an update from Kona

I just sent an e-mail to my family and figured it also might make a pretty good post up here so you all of you can stay up on my wonderful adventures while I'm here in Hawaii. I won't be able to keep up so much on other websites/blogs/etc while I'm here because of the dial-up situation. I will put up pictures if I get the chance to, but I'm not sure if Janelle's dad brought a cord I can use, because I didn't.

I'm using NetZero dialup service in my condo here. We're staying in some condos and they totally rock. You can just walk down to the beach if you want. There's also a sweet pool and jacuzzi, with a gazebo and four awesome grills. This place is really sweet.

Today we're planning on going to the Volcanoes Nat'l Park. Not sure what else. I know there will be a lot of food consumption going on here. If you ever thought your family ate a lot at family reunions, you are wrong. This family is crazy. There's this cool guy named Uncle Bobo and he was talking about the kind of stuff we'll be eating. Last night we had a meal with like 5 different kinds of meat to choose from and he called it simple. I'm pretty excited, but I'm not excited to be bloating up more.

I wish I'd gotten a haircut before I left.

Here are a couple cool Hawaiian terms/sayings I have learned:

"Talk Story" - Uncle Bobo said "You know, we can hang around, eat, Talk Story." So "Talk Story" is the same as hanging out and talking and whatnot.

"Da Kine." I tried to get a definition from Mike (Cornelio) but he was unable to provide a definite one. It sort of means "and stuff" or "and that kind of thing" or something like that. Bobo listed off a bunch of things we'll be doing, and said "you know, Da Kine" at the end of it. So I think it's one of those words you sort of have to pick up in context because it can mean a few things.

Anyway it's fun here so far...humid as crap but it's all good. And the fact that I can connect to the internet (even if it is on dialup) from the condo is pretty sweet.

OH yeah, last thing - I have the morning news on the TV, and the male anchor is wearing a blue hawaiian print shirt. What the? Who do these people think they are?!

Updates will come as I can do them.