Hikes, UPS and everything inbetween...

So it's been a little while since I last kept all those out there up to date on the comings and goings of my life. By all you I mean the 3 or 4 people who read this. But you're all very important people in my book because you take time out of your days to vicariously live my exciting life through these blogs.

SO there have been a few recent developments in my life out here in Maui. First off we have Curtis now living with us. He arrived just this past Saturday which means cheaper rent for me. Always a good thing. For those of you out there who have never had the opportunity or priviledge to meet him.... his is known as the Cape Cod Brian Beahn. He looks like a slightly smaller version of him, talks with the same voice, and all in all is brain. So this is just practice for when I move back home and need to crash at random peoples places til I ship out to the Cape again. Brian.... better have that couch ready for me. Curtis is pretty much living on our living room floor. Which is really not too bad, none of us really spend too much time in there watching tv so we're not really missing the living room.


Went hiking through the bamboo forest this past Thursday. Matt's friend Erin came out to visit on my birthday (yup sadly I'm 29 now, or as I like to say 25E). So we hiked along this winding path (barefoot mind you, i don't recommend)to reach various waterfalls along the way. It was pretty wild. There was scaling of rock walls,
making our way through bamboo forests, jumping off small cliffs into pools of water just to climb up rock walls and continue on. The sights were amazing, it felt like I was treking through the jungles of Lost. Around every corner I was expecting to see "the others" or the black smoke monster. Sadly neither showed up so we continued
along until we reach the final waterfall. After hanging out there for half an hour and I failed to climb to the top of the waterfall (I decided to quit about 1/3 the way up when I practically took a nose dive on slippery rock).
After the trek back (with aching feet) we headed out the Halleakwa (I'm sure I butchered that) and drove to the top to watch the sunset. Luckily we all remembered to to bring sweatshirts seeing as it was like 45 degrees at the top. Even colder when the wind was blowing. Did not appreciate it. Reminded me of one reason I left Worcester. I hope you all get lots of snow for a white christmas. Break out those shovels. But it was a good time. It was crazy how the temperature dropped 30-35 degrees from bottom to top. Also, 22 mile drive up it. Gonna make for some sick bikerides over the coming months.

So we get back from our adventure and there is my bike box hanging out in front of the apartment. I am instantly excited cause now I can start biking. Getting sick of the running already. After getting it inside I notice there are some pretty serious holes in the box that were not there when I left it in Worcester. They look like a fork truck just drilled its forks into the box. After taking everything out it looks like the bike is fine. After reassembling most of the bike I realize one of the spacers on the front wheel is now missing. Almost like it got pulled off the wheel. So since then I have ben on the phone ith UPS dealing ith them, trying to get them to reimburse me for the damage. Even though I have insurance on th bike it's still not that easy. I also found out that this is something you can't just have replaced on a bike. That part is not sold retail through Specialized. I am told I may have to replace the whole wheel. Yup, a 450 dollar wheel. UPS and I, yup... we're in a fight.

Other than that things are going well out here. I just found out that after a month at Barnes and Noble I'm doing a good job. I'm the top seller there of Nooks, was named employee of the Month in the sales department for November (I only worked 2 weeks of November), and I'm getting a raise and promotion. I will be one of 2 lead sellers on the floor. Comes with a whopping 75 cent raise. Oh god, all my dreams have come true. When I was being told this by my boss it was everything i could do not to just start laughing. 1. I think she really thinks this is going to be a career for me even though I had told her that I will only be part time when I start subbing (STILL WAITING FOR THAT TO START UP BY THE WAY). 2. I'm selling Electronic Readers at Barns and Noble. Whoopie! She was making it sound like the greatest job next to Neuro Surgeon.

The Nook Color is awesome though. I bought me one and love the thing. It is like owning a large ITouch. The thing can do so much and has a ton more it can possibly do. I highly recommend buying one if you get the opportunity. And Sue would love it, you can enlarge the font size so even she can read it.

On that note I am gonna call it a night. I am pretty wiped out. Lots of early mornings and late nights back to back. Its a tough life I live out here. You should all try it.

Special note to Brian Beahn: You better come out here in March. 2 reasons:
1. I miss you obviously and we can have some serious adventures out here.
B. I want to see you and Curtis next to eachother. It would be super wierd.