of us was to meet some tragic end. How does one move forward from that? You have found your partner, your “daemon” and then as fast as lightning strikes, that world that has been built is gone. When I was younger I never understood why someone wouldn’t want to date after their spouse passed away. You were alone, and like any break up, it would eventually be time to meet someone new and set up another relationship, because that to me was how human’s thrive. I was wrong. I hadn’t considered how deep a relationship could go, how one cannot easily shift their mind from having found the person they want to share everything with, to moving on and finding another. I find marriage to be so different than I thought it would be and I like it more and more.

That is except for this small annoyance….My name is not Mrs. Ploski! But it was at the Hyatt even though I signed in as my own name, my original family name, my identity. Everyone wanted to call me by his name and I found myself correcting them at first and then simply saying nothing. They didn’t understand when I explained that it was not my name. I joined a new family but I didn’t not abandon my old one. I dislike the idea of being given to another family. I am a part of everything and I don’t have to give up my name in order to have committed to something new. Men don’t have to. So why is it so difficult that I have remained myself by the name I have gone by for 24 years? I guess it comes down to what people expect and what is the norm. I sadly and happily am not. The result will be that I will go by two names most likely. I will be called by both even though I never asked for a new name. So silly.

We ate insanely good food while we were in Kauai. If anyone is looking up restaurants here is my list of must do’s for food while on the island: Donderos, Tidepools (both at the Hyatt), Blossoming Lotus, and Roys. Roys was the best. For me Blossoming Lotus was second, then Donderos and then Tidepools. But they are all excellent and have great service. The portion sizes are huge though so if you’re a vain health nut like me, make sure you know that by going to these places you are going to feel bloated and gross unless you work out to counter it. We worked out more on Kauai than we do on the mainland but we don’t eat nearly as much on the mainland. It was worth it and it introduced me to some new work out joys. And Roys was some of the best food I have ever eaten, so it was well worth it.

The Hyatt is amazing. If you can afford the splurge, stay there. They have two pools, a water slide, a salt water lagoon, the beach, a golf course, about six different places to eat and friendly service. They are also incredibly respectful of the island and the locals who are allowed to use the grounds whenever they wish. I adored it there, and perhaps in 10 years, Plosk and I will return for our 10 year.

I’ve got 2 hours left on this plane. I think this flight is taking longer than the 6 hour hop to Phoenix. Usually a holiday feels light years away once you start traveling. This is not true right now. I feel like NY is so far away and going back is daunting. I am happy we’ll be getting our kittens soon. Cthulhu and Magneto are coming home with us! Yes, those are their names, and no Plosk didn’t name them- I actually did. Originally when he wasn’t sure about getting two, I used the names against him☺ How could he turn down another kitten named Magneto! He could not. So my plan of attack worked and we’re getting two little ankle nibbling kittens. Oh, life is grand.

I feel like I should have some wrap up summary for the experience of the honeymoon. It is a once in a lifetime event. And now ours has ended, or is ending. We went on a helicopter(I almost yakked (emesis)), and swam, walked, ate, smelled beautiful weapon-like flowers, and read to each other. The reading was my favorite and in fact I think I’m going to see if he wants to finish our book. So, I’m off and back to NY I come. Oh goodness. It’s not going to smell very nice in comparison.

Kauai 2

It’s a rainy Wednesday morning. The first rain we have experienced here thus far. It is also my first time online since arriving to Kauai. I felt an itch for it this morning, probably because of the rain. We want to take a walk across the beach to this cliff that is outside our hotel, but we’ll wait until the sky clears.

2 days ago we went to the Waimea Canyon. It was lovely, but what was even more lovely was the red soil and stream we found on the way down. I’ll post pictures of it when we get back, but we had a great time jumping over it and taking pictures. That little experience was probably the highlight of the trip so far.

I have found one negative thing about the island so far. They don’t mark their roads! We have found ourselves without signs to follow multiple times which has led to some frustration. My feeling is, if you have a place where tourism is vital, mark the roads and state parks! This way people won’t spend an hour driving the wrong direction over wobbly dirt roads. Alas. That was indeed frustrating.

Yesterday I took my first pilates class. I LOVED it. It felt so good on my body and gave me plenty of new tummy excersizes to do. Honestly, in Kauai where the meal portions are huge, a little ab workout can’t hurt. I will definitely be taking more pilates at slc this coming school year. It will also help with my posture. Plosk is now becoming a funny militant posture enforcer. So perhaps now I’ll finally learn to keep my shoulders back all the time, not just when I’m dressed up nicely.

So, like I said, the food is amazing. So far we’ve had great experiences at Donderos and Blossoming Lotus. Friday we are heading to Roys which I have great childhood memories of enjoying. I also passed snorkel bob’s the other day which is also a place that I remember vaguely from family banter. I’m glad we’re working out though, because otherwise, I’d go home with an extra 5 pounds. And as I’ve said to Plosk, I’m way too vain for that to happen. I don’t like changes in my body, no matter how good Donderos cheesecake is.

I’m looking forward to snorkeling and looking at all the pretty squiggling fishes. They are such beautiful creatures with their bright colours and fun shapes. No sir, I don’t want to eat them, I just want to let them swim all around me. And perhaps, if I’m reeeeaaallly lucky, I’ll get to see a turtle. I’ve seen two lizards and a seal. A turtle would make my year.

Next up will be a trip to Ke’e beach, a helicopter tour, and a luau. Oh, and we’re heading to the gym in about an hour. Not much else to do on a rainy morning.

For more info on our trip go to Plosk's site: www.garyploski.com

Kauai 1

It’s 5:39 am and I’m sitting on a bench swing looking at the ocean, waiting for the sun to rise. There is another couple in front of us, a couple hundred yards away but besides for that we are the only people outside enjoying the morning at the Hyatt at Poi-pu beach. I journeyed to Kauai with my family when I was nine years old. I remember clusters of things like large bull frogs, the canyon, and waterfalls but I didn’t remember just how beautiful and welcoming this “garden island” is. We have not run into a single grumpy person. The people who live here are so friendly. They are a mix of natives and transplants from California and other west coast states, and you get the feeling that they love the place they live. They take pride in its beauty and culture and want to share it with those who visit. I find it rare when people take pride in where they live. I think of cities on the mainland and how people throw their garbage on the ground because they don’t care. Here, there is very little litter.

There are few roads on this island. Last night we went to the Bamboo grill where I had veggie and cashew stir fry. It was delicious. I think this is a vegan paradise despite the high dose of fish. The ingredients are all so fresh and the vegetables are plump and juicy. I actually think I could be a vegan on this island. You can grow fruits and veggies all year round. And something about this island inspires me to be even healthier. There are yoga and pilates classes at the gym. I plan on going most days. Yesterday we used the fitness center, which felt divine. That was of course after we had been swimming and walking around in the morning. Tonight we are going to a vegan restaurant called Blossoming Lotus. It is supposed to be excellent. Perhaps I’ll get some good ideas for recipes. Making sushi at home is my new favorite task and I feel myself ready to cook more.

Kauai is full of wildlife. I know I’ve only seen about 1% of it so far, but a seal likes to hang out on our beach. What is impressive is that the seal is given a quiet place to rest. If one comes on shore, the area is roped off so it can rest it’s full fat belly without the interruption of humans. I found this to be very impressive. The Hyatt is the nicest hotel I have ever been to. They have a lagoon which is filled with salt water, a natural looking pool, gorgeous huge flowers, and phallic trees that grow downwards. I haven’t seen any lizards yet. But perhaps they aren’t on this part of the island. I would recommend this resort to anyone. They upgraded our room so we have a ocean view. They love honeymooners here. You get special perks like a free bottle of champagne(I don’t know how I’m going to manage using that since Plosk doesn’t drink) and free desserts. I know we’re in the U.S. but it doesn’t feel like it.

1.5 days

Yep, in 1.5 days we go on our honeymoon. I have to say, the word "honeymoon" makes me feel utterly generic. I may as well go play some bingo or some other activity that nearly everyone in their life does. Perhaps that doesn't make me generic, but instead it makes me easier to relate to. I'm not really sure. In any case, I'm going on a holiday. There will be sand, fresh fruit, tropical foliage, yep foliage, and good smells. I'm pretty sure fish also live there.

Ok, I just read that first paragraph out loud to Plosk(the other generic honeymooner) and I felt dumb so rethought posting it. He then said I should post since it's kind of funny. Funny or stupid- it's a fine line.

We've been to see the kittens every night this week. Cthulu, Bobby, and double Mags are all adorable and furry. They have such distinct personalities. We know we are taking Cthulu but we're not sure which other one to take. It's a really difficult decision. They have been a ton of fun to go and visit and are becoming very socialized.

Work is still amazing- I know, I say that all the time now. But I've never said those words before this position so I don't think it's over done yet. You can tell me when it is. I'm basically running my own project now. I'll write about it another time. But lets just say it's a national organization that I have been trusted to get going. I'm loving it. Plosk called me a workaholic last night because I kept writing work emails and researching. Today I met with a bunch of dedicated high school students. I'm impacting the world in my own small way. I'm making a difference.

I'm thinking back to Columbia- and besides for seeing my co-workers(80% of them anyway) there wasn't anything exciting about that place. So I'll say it- don't work for Columbia University Press. They don't like their employees. I'm almost certain. They don't like giving you heat and they laugh at you when you suggest your air conditioner being fixed in the heat of summer. And they don't care if the bathrooms aren't working for a few hours. You'd be forced to go on toilet runs to whatever location is nearest. You may also get yelled at for moving the coffee pot. Stinky co-workers are also a symptom and loud invasive personal calls with inappropriate subject matter are a definite. Avoid that place like the plague it is. At least the Irvington location. I don't have any experience with the location in the city.

So, back to the point- I now work in heaven. Heaven with a big dog to greet me every morning and co-workers who care deeply about their jobs and about the world around them. Hooray. And now it is 1.5 days until my holiday. I will be posting pictures and writing blogs. I will also be working on my novel. Because I'm going to have 11 days of relaxing bliss.

This post was a little obnoxious and odd. For that I say- thanks for reading my sleepy mind thoughts.