Jan 28-That's Why The Present Is A Gift

"Live in the present tense while you still can." ~Lord Grantham (Downton Abbey)

          I adore British television and the BBC does an amazing job of birthing television series that keep me entertained (ie: Doctor Who is one of many examples).  But other than the man in the blue box, I enjoy the turmoil of "old english" families.  It started in 2007 when I watched the Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice.  From then on I was hooked.  PBS was my savior when I found their Masterpiece Theatre program which aired BBC productions.  There is just something about a British costume drama.  Its all in the air of the english.  Their struggle to remain "english" and proper, and untouched by emotion and its "weakness" fascinates me to no end. 

               Tonight, my mom and my second oldest sister Roswena, we are watching Downton Abbey Season 2.  Its World War I and a wealthy British family struggles with running house in their mansion of a home.  They suffer from losses in the family, losses of staff.  There are many love stories going on: between the rich daughter and a chaffeur to a maid and the valet.  Through it all, Downton Abbey brings people of different class and situations together in this big stew of "Britishness."

           There is alot of, what my English teacher would have me call, "pathetic appeal" in this film series.  Every 5 minutes, there is either an extreme high or an extreme low.  With tear pulling music complete with spot on actors there is no end to feeling for them.  By the time the credits play, you are forced to feel something for the characters.  I try to forget that I'm being played to "believe a lie" and just live in the moment and believe it just because. I think many of us need to do this a bit more often.

           We need to forget its pretend and feel.  Feel. 

            There was a particular scene in one of the episodes I watched tonight that really stuck to me.  The Lord of the manor is speaking with a soldier and he speaking about his cousin who is away at war and has just been deemed "missing in action."  When reffering to his cousin instead of using the past tense he uses the present tense when he says, "I love him."  He is asked why he does that.  "Because we should live in the present while we can."  And this is what I love about period dramas: no matter how distant they are away in culture or time, there is always something that relates back to my time and to myself. Always.

Jan 25-Money, Money Oh Honey Honey!

This was going to be a post about Guam...but I find it too hard to write about that.
Right now my brain is filled with worry.  Especially money worry. 
Current money problem: School.

The situation explained
I went on a trip to Guam.  My professor for this semester said he could excuse me from the classes I missed.  When I'm in Guam I log onto my student account and see that my class has been dropped.  I didn't drop it.  I spoke to my professor and he didn't drop me either.  I find out that my payment wasn't confirmed and the school dropped my class. 
Today I was planning on going in and paying the fee and signing up again for my class but I need 50 more dollars to do so.   I don't have that 50 dollars right now and I cannot ask anyone for it... I am now waiting for next week's paycheck.  The waiting is killing me...or was--it seems that writing out my fustrations here has fixed the problem. HALLELUJAH! Worry is gone--for now.

Jan 23-New Year Revolution

So youtuber Rosianna, www.youtube.com/missxrojas, is doing a challenge where she completes a challenge from this site www.revolution.channel4.com/try-something-new everyday for 31 days.

Here you can here me singing Better Together by Jack Johnson

Jan 23-Year of the Dragon

Okay so here is a non-Guam post.  Which is rare around here isn't it?  Enjoy!



Sagwa with her siblings (Sheegwa and Dongwa) from the PBS show "Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat"



     Now I'm not Chinese or anything but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate their New Year which begins today! Happy Year of the Dragon.  I feel like this year is going to be fierce!

Reasons why 2012 is my "dragon" year

1. 2012 started off great with a vacation to Guam

2. I'm turning 19 in August

3. I am doing well in school

4. I'm planning on getting a second job

5. I have almost everything I ever wanted

6. I have everything that I need right now

      Speaking of Chinese celebrations, I'd like to introduce you (or re-introduce you-all you PBS kids) to one of my favorite shows when I was 6-10 years old.  Say hello to Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese cat.

     Sagwa is a cat who lives in the early Chinese era.  The tv series included characters such as the noodle loving Magistrate, his wife whose sleeves were filled with pekinese dogs, italian visitors who introduced pizza, and 100 year old tofu.

     It may sound ridiculous, but when I watched Sagwa I could smell the "old China."  Not that I know what it smells like or have ever been to China, but the vivid colors, gripping sounds and cute stories completely captured me.  For a long time China was my favorite country that I swore I would visit.  This tv show was the beginning of my "wanderlust" disease.

     In case you don't know, wanderlust is what I call my longing to travel and see new places.  My trip to Guam confirmed that I love airplanes, airports, the stress and joy of traveling over land and sea.  I haven't been on a train yet, but once I have, I'll be hooked on all forms of travel.

     Can any of you recall tv shows that have inspired you to do something?  Or want to do something?  Will you do that something?

      Over my vacation, one of the things I learned was how to live each day to the fullest.  Don't wait for tomorrow to do what you can today.  Pretend Jesus is coming tomorrow. 

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

      2012 The Dragon Year is the year I live each day as if it was a year

Jan 15-My Uncles

I want to introduce you to my Uncles-my mom's bros.
During this trip to Guam, I have come to know them a little bit better.
And I have seen a snippet more to add to my collection of snippets of memories of them.

Uncle Steve
1/4 The oldest
JOB-entails setting up snake traps and chasing birds away at the International Airport in Guam
INTERESTS-reading (there is this big shelf in their house that is stacked with hard and paper backed novels)
MARRIED- to Aunt Elaine whose jobs have included: elementary school teacher, daycare center owner, and karaoke bar owner

Uncle Fred
2/4 the second oldest
JOB-Captain of a tour boat "Real World Diving" that takes out (mostly Japanese) tourists on a tour of the island waters where they can chase dolphins, snorkle, and fish for tropical fishes
INTERESTS-he lives in a shack with an outdoor kitchen, shower, and port o potty on "The Ranch"
SINGLE-he had a girlfriend when he visited us in VA but I don't know what happened

My Mom goes here in age order, perhaps I'll write a blog post about her?
3/4

Uncle Walt
4/4 the youngest
JOB-business person (I've always asked mom what he does but she has never actually clarified-"something in business" she always tells us)
INTERESTS-Complete with glasses, Uncle Walt is a geeky nerd.  He enjoys the more cultured side of life, however he is always ready to crack a joke and have some fun.
SINGLE-and thats the end of that

Jan 19-Grandma

So I'm up on the second floor of my Aunty Pie's home lying on my stomach using my cousin's computer.
Downstairs my family is eating a very quiet, very strained dinner.
The cause of the strained quiet?  My grandmother, Anne Taitague Ulloa.

When my grandma came to live with us in Virginia, I was 12.
The only memories I had of her were happy ones.  She gave us grandkids sweets and clothes and spoiled us rotten.  Boy was I in for a surprise!  Because I had not been introduced to the other side of her.

Every person has two sides to them.  There's the light side and then theres the dark side.  My grandma's dark side came out a few weeks after she was living with us.  She would get overly angry about small things like us kids not doing our chores on time.  Sometimes her scolding would increase to loud fits where she would walk around the house yelling her head off.  Once, she chased me around the house and into a closet not caring that I was bawling all the water out of my eye sockets. 

That night, my mom explained to me that grandma, would get overly excited sometimes and she has been this way for awhile ever since her blood pressure went up and she got diabetes.  My mom told me that we just need to be gentle and comply with what she wants.  "Don't argue," she told me.

And so I learned how to "comply" with grandma's "difficulty."  I learned how to "agree" with her and "manipulate" around her fits to make it seem as if the problem was solved.  I became very skilled in this and soon I could tell when one of her fits were coming on and what degree of compliancy would be needed this time around.

I wonder if this is the best way to handle situations like these?  I know this is the only way I know to calm her, but I can't help but feel deceitful in a way.  I know I'm not displaying my true feelings towards her.  But is it deceitful to hide the way you feel and just go along with the flow?  Or is it okay as long as everyone is getting along fine?  I don't know...I used to think that hiding your feelings is a lie to yourself and others but now I don't know.

Either way, my grandma has taught me that God must be a very patient person.  He loves us no matter what our faults are and even when we are angry and yell at Him for no justified reason.  How great our heavenly Father is!

So, during this visit in Guam I've learned to just be.  Be calm.  Be compliant.  Be helpful. Be agreeable.  Put myself last and grandma first.  Its been a very challenging, yet, humbling and gratifying experience.  I know stuff like this really helps a person grow.  I've grown in knowing my grandma.  She is a great person no matter how shady her dark side gets, her light side is always amazing.

Jan 13-Reunion

For those waiting for pictures and blog posts, I apologize for the lack of updates.  But I've been busy!

During my time in Guam, our weekends have been filled with reunions.
Everywhere my parents go, they are greeted by people they knew "once upon a time."  I love seeing my mom get so happy when she re-meets a friend.  And all the greetings are the same.  


The friend sees my mom and calls out.
Then there is the hug! 
Then they laugh and cry and hug again before introductions of the children.


My dad has re-met friends as well.  


At the flea market, at The Tent (one of the 7th day churches), while fishing etc;


Its nice to witness reunions. 


The end.

Jan 11-A Funny Story

Breakfast is time where food is passed and stories are shared.  The following is a true story retold by Aunty  Py at the breakfast table.

     We'll call this story "Island Hippie"

A few years ago (20-40), Aunty Py and her family lived in a trailer in the jungle.  She hired a few men to work for her planting trees. One day, a hippie drove up and said,

     "I'm going to work for you."

     She decided to hire him.  The hippie was a weird one (as most hippies are).  Some of his eccentric traits included: Eating compost from the garden

                                             Squishing up his sandwich before devouring it

      One day she caught him planting three trees in one hole.  So, she sent her daughter out to tell him off. 

     "Who are you to tell me what to do?"  said the Island hippie.

     "Say it again?" replied the other workers who were ready to beat the hippie up in an instant (he wasn't the favorite).

       In the end, the guy was fired.  Aunty Py wanted him to leave immediately but he instead persuaded her to let him wait awhile to be picked up by his girlfriend.

      His girlfriend arrives with the car.  And the car won't start.  So the Island hippie comes up with an idea, "Hey you get in the car and I'll push it!"

    The workers and Aunty Py laugh as they watch these two idiots push the car down the road and out of sight.  And that night over pizza, they make up a story about the Island Hippie. 

      Its night.  His girlfriend asks him to come in to bed and Island hippie responds, "There's a full moon!  I want to watch it go up!"

the end

....oh he was the craziest man I ever saw! ~Aunty Py

                                             

                         

Jan 10-Sigua Falls

Sigua Falls on a dry day.  When it rains, it is 10x the amount of water.

I almost feel like showing you this picture is a lie.  Why?  Because today, Sigua Falls was 10x this size! 

This is the story of our hike to Sigua Falls.

    The night before the trek

Cousin Danny: Do you guys have plans tomorrow?

Me: No. I don't think so. Why?

Cousin Danny: Because I was thinking about showing you Sigua Falls tomorrow.

Me: Cool! Yes! Please do it!

Cousin Danny: What's your waist size?

Me: I don't know?

*Both of us stand up and get next to each other to measure our waists*

Cousin Danny: I have a pair of pants that will fit you. They were my old fire fighter pants.

    The morning of the trek

Weather: Cloudy

Me: *wearing Danny's pants* Are you ready to go?

Cousin Danny: I think we'll go around 8:30 or 9. 

Time: 8:30 am

Daddy comes back from gassing up the car

Me: Are you ready to go?

Daddy: Yeah sure. Where's everyone?

     An hour later...

Me and everyone else waits in the car for Daddy to come out of the bathroom

Cousin Danny: *knocks on car window* 

Mom: *rolls window down*

Cousin Danny: Is he at the other house?

Mom: Yeah

Cousin Danny: I'll go get him.

     15 min later...

It was a cloudy, wet day when the two cars set off from Agana Heights, Guam.  They traveled down the puddle ridden street and turned left into the "Le Rosa Resort" and finally ended the journey by pulling off on the side of the road.

     Everyone is out of the car

     It is raining

     Everyone is soaked before their shoes hit the grass

     Half an hour later...

Cousins Danny and Wally are leading the way with Kapson and Selencia on their tails, Roswena, Cc, and Me in the middle and Mom and Dad bringing up the rear.

Terrain: Mud---NO wet clay that sinks in with every step 

Ground level: Puddles, and a few hills

Weather: Raining and windy---so windy that it feels like you're on a roller coaster in the rain

   

During the hike, the terrain goes from moderate hilly to severe steepness.  Up and down.  Up and down.  If that's not enough challenge for your balance, then add a strong wind, rain, and you get a hiking trail equal to a slip and slide. At one hill Danny points out one of the falls to us (the one in the picture) and he exclaims, "Oh wow! The last time I was here, the falls had 10x less water.  

     An hour later...

The rain has stopped but we've now reached the last leg of our hike before the falls.  I look down into the endless chasm of rock, rain, and clay.

The way is steep. You have to get on your butt, use your hands to steady you and crab walk down the "steeper than a ladder set almost vertically against the house" trail.  Thankfully, half way down, ropes appear.  If not for the ropes, I know I would have rolled to my death.  Although, at one place, I almost do fall to my death when I slide for several feet (I was holding on to a piece of rope and managed to steady myself on another tree).  Further down, not only are there ropes among the steep rocks and wet clay, there are also trees!  Hallelujah!  You can now use the trees to fall onto and help you slide down the trail.

     15 min later...

At one point I thought I was going to perish, but by God's grace I made it!  I thank Him again for my life as I step on steady ground.  I feel like kissing the ground which is littered with coconut leaves, a few bottles, and the ever present dirt.  Kapson, Selencia and the cousins are already in the clay red water.  I look up and what I thought was rain is actually the waterfall being blown down stream and into my face.  When I finally decide to jump in (pants and all) oh it feels so good! Its not like the weather was hot or anything, but oh the relief from the clay that has fallen into EVERYTHING! Pockets and----ahem----other areas.  We swim around at the bottom of the falls and the current is really strong.  The boys try to build a dam but fail and I climb up the falls a bit.  Oh the shower feels amazing! ---and then its time to go.

     The trek back...

The rain has stopped and so its less slippery, but still, the last leg of the trek (which is now the first leg) is the hardest because we are now climbing up the wet rocks and slippery clay trying to grip the loose rope that is wet.  Many times we have to stop and wait for Mom and Dad to catch up. Many times I feel like at any moment I will slip and tumble to my death.  Well peoples of the internet, I did not die because I am here.  Enough said.

     Things I learned...

1) Hiking is an adventure

2) Hiking in the wet, steep, slippery clay, terrain of Guam is a BIGGER adventure

3) Whenever you think you might not be able to do something, DO IT! You'll always learn something new, get a few cuts from sword grass, and get closer to whoever you experience these adventures with.

So the end to this blog.  Tomorrow is another adventure on this small island!

A Week in Guam-Jan 3-7

Okay so it hasn't exactly been a week yet...but that will be the title of this post anyways.

So far this week I have, met cousins and aunts and uncles, re-met grandparents and great aunts, snuck out of the house I was staying in to exercise atop a roof with cousins, gone to a baptism in the ocean, went to 2 beaches, and watched a Korean drama.  OH and did I mention my nails are blue?

So for my friends back in Virginia, I am going to compare Guam to the states.


Similarites: Air conditioning (praise God!), electricity (another Amen!), running water (okay enough with the utilities...), roads, houses, cars, Gas (4.52), trees (even though these ones are a bit different-surprisingly there are fir trees here), I know there are more similarities but I've forgotten...


Differences: 


Stores--They don't have Wal-mart, but they do have a K-mart that is nicer than all the K-marts in Virginia, they have several shopping malls, and they have ROSS! Other than that, the stores here are smaller and everything is a dollar more.

People--Its nice to walk down the street and see people that look like me.  I feel so at ease! I mean, it was a bit strange at first not to see a white person all the time, but I got used to it! Also, everyone is really nice here. Hafa Adai! The island greeting is used all the time and it is easy to strike up conversation with people.  Since it is a warm island, the people are more relaxed in their dress.  Once in awhile, you'll find people trying to look fashionable, but that is usually only if there is air conditioning around.  Most of the time, t-shirts and shorts are the usual apparel.


Weather--humid all the time, breezy sometimes (that really helps with the humidity), sunny (most of the time), rain (on and off but its always sunny)


Okay now that I've done that, let me introduce you to some family members and tell you about our living situation.


Family: 


Aunty Py and Uncle Dick--You'll find this curly haired lady, cooking up a storm in the kitchen.  There is always food all the time.  She is very laid back and lets us kids do whatever.  However, when the time is right, she has very strong opinions.  Uncle Dick always has a relaxed smile on his face.  No matter what, he is in a good mood. 


Davine, her sister, her little sister, her mom--16 yr old cousin who lives with Aunty Py and Uncle Dick, she is into Korean dramas, photography, and adventures.  This outgoing girl is always ready to have a good time (oh no these descriptions are becoming like dating infomercials).  LOL She's good fun. She has a little sister who is too cute, an older sister that is never around much and her mom who lives and works elsewhere.


Danny--20 yr old, cousin from Washington State living with Aunty Py and Uncle Dick, tall and funny, he has a scooter and works at Underwater World, described by Davine as, "a bad example." 


Wally--19 yr old, cousin from ?, he is usually upstairs watching tv in a room that stinks like wet dog, since we've arrived, he's been my dad's guinea pig having adventures with him: machining the jungle, fishing with kayaks, and climbing coconut trees.


Aunty Lucy, Grandma and Grandad--are the elder citizens of the house.  They come out every once in awhile to eat or watch tv or observe the silly children.  Its funny to listen to their conversations.


The Uncles--Walt, Fred, Steve, they are off working most of the time so we don't see them very often but we will be going on Uncle Fred's boat next Sunday and they are all coming to Grandad's Birthday Celebration this afternoon!


Houses: There are two houses we are living at right now.  There is our grandparents' home which is right atop a hill 3 stories where we sleep and shower.  Than there is Aunty Py's house right below the other house where we eat and spend most of our time with the family.  Her roof is amazing!  Climb atop and you can see everything!


Dogs--(CC wanted me to mention them. There are 3. Ok they are mentioned).


Cat--Vixen cute kitten.


Bugs--not too many actually

INTRO part 2

So...this blog is not the only way I'll be documenting 2012.

look at my Hobbit feet! seriously look and gape at those beauties! ;)

Tumblr will be used to post pictures plus other stuff from other users but majority of pics will be there.
Youtube will be where I upload my video blogs.


Here are the links.
Tumblr: http://www.bluesalad.tumblr.com
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/bsmeansbluesalad

Leg One of 2012 Dec 31st-Jan 1

This past fall (in what was 2011) I read a book called "The Art of Travel" by Alain de Botton, and oh was it the book for me!  I mean, that book had everything I wanted to hear!  The below quote realizes that.  Listen, we all want inspiration, no not want but require.  And "The Art of Travel" was the inspiration for me.

Journeys are the midwives of thought~Alain de Botton

     I am on a trip.  Although, the act of putting a scarf in front of my face demonstrates my grumpy, uncooperativeness towards the photographer (my dad), I am nevertheless a happy camper-make that happy traveler.  Here is a timeline of the first day of traveling.


DEC 31st (last day of the year before the world ends)
2:30 am
goes to sleep after watching a documentary on the West Boro Baptist (hate) Church
3:30 am 
wakes up to people stirring down the stairs running to and fro making all sorts of rackets!
3:35 am 
decides to get up because "I will not let my lack of sleep make me grumpy and ruin the excite of today, I am finally leaving North America!"
4:00 am 
finally leave the house and my kitties (i don't want to go...)
5:00 am 
get to airport and endure my dad's overexcitedness of taking too many pictures of the airport (i mean we haven't even got on the plane yet and the memory card is half full)
6:00 am 
on the small plane to O'Hare Chicago
7:00 am 
touch down in Chicago
8:00 am To 11 am 
wait for 10 am flight which turns into waiting for 10 am flight which turns into waiting for 11 am flight which turns into watching little cousin play with a little boy...proud when he shows the little boy a magic card trick and the little boy's dad responds with, "that is very cool," in a very sincere voice.
4 pm (Hawaii time now) 
Get off a plane in Honolulu, Hawaii.  Glad to be off the plane that I've been on for 8 hours. I'M FINALLY OUT OF NORTH AMERICA! 
5 pm 
Don't know why I'm so happy to be out of North America and all of its four seasons.  Who needs four seasons when you have warm and breezy island weather? Huh? who?
6 pm 
Finds out flight to Guam is cancelled till tomorrow and spends night in hotel FREE FOOD AND FREE ROOMS!
9 pm 
Tries to watch the ball drop in NYC but ends up passing out due to jet lag and just plain exhaustion. 
12:03 am 
Wakes up a few minutes after 12 am of Jan 1, 2012


DEC 1
9 am
photoshoot

 
 
10 am 
finds out flight is cancelled again FREE FOOD AND FREE HOTEL!  Staying on the 23rd floor! 
Oh yeah! Time to throw stuff down on unsuspecting pool tourists.
12 pm
walks around Ala Moana Shopping Mall (humongous)
2 pm
walks around Ala Moana Park has a beach (not that humongous with trees and cardboard for homeless peoples) 
3:15 pm
walks back to hotel
5:30 pm
eats at Chinese restaurant in hotel-misses friends!
10 pm
talks to friend, video blogs, tumblrs, and facebooks
12 am
writes blog posts


To watch video blog of Day 1 click link below
http://youtu.be/leookC10H-4

INTRO

BlueSalad-documenter of 2012

Welcome! or should I say hello? (same thing right?)
In any case, Hi this is----wait.  Should I state my name, rank, and intention? Or should I just get on with it? I'll get on with it.


This is your host BlueSalad.
This is a blog.
This is where I will document 2012.


WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
It means your host, BlueSalad, will post videos, pictures, and writings here each day about her life in 2012.


WHAT IF I DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT HER LIFE IN 2012
Then please exit your browser, because I am about to begin the documenting....NOW!