Love like a dog

A week and a half until I'm in Hawaii. Officially! 10 days!

I can't help but think about leaving Dax behind. I'm trying to find some silver lining in it.

Even as understanding as people can be, they don't forget about being left behind. But dogs! Oh, dogs. They just love their people so much that no sin is unforgivable. We get mad that they jump up on us when they see us; but it's just that they're so excited to see us, they forget their manners and just try to show us some love. Whether I leave the house for 5 minutes, 5 days, or a few months, he'll just be thankful I came back for him when I return.

If there is just one benefit to owning and caring for a dog, it's knowing that there is something in your home that loves you more unconditionally than anyone but a mother could. And knowing that every time you see them, no matter how long they've been away from you, that loyalty for you is just as strong as when you left.

I sure hope Dax loves Hawaii as much as I'm sure Isaac and I will. For as much love as he gives us, I think he really deserves a home he can enjoy. His favorite game is water fetch, so hopefully he sees all the shoreline and warm water as his own personal doggy heaven.

P vs. C

Overblogging? You bet I am! Sitting home alone for several days with a dog who has suddenly become the #1 fan of The Nap has led me to a path of boredom. And you know what boredom means: waaaay too much time with my own thoughts!

So, tonight's special is the Pros vs. Cons of moving to an island.

Pro: Warm sunny days all year long.

Con: Totally screwed if the polar ice caps melt. (Hang in there, arctic shelf!)

Pro: At least three kinds of surfing that I can think of right now.

Con: All that money I spent on snowboarding gear two years ago is laid to waste.

Pro: I will be driving a scooter!

Con: I have to navigate the world of traffic again.

Pro: Locally grown produce at my fingertips.

Con: I will have a kitchen of mayhem for a few months, trying to figure out how to use all new fruits and veggies.

Pro: Family may actually be interested in visiting!

Con: Friends and acquaintances may be too interested, and landlords in HI (as we found out yesterday) charge per week for house guests of tenants.

Pro: That means we have an excuse to set boundaries and protect our privacy.

Con: I don't want to deal with the politics of it if people take it personally.

Pro: It will be faster to get to either parents' house now than it was to drive off the Rez and through the mountains

Con: It's also about 10 times more expensive than driving.

Pro: It's Hawaii...and I can't really muster up a "con" for that.

:-)

New Direction

Well, my life is just going through waaaaay too many transitions right now for me to focus on running. My workout routine at the gym is still pretty consistent, but moving, organizing, selling, giving away items, packing.... and planning to find a home, a car and a job, all from thousands of miles away. It's kind of overwhelming!

So, I'm considering either changing the name of this blog or starting a new one. Which means I'll either have to change the name of this one or come up with a name for a new one. Any suggestions are welcome.

Right now, there are about 7 different piles of clothes in my living room. Bags for people who want specific items, boxes full of "free giveaway" items, divided by gender. Piles of things that we want to keep, but won't be able to use in Hawaii, and piles of things we know we need to part with, but don't know how to do that (selling, charity, friends?)

The saddest part about this clothing situation is that I have 6 pairs of boots. They have to go. Probably to my sister because who else has feet this small? Let it be said that I am a boot FANATIC. I relish the weather cooling off simply so that I have an excuse to wear closed toed sexy boots that zip up over the calf of my skinny jeans. I don't even care if it's not "in style" one season. I love it.

The upside? I will, after all, get to wear my Chacos on a daily basis. I am even hoping that I can find a job that allows Chacos as part of their dress code.

The waves of anxiety, fear and excitement are shifting. There has been more excitement than anything else. However, the move is still bittersweet. There is still much I love about Chinle:

The fact that the people hold fast to their traditions and you can see them everywhere. From ceremonies, to the way they support their elders, to the arts and symbolic traditions they carry on, and even traditional housing, like the Hoghaan here which is behind our house:

I'll definitely miss the intensity of a desert sunset. I've never seen a picture do it justice, and this picture is no exception:

And, as much as I thought I'd hate it, I love the wide, open, undisturbed space. I almost feel forgotten about here in Chinle, and something about that feels safe...

That doesn't mean that I love everything about Chinle. There are things I'll be happy to get away from, like sandy dust storms:

We were really fortunate to make a great group of friends in Chinle. Of course, with most of their IHS contracts, we would all part ways sooner or later, but there is some sadness that we are parting sooner. I don't think that I have ever so instantly liked an entire group of people. I'm glad I racked up some memories quickly! Camping, Colorado, Lake Powell, hiking, parties... so much fun!

There are some things about Hawaii that I am particularly excited about, even though the reality of my move there has not materialized fully:

I'll be able to have a job! Shoot, I can probably even have two jobs! Not being gainfully employed really tested my self-worth this year, and while I found that I had many abilities to be productive and contribute with a variety of gifts, I realize how much I took "the daily grind" for granted. I'll feel pretty proud of myself for bringing in a paycheck again.

Surfing! My fiance is a huge surfer. Although he may not be able to teach me himself (it's simply a test of patience to try to teach the person you're the very closest with a new skill, and I'd rather learn from an instructor with whom I'll be on my best manners). But, once I pick up the skill, Isaac has promised me my own surf board. I'm excited to add this to our already long list of outdoor hobbies. There is nothing outdoors that we don't love to do together.

Fresh produce. As in, Maui has several organic farms on it! If I'm lucky, I may get a job working for one...that's my hope right now. I know farms can be somewhat closed-off community-wise. Depending on the structure (family run, co-op, etc) I may have a hard time getting my foot into that kind of door.

"The Purge" That's what I'm calling getting rid of 99% of my personal belongings and starting fresh. It's kind of a test of my materialism. Getting rid of everything really makes you realize that there is not much in the way of material things you really need to be healthy, happy, or functional. Most of these things are for our selfish comfort. Plus, I'm hoping that I'll be spending most of my time outdoors anyway. Who needs to stock a house with a bunch of stuff if we won't even be inside most of the time? Heck, we rarely spend any time indoors here in Chinle!

Well, more thoughts to come as all of this planning and organizing pans out. And I'm sure I'll have much to share about the shock of moving to a culture that thrives on tourism. My lifestyle is about to do a 180!