Wow, I'm cool....

Ok, so it's been two weeks, pretty much.....I am bad at this whole update-every-few-days thing.

So right now life is going pretty good. There's a few catches here and there, but overall I'm really pleased with everything.

I've decided (and I realize that it is possible that I could change my mind, but not likely) to go home to Bellingham after this semester is over, and not return for Winter 2008 semester. I really really love it here in Hawaii, but, for a great myriad of reasons, I would feel even better returning home. I'm going to miss a few people here, but not many. I don't really have any fantastically close friends here like I do at home. There's people I love to hang out with and talk to, but not really anyone I would miss like I miss Heather and Ryan....not that that helps, seeing as Ryan is returning to BYUI in January... Maybe if I get bored, I will post a blog listing all the reasons I feel like leaving BYUH....that would be a long blog to read....kinda like this one is about to be....

Monday, Staisha and Thomas and I went to Kane'ohe to Windward Mall, because we needed to get out of La'ie, and, as usual, Staisha and I ended up in Jeans Warehouse and I bought a few new shirts, because they were 2 for $10 and I thought they were really cute, and I felt like "splurging." If I could change one thing about Bellingham, I would definately add a huge Jeans Warehouse onto the mall or somewhere.... I love that store.

Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty much uneventful. In sign language, we learned religious signs, and we learned how to pray....which is definately my favorite thing about that whole class so far. I can't wait to improve my vocabulary. :D

Thanksgiving was awesome for me....my ward had an Ohana dinner and fun games and activities for about 6 hours of the day.... I only stayed for an hour or an hour and a half....and then I went with a few of my friends to the beach and worked on our tans and went swimming and stuff......and we went swimming with sea turtles!!! That was definately one of the coolest things I've done in Hawai'i. After our beach escapade, we went over to Alan's and watched a movie, but I don't remember which one, because we watch one or two a night when we go over there, and the nights all sort of run together.

Friday a few of my friends and I got on the bus and went to town! Well, first, we stopped in Kane'ohe at the Windward Mall and did some shopping, because it was BLACK FRIDAY, and I AM IN LOVE with shopping on Black Friday. For example, Staisha and I went into Jeans Warehouse (which is the newest big threat to my wallet) and we came out a few hours later with bags of clothing and having only spent around $18.... because all their normal things that were on sale were 75% off of the red-tag, so some of the shirts were $1.50.....crazy! And there were some cool undershirts that were buy-one-get-one-free, so I took advantage of that.... I wanted to stop by there again on our way home from Ala Moana and get some other shirts that I couldn't decide about, but I spent too much money by the end of the day, so Staisha wouldn't let me stop. Anyway, at Windward, we also discovered a store that doesn't sell anything for more than $10, and so I bought a really cute shirt from them too...which is funny, because that shirt was on display at Jeans Warehouse for the same price, but I couldn't find them on the racks anywhere....so that was exciting. Then after we were done at Windward, we got back on the bus and went into Honolulu/Waikiki to the Ala Moana Shopping Center.....and I honestly thought that I didn't buy a single thing there....I was really proud of myself.....but then I realized that we went to the Jeans Warehouse at Ala Moana as well, and I bought I think around $30 MORE in shirts.....but they were really cute, and I feel like I need a wardrobe re-vamping, so I don't regret it....I just have to put in some hours at work this week! Haha! Then we walked downtown a little bit to the WalMart (I hadn't been to that one yet) and I ended up doing Christmas shopping and spending over $100!!! Not a good thing! But now I have like, half my christmas shopping done, so that makes me happy.

Saturday, Leilani and I got on the bus after lunch and we went the opposite direction (around the north shore) and went adventuring. We stopped at Shark's Cove and got an Acai bowl that was absolutely DIVINE and we split that.....and then we went shopping at their foodland.....and then we got back on the bus and went to Haleiwa and went window-shopping and got shave ice from Matsumoto's. I did not buy anything that day besides food....I was extremely proud of myself. When we got back to La'ie, I met up with Jake and Alan and Thomas and Katie and we went to see August Rush....which is a fantastic movie.... and then we went to Alan's house and tried to freak ourselves out by watching an edited version of "Thirteen Ghosts", but it didn't work. Edited horror movies do not work. Then Encino Man was on TV, so we watched that, and Thomas and Katie left and Jake fell asleep, so it was just Alan and me and so we just sat and talked for quite a while, and I found his tickle-spots, so we had a tickle-war....that was fun.

So that was my Thanksgiving weekend....not a lot of energy, but a lot of fun....it was really great having a few days off school. I feel like I can survive the next 3 weeks now. I can't believe in 3 weeks I'm going home and I'm not coming back. AHhh! It makes me want to skip all the rest of my classes and go be a complete tourist and do everything there is to do on O'ahu that I haven't done yet before I go home.

The rest of this week will be full of travel plans around the island, because my bus pass expires at the end of the month, so I've gotta use it as much as possible....