Economy, Swine Flu, and Environment (a review).

I actually had a great week of work in Hawaii!  Finally, I was able to better manage work-life balance while over there, having promised myself to not overbook and drive myself crazy.  Wahoo for balance!

Sun vs. Leslie*

Sun wins...jerk!

It was a bit odd to be traveling out of state during this crazy "swine" flu pandemic, as I'm sure some of you may relate to.  Not necessarily because I'm more scared of this flu vs others...mostly because of the added anxiety it has added to crazed travelers!  MAJOR eye daggers left and right if anybody sneezed or mini-coughed into their hankies.  Accusatory glances at those who looked tired, haggard, or "sick".  The fact that I was essentially trapped in a large, tin petri dish of an airplane for over 10 hours in one week was definitely unnerving.  You know, trapped with hundreds of others who I imagined to be traveling from one vacation spot to the next.  From their vacation estate in Mexico City to their beach house in Maui.  From one unvaccinated carrier to another.  No es bueno!!

--Sigh.  Poor Mexico is getting such a bum rap and I have too much of an active imagination.--

Surfing Lesson.

View from up top.

Surfing Equipment.

View from down below.

State of Hawaii officials had not received any cases of "swine" flu as of press time and were hopeful that that travelers who were freaking out and canceling their summertime vacations in Cabo, Acapulco, etc., were instead rescheduling for this hopping island location.  Well, not grossly hopeful in a sick+distasteful way...they phrased it much more appropriately than I.  The Department of Tourism has been reporting an increase in the hotel and dining industry as of late, but the state is still very behind in annual revenue, having been terribly hit by the times.  :(

View of the Duke Lagoon from my window.

Daytime.

View of the Duke Lagoon from my window.

Nightime.  

No...dusk?  

Twilight?

What term describes this time of day/night??

omg, i am so not smarter than a 5th grader.

I'm impressed with my hotel for sticking it out and surviving the tougher times as they were only @ 30% capacity last time I was there and were operating @ 99.6% in April.  Hooray!  The personal downside of this increased population?  No alarm clock (what?), room service took over an hour, and I couldn't get a maintenance person regardless of how many times I called.  The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentists ruled the roost and kept me away from my 10pm grilled cheese, dammit!  How dare they!  :)

On total side note, I tried to limit my carbon impact (sorry, Jocelyn) by:

• Keeping the DoNotDisturb sign on my door for the week, thereby reducing the need to utilize resources to vacuum, change sheets, and do whatever else they do.
  
• Completely turning off my air conditioner every time I left the room.
• Mostly using the naturally mild weather conditions to maintain comfortable temps.
• Making sure to unplug my computer and cell phone charger when done.
• Bringing a reusable water bottle and coffee cup from home to fill up @ Starbucks each morning!  

Happy Tuesday, folks.

*not usually one for putting up boob-shots of myself on the 'net.  didn't really get sunburnt anywhere else though and HAD to share!