T Minus 31.5 - Reflecting

I read the message twice. "Your blog is becoming more of an ATC blog than a Hawaii-related or countdown-to-something blog..." I suppose that might be true, but the facts are these:

1. Yes, I live in Hawaii now but not every day is all ukulele-playing beach bum encounters and strolls along the seawall.
2. A big part of my life is art. Most artists - myself included - like to share their creativity.

Maybe I need to resurrect the art blog I started last summer but never really did anything with. Maybe, just maybe, my editor will even help me out with posts over there and not throw me to the sharks for having multiple blogs! So, if you like the art stuff, you can find it over there for the time being. If you only read to see how things are going in Hawaii, you're in the right place!

Lots of people seem to be interested in how I am adapting to my new lifestyle. The short answer: I love it! Every year, Hawaii ranks first or near the top of every survey ranking states by quality of life. I understand why. Especially compared to some place like Las Vegas, it is easy to see the differences.

Working in the gallery, I like to ask visitors where they are visiting from. Usually, they steer the conversation to where I am from, how I ended up in Maui, etc. The reactions I see when I say I moved here from Vegas amuse me. Jaws drop, eyes widen. Most mumble something along the lines of "Wow, what a change."

I answer the same way every time. "A change for the better."

The best part about moving to Lahaina? Leaving the cut-throat, you-must-be-a-slacker-if-you-aren't-trying-to-move-up-the-ladder, corporate stupidity behind. Life moves slowly here, and I like it that way. I ride the Pink Cruiser down Front St without worrying about if I'm going fast enough, if I'm going to be late, if there's a car behind me. That stuff isn't important.

The important stuff? People here seem to genuinely respect and love one another. I feel it everywhere, people living Aloha, the Ohana. People smile, talk story. I know my neighbors, and have even been inside one of their condos! We lived in three houses in Vegas, met one neighbor, and only talked to them because their fence was falling into our pool. Here, on Maui, everyone feels like one big Ohana with each other, the creatures, the land, the sea.

Today, I simply can't imagine ever missing the Vegas lifestyle.

Sure, I get lonely. I feel terribly lonely most of the time, truth be told. 4,300 miles separates me from my family. I miss them terribly, far more than I ever imagined might be possible. I know, though, that sharing this new lifestyle with them will be worth the wait. In fact, my quality of life only stands to improve once I start hanging out the The Hubby and the pups on my lanai, or walking the pups through Banyan Tree park with The Hubby.

Life on Maui is a good life, Maika'i Ola. I think I'm adapting to my new lifestyle quite well, all things considered.

Now, I need to go write an artsy fartsy post on my other blog, so...if you are interested in reading about that stuff, I'll be writing on Crafting, Creating, Cooking, and the Rest starting today.

Aloha!