1.  There was snow this week on Haleakala!  It happens every couple of years or so.   We’ve had a couple of different weather systems smash into each other, and it has resulted in lots of rain this week on Maui, and some sleet and snow up at the top of Haleakala.  Crazy weather week.

2.  I remember when preparing my taxes was so easy.  One income.  One form.  Now, being self-employed, dabbling in stocks, being married.  Life will never be so simple again.  GEEZ!  How many forms does one person have to fill out??  Next year, we are hiring someone to do this. 

3.   I had plans to surprise Sweetie with tickets for a show in Maui this week.  But, thanks to the fact that he told me yesterday he has to fly to Oahu to work, I had to spill part of the beans and tell him I already purchased tickets.  Hopefully he will be able to fly back in time.

4.  Lost starts again tonight!!  Wow.  Finally.  I’d be excited if the darn writers strike didn’t result in a truncated season.

5.  I am trying to finish books this year.  I am currently tearing through “Destructive Emotions.”  Part of the Mind and Life Series with the Dalai Lama.  I am also almost done with “Many Waters.”  I am hoping to blog about the books I finish this year.  Don’t get too excited.  It will still be slow going.

6.  Sweetie and I are tearing through Twin Peaks, Season 2 episodes.  Creepy goodness.  Yum!

7.  We are also still making our ways through Star Trek, Season 1.  I am happy to continue my Red Shirt Death research.

8.  I know it is horrible to quote out of context........but......my Sweetie asked me this week “You’re just waiting for this marriage to fail, aren’t you?” (something like that)  Someday, I’ll have to explain the context. Could be funny.  Could be sad.  I’m still trying to figure it out myself.

9.  I’m contemplating buying a new laptop.  Would be nice to have a non-crashing, non-sun-hot computer to work on.

10.  Sometimes I really really hate the drivers in Maui.  Really.

11.  We will be watching the Super Bowl with some friends at their house.  Should be fun, and I’m happy to root for their team (Patriots) because I really didn’t care one way or the other.  If they are going to open up their home and host a bunch of friends, the least I can do is join in the spirit. 

12.  I hate bagless vacuum cleaners. 

13.  My CD player still loves me.

1.  The USS Arizona tour is free.  You arrive, get a card for admission to the excellent 20+ minute movie, and board a boat that takes you out to the USS Arizona memorial in the harbor. 

3.  After being struck by airborne torpedoes, which ended up hitting the ammunition magazine section of the battleship, the USS Arizona battleship sunk in less than nine minutes.

4.  66 years after the explosion that destroyed Arizona, oil leaks from the hull still rise to the surface of the water. The USS Arizona continues to leak about a quart of oil per day into the harbor.  Survivors from the crew say that the oil will continue to leak until the last survivor dies

5.  The attack on Pearl Harbor sunk, beached (the USS Nevada captain ran his ship aground so it would not block the harbor entrance as it sank), or damaged 21 ships in the harbor. 

6.  Of the 21 ships, including eight battleships, that were damaged during the attack, all but three were returned salvaged, returned to service and later saw action.  The restored ships included the USS California, USS Maryland, and the USS Pennsylvania.  The USS Utah, Arizona, and Oklahoma were total losses.

7.  The damaged USS Tennessee was restored within two weeks.

8.  The USS West Virginia was raised, repaired and returned to duty in 1944.  She later won five battle stars and was present in Tokyo Bay in 1945 to witness the Japanese surrender.

9.  According to the “Casualties of World War II” chart on board the USS Missouri, there were 19 million military deaths and 50 million civilian deaths during WW II.  The civilian deaths included 15,000,000 in China and 20,000,00 in the Soviet Union and 5,600,000 in Poland.  Staggering losses of civilian life.

Sweetie and I returned to Pearl Harbor after we took my sis and family to the airport.  We paid to get admission to the USS Missouri, which is now part of the National Park system and is moored at Pearl Harbor on Ford Island.

10.  The USS Missouri saw action in World War II at the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa.  At the end of World War II, the Japanese surrender ceremony on September 2, 1945 was conducted on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bar.

11.  The USS Missouri was first decommissioned in 1955.  She was reactivated and modernized in 1984 and participated in the 1991 Gulf War.   The ship was decommissioned was March 31, 1992.

12.  The 16-inch guns on the USS Missouri are the most powerful ever mounted on a US warship and can travel 23 miles. 

13.  Visiting Pearl Harbor in person is pretty powerful.  You can read the facts and statistics.  But that cannot compare with walking through the memorial on land (including having the chance to meet Pearl Harbor survivors who sit at the tables and answer questions and share first-hand stories with you) and walking through the memorial in the harbor where the remains of the ship, and the Navy sailors remain. 

To learn more check out these sites:

http://www.nps.gov/archive/usar/home.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Arizona_(BB-39)

http://www.ussarizona.org/

http://www.ussmissouri.com/

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1.          Tops was being able to see a wolf in the Lamar Valley.  Wow!  With the help of some expert wolf-watchers we saw male wolf #302 from the Druid Pack while he was feeding on a kill in the valley.  I remember the days when the reintroduction plan was being formed.  The recovery plan, the EIS, the controversy, and finally - the release of those Canadian wolves in the Lamar Valley.  To finally see one of them in the wild, my kin of sorts, was a thrill I hope to repeat again soon.

2.         Mystic Falls.  This is a hiking trail in the Biscuit Basin.  We hiked to the falls, then farther up the hill.  There was a great lookout point of the valley.

3.         Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.  Beautiful.  With all sorts of rock formations, awesome falls, and the river way way down.

4.         Fountain Paint Pot.  This is a great geyser with that thick, paint-like consistency.  Pretty fun to watch and listen to.  We also hiked a short way to see the Artists Paintpots.  Smaller pools, but very goopey and gurgley.

5.         Beaver Ponds.  We did this hike up near Mammoth.  Fun little hike, and we were able to see several beaver ponds, dams, and even a small little beaver swimming around!

6.         West Thumb.  I liked the West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail.  There are thermal features right next to the glittering blue lake.

7.         Old Faithful.  Yup.  We had to see it.  And it was fun - fun to wait on the cold benches with fellow geyser-watchers.  Fun to hear the kids ooohing and aaahing. 

8.         Hayden Valley.  Similar to the Lamar Valley, there are lots of bison, elk and other wildlife in this valley. 

9.         Firehole Canyon Drive.  We drove down this road towards the end of the day, and it was getting dusky so we didn’t spend too much time here.  But did you know they have a swimming area down there?  Looked nice. 

10.        Jenny Lake to Inspiration Point in Grand Teton National Park.  Wow.  Jenny Lake is gorgeous and clear.  We saw lots of fish while walking around the lake.  The hike up to Inspiration Point passes Hidden Falls, which are quite nice.  The hike up is beautiful, and the panoramic view at the top is truly inspiring!

11.        Fall colors throughout Grand Teton.  This Park had much more of a profusion of color than Yellowstone.  We felt very lucky that we visited during clear, sunny skies.  There were still leaves in the Aspen, and they made that lovely rustling sound. 

12.        Yummy dinner at the Gun Barrel Steak and Game House in Jackson.  The woman at our B & B in Jackson recommended it for a nice dinner.  YUM!  Sweetie had a good rib-eye, and I dined on a big trout stuffed with crab and mushrooms.  Totally yum.

13.        The Drive around Yellowstone.  We spent a lot of time driving back and forth between hikes, visitor centers, places to eat, things to see, and our lodging.  The drives themselves were pretty awesome as you pass a multiple of landscapes.  The peaks, the valleys, the steam from the geysers, the many burnt-out areas from the 1988 fire, the streams, the waterfalls, the wildlife.  All of it was pretty spectacular. 

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1. 1. The homemade felt reindeer given to me in elementary school by Elsie, my favorite yard-duty lady.

2. My red piano

3. My green piano

4. My stained-glass piano

5. The chipmunk on a chocolate-chip cookie given to me by Janet in high school

6. The hand-painted candy cane from my old roommate’s son

7. 7. The “little girl.” When my sister and I used to decorate a tree together, we would each put up one of two little girl dolls on the tree. It was a race each year to grab the one whose head was not falling off. The other one - it was tough to place her on the tree so that her head wouldn’t roll off her stick neck. Why we didn’t just glue her head back on, I don’t know. I think we had too much fun gloating when we picked the good doll.

8. 8. My blue and white sparkly fish

9. 9. A covered wagon. There was only one so my sister and I would trade off every year. We always tried to place this on the tree next to a light to illuminate the inside of the wagon.

10. 10. Santa on skis

11. 11. Frame ornament with one my nephews inside

12. 12. Homemade ball ornaments made for me by T and my old Roomie (ok that’s two!)

13. 13. The worst-looking ornament in the world. My first-grade creation of a Styrofoam ball with a pasted Santa and a spattering of glitter.

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1. ancsweetnsassygal

2. TabithaDarling

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1. Christmas dinner at my aunt and uncle’s house as a kid when all of my cousins would chase each other around the house during the day. In the evening we opened up our presents from Uncle Harold. He was a bachelor who always requested our wish lists before Christmas, and always got us the most fantastic thing from the list.

2. My 10th birthday. I had a fun party with lots of friends and Bobby Sox teammates. I had my own cake and lots of party games.

3. Tending a secret garden - in high school, during my Senior year AP biology class - after the stress of taking the AP test was complete, we had some time before the end of the year for low-key lessons. Our teacher let us clean up the pond/garden/natural area in a small fenced-in area behind our classroom. No more memorizing the light and dark reactions of photosynthesis!

4. High school graduation - Woo hooo! I’m free!

5. Not one day (sorry!) - The weeks that I spent with my grandparents in Switzerland and France after high school graduation. I really bonded with my grandfather that trip - more than ever before. I didn’t know it was the last time I would see both of them, but we had some very memorably-perfect days during that trip.

6. The day I learned how to fly-fish in a beautiful mountain stream in Idaho with my old boyfriend and his family.

7. Thanksgiving - oh what year was that? - I flew to Texas to spend Thanksgiving with my old roommate and her husband in Del Rio Texas. Two other old roommates (one of ours and one of his) drove over from Houston, and we cooked all day, ate all night, and spent the day together in perfect camaraderie.

8. Road trip with Ice back from Boise Idaho, where we visited our old college pals. We started driving towards Nevada at dusk on July 4. As we drove on the freeway, we saw four different fireworks shows from the cities on the way. Awesome!

9. My sister’s wedding day.

10. Nephew #1’s birth. My first time in a delivery room, I watched the incredible miracle of birth. A perfectly-formed baby boy popped into the world, and I got to hold him! (after they cleaned him up)

11. Nephew #2’s birth. After a moment of panic where my sister’s brain was wiped of all birthing techniques from her previous delivery, my brother-in-law calmly walked her through the old breathing routine.

12. January 1, 2001 after a fabulous New Year’s Eve bash with the college gang. We woke up late, ate a huge breakfast in Roomie and Hubby’s kitchen and spent a picture-perfect afternoon playing Frisbee golf.

13. January 2005- My sweetie’s and my first full day together. We walked around the Presidio in San Francisco, crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, drove to Coit Tower, walked around Pier 39, and shared dinner at Fisherman’s Wharf. It was the clearest, least-windy, most-beautiful day either one of us had ever seen in San Francisco.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1.   Em

2.   ancsweetnsassygal

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1 Ancsweetnsassygal - Thirteen Healthy Foods

2. Saturn - Top 13 Video Games of the 70s and 80s (great blast from the past)

3. Cheela - 13 Reasons I Love Snow

4. The Divine Ms. Em - 13 Song Lyrics That I Always Find Myself Singing

5. Tabitha Darling - 13 Things I’d Change About the World

6. Whiskey Talking # 57 - April 2007. 13 Questions I Have (you have to scroll down to find TT post #57)

7. Who’s Yo Mama - April 2007 - Thursday Thirteen and Dreams for Maui. (have to scroll down)

8. The Urban Recluse - May 2007 - 13 Kick-Ass Heroines (pictures included!)

9. Journeywoman - March 2007 - Thirteen TV Episodes that Made me Cry.

10. More Hockey Less War - Thirteen Pieces of Music You should Really Take the Time to Hear

11. Rashenbo - January 3, 2007 - 13 Signs That You Might Be an Aspiring Writer (have to scroll down to find Jan. 3 post)

12. SciFiChick - SciFi One-Hit-Wonders

13. Me! - 13 Things Sitting on My Desk Right Now

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2. Universal Studios

Get into blockbuster thrills. Go behind-the-scenes on the world-famous studio tour for an insider’s peek at sets from your favorite movies and TV shows. Then, face heart-pounding special effects at every turn on the Revenge of the Mummy rollercoaster, raging dinosaurs in Jurassic Park and defy every dimension at Shrek 4-D, an over-the-top adventure.

then....

3. Universal Citywalk

Add a classic Hollywood finish to your day at Universal CityWalk®, with 24 great places to eat, 19 movie screens, hot night spots and more.

4. Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory is an icon of Los Angeles, a national leader in public astronomy, a beloved civic gathering place, and one of southern California's most popular attractions. The Observatory is located on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, just above the Los Feliz neighborhood. It is 1,134 feet above sea level and is visible from many parts of the Los Angeles basin.

5. Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens displays 1,200 animals from around the world. The new Sea Lion Cliffs exhibit features under-water viewing of these marine mammals. Explore a cave, discover a desert, and make contact with barn yard animals at the Winnick Family Children’s Zoo. Swing into Red Ape Rain Forest, a tropical habitat for orangutans. For more primate fun, visit Chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains, home to one of the largest troops of chimpanzees in the United States. Dragons of Komodo features the largest lizard in the world, the Komodo dragon. Highlights include koala, okapi, tiger, giraffe, lion, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, bird show, the Papiano Play Park and much more.

6. Legoland

At LEGOLAND ^® California everyone in the family becomes a hero. There are more than 50 rides, shows, and attractions.

7. Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach

Take a journey of discovery through the world’s largest ocean at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Meet more than 12,500 animals as you explore the sunny Southern California and Baja Pacific, the frigid waters of the North Pacific, and the colorful reefs of the Tropical Pacific. Shark Lagoon features a large exhibit showcasing impressive big sharks and touch pools where visitors can reach in and touch more than 150 smaller sharks.

8. Los Angeles Farmers Market also near Griffith Park.

The grocers of Farmers Market are just as well-known for their advice as they are for their fresh, flavorful products. When you visit, we hope you’ll take advantage of their expertise – cooking tips, side dish suggestions and serving advice are all available for the asking from true professionals. Enjoy your shopping – and enjoy your meal!

9. Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Explore a collection with more than 100,000 works of art at LACMA, the largest encyclopedic museum west of Chicago. Experience European masterpieces, cutting-edge contemporary art, an extensive collection of American art from the United States and Latin America, a major Islamic art collection, one of the most comprehensive Korean art collections outside of Korea, and the stunning Pavilion for Japanese art.

10. Sony Pictures Studio Tour

Take the Sony Pictures Studios Tour and step back into a legendary time. Not only is this the studio where the Yellow Brick Road once wound through Munchkin Land, it is also the place where the agents from “Men In Black” battled aliens from outer space and Spider-Man catapulted from skyscraper to skyscraper. Our dynamic tour guides will shed light on the entertainment industry with tales of days gone by and visits to sets of shows like “Jeopardy!” or “Wheel of Fortune” (pending stage availability).

11. Guinness World Records Museum

From the Largest Work of Art to the Lowest Limbo, record-breaking facts and feats are brought to life at the Guinness World Records Museum in Hollywood. The museum vividly showcases records from the great to the gross in a fun up-close look at pop culture, history and science. Ever seen someone dive 28 feet into 12 inches of water, or the toppling of 2.3 million dominoes? The best of the best in entertainment, sports, space, technology, animal acts, natural phenomena and human endeavors are featured.

12. Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana

Imaginations turn, twist and fly through 120 exciting hands-on science exhibits at Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. Recognized by its landmark 10-story solar cube, the Center features two floors of exciting areas to explore, including Dynamic Earth, Techno Arts, Discovery Stadium and Quake Zone. Guests can play a game of Virtual Volleyball, make music on a Laser Beam Harp, climb a Rock Wall, watch an indoor Geyser erupt, ride out an earthquake in the Shake Shack, participate in fun science experiments and more. Visit the life-size dinosaur exhibit featuring an interactive walk-through Argentinosaur that explains life sciences.

13. Hollywood Museum

See Rocky's boxing gloves, Marilyn Monroe's dresses, Hannibal Lecter's jail cell from "Silence of the Lambs," Elvis' favorite bathrobe, Indiana Jones' whip, Boris Karloff's mummy, Cary Grant's Rolls-Royce, Paris Hilton's party dresses, Tom Cruise's eyeball-switcher from "Minority Report" (and the eyeballs!), Nicole Kidmans' sexy outfits and swing from "Moulin Rouge!" Plus treasures from "Gone with the Wind," "I Love Lucy," "Planet of the Apes," "Star Trek," "Jaws" & more.

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1. Clue - One of my favorites. I love a good mystery.

2. Battleship - Another favorite. I really wanted the electronic version when it came out. But we had to settle for making our own sound effects.

3. Careers - This was a lesser-known board game. Don't know where we got it, but it was fun to play.

4. Life - Classic. For some reason, my victory condition was not having the most money at the end but having a carload full of kids. I was so excited when I landed on “You’ve got twins!” Don’t ask me why.

5. Chess - My sister and I were pretty well matched. We knew the moves, but not much strategy.

6. Monopoly - I wanna be the hat!

7. Boggle - Words, words, words.

8. Scrabble - More words. Another classic. Have you read Word Freak? I haven't but it sounds great.

9. Othello (reversi) - The board game we had was called Othello.

10. Nine Men’s Morris or Muhlespiel in German - I had to look this one up. My sister and I learned it from our grandmother in Switzerland and I think we brought our board back from there. I never knew/remembered the name.

11. Operation - This game made me nervous. I knew I was not destined to be a surgeon.

12. Yahtzee - This was the PERFECT camping game. Compact. Easy to play at a campsite picnic table. Mom, Big Sis and I played this all the time camping.

13. Sorry- When I think of this game, I think of the old Carol Burnett sketch with the Mama character playing Sorry. Ssooooorrryyyyyy!! Wait....here it is. At least the first five minutes. The rest of the sketch is not so much about the game.

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1. Played with my nephews at Mom/Grammy’s house. My youngest nephew spent a couple of mornings with Mom and me. We played a few rousing games of Duck, Duck, Goose.

2. Celebrated my birthday with the family. Lots of food, lots of presents, and a huge chocolate cake. Can’t beat that! I got some books off my Amazon Wish List! - Zermatt and Healing Emotions: Conversations with the Dalai Lama on Mindfulness, Emotions, and Health. Love my new Dalai Lama book!

3. Spent a couple of days in Reno with Mom and Big Sis. I was not the overall winner for this trip, but we all had fun since we have not stayed up there in a while.

4. Picked up my Sweetie at the Oakland airport. Honest to pete, do you have any idea how long that airport has been under construction??! Maybe because I never see anyone actually WORKING on anything there. Just a ton of closed lanes and meandering pedestrian “walk*ways. Will someone please speed these people up??? One single vehicle lane heading to the terminals is unacceptable!

5. Attended Lirpa’s graduation celebration in San Francisco. Our awesome pal (did I mention she’s the one who introduced us?) finished the immensely admirable task of getting her Masters in Social Work, while working full time. How? Who knows! But she pulled through and hosted her own celebration at a bar in the city. We were more than happy to help her celebrate her hard work!

6. Talked to more potential wedding florists. We think we have our choice picked out for the wedding. The estimates we got were pretty similar. So, it’s just a matter of who we like best. I think I will not pick the woman who kept talking about getting red roses. Red is not one of our colors. I said “Not red” a few times, but she kept talking about red. Hello!?

7. Shared dinner with Sweetie’s aunt, uncle, and cousins. We even gave his aunt and uncle several days’ notice this time! They are always great at accommodating drop-in guests. Theirs is the house that everyone seems to gravitate to - their kids’ friends especially. And they always manage to feed anyone who stops by with a smile and some parental affection. How? I have no idea, but I sure appreciate it!

8. Shared dinner with Sweetie’s grandfather and mom, my soon-to-be mother-in-law. I know I mentioned this before, but I really lucked out in the future in-law category. Like all the marriage stars smiled upon me and said “For being so patient in looking for your perfect husband, we will grant you the best in-law family of all time.” Don’t think I don’t appreciate such a thing! I’ve heard stories.

9. Dropped off Sweetie at the Oakland Airport. See #4 above...grrrrrrrr...

10. Visited the family cemetery. One day before Memorial Day, I visited Dad and all my aunts and uncles. Was a little misty in Colma and all the American flags that had been placed on the graves of many soldiers nearby were flapping wildly.

11. Worked, and met with my old boss to get more work. Hooray! Work is good. Got a wedding to pay for, ya know.

12. Watched my older nephew’s baseball game. So much fun! It’s a young team (he is 7), so there was a variety of skill sets as they all learn to bat and field. Baseball is now my nephew’s favorite sport, and he is doing great!

13. Sweetie and I had lunch at Dos! No matter how short or long the trip to the area, we always always get our Dos. Have you had your Dos today?

1. Rashenbo

2. Ancsweetnsassygal

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Negative

1. I said my first swear word out loud. Source: On Golden Pond (the movie)

In elementary school, I knew that the “B” word and the “F” word and the “S” word were not good. So I never used them. Until I watched On Golden Pond, and listened to the grandson repeat “Bullshit” over and over again. I remembered Henry Fonda saying “You like that word, bullshit, don’t you?” I thought to myself “If I am just quoting a movie line, it’s ok to say it.” And so, I repeated that line out loud. I said it to my friends at school.......thinking, I’m not really swearing. Once I got used to saying the word out loud, I became comfortable with it, and it was just a matter of time before it became part of my regular speech. And a potty mouth was born.

2. Dammit must not be that bad of a word. Source: Three’s Company.