Taco Rice, Cosmopolitans and Political Incorrectness in the Jungle

Thank you to everyone who sent birthday wishes!  On Sunday we went to watch some dragonboat races down the block from our house.  It was steaming hot out, and there was a festival going on. They had booths selling tasty sweet-potato flavored icies, and ramen.  Hot ramen.  I don't know about you, but when I think of summer festival in 90 degree heat, the last thing I want is to slurp some ramen.  But then, I'm not Japanese. 

Our motto on this island is, "Why not?"  Why would you put a car dealership on beach front property? Why not?  Why would you sell tacos in the form of sushi rolls, wrapped in seaweed and rice instead of tortillas? Why not? 

After the dragon boat festival, John and I had a little Cocktail party at our house and then about 10 of us dressed up in dresses and heels to go see Sex & the City the movie.  There were cosmopolitans. There were tears shed. Mainly female tears. It was a grand ole time. 

Feeling like crossing into a new decade is cause for reflection, I was looking for bits of wisdom in the subtext of the movie and came to a couple conclusions:

1. Laughter really can cure any ill. 

2. Loyal friends are truly a blessing and not to be taken for granted. 

3. Truly fantastic fashion, although superficial, really does make me happy. 

4. Life is not linear, it is wonderfully spherical. Life is wide open in ways you can't imagine if you just step from the path you thought you should be traveling 

5. 30 is soooo far from old. It's not even in the same area code.

We finished boot camp last week, and I can't believe I did it.  Final results - 1.5 mile run in 14:02 (and that was in asthma-inducing 85 degree humidity) - and I went from 35 push-ups in a minute to 80, brandishing me the PUSH-UP CHAMPION...ROAR!!  Okay, I admit these were girl-pushups (knees, not toes), but I can bust out at least 30 real ones in a minute, and that is better than my before-bootcamp number, which was zero. My victory won me a lovely Nike purse.  I loved my group and trainer, and we really supported each other a lot, which is the only way we made it through 8 straight weeks. I may have an athletic gene after all.

Our friendly neighbor Lauren was recently promoted to 1st Lieutenant, and she threw a fantastic Jungle themed party.  Relishing any opportunity to don some body paint, I did a cheetah/Wilma Flinstone combo.

John, preferring the thinking-man's costume, dressed as a traveling Mormon, tragically wounded with an native's arrow.

There was some debate as to where his costume ranked on the political incorrectness scale, but we determined that it was like the proverbial tree in the forrest - if no Mormon's were at the bar to be offended, it wasn't offensive.

1st Lt. Lauren Calhoun on the left.

We're off to the Tsuboya district of Naha to check out the Okinawan Pottery. Then perhaps some afternoon snorkeling at high tide. Cause why not?