Living the Dream Down in Ewa Beach

It’s been almost a year since we left Southern Oregon to pursue our lifelong dream of a coastal life. After spending most of our lives wishing we lived near the beach, my husband and I realized that we were at a turning point in our lives and careers. It was time to put up or shut up, either we leave the stability of successful careers, friends and family and completely start over again or give up our dream, and wait patiently for 15 years and ultimately retirement. We both realized that we were quickly approaching that point of no return, that point where waiting any longer would make it that much more challenging to leave-- and so we finally decided it was time. This wasn’t the first time. We almost moved to Maui a few years ago. An opportunity arose and we almost jumped on it, but our children weren’t completely on board, and we felt we couldn’t make such a drastic move without everyone in agreement. After all, this move would affect them just as profoundly as it affects us. Luckily the second time around our kids were both just as excited about the prospect of a new adventure as we were, and we decided at last, it was time.

Well, we have met that year milestone. Yep, we have officially been in Hawaii for a whole year. (On average most people that move from the mainland to Hawaii move back within two years) Funny thing is I almost didn't even notice. Life has been good, great even. There has been a lot of adjusting but I think we are fitting in just fine. We moved from Kapolei to Ewa Beach a few months back with the purchase of our home here. And since we moved in, or before actually, it has been a whole lot of work. Fixing up a fixer can be all consuming, but it's worth it and I love our home. And at some point it will be done...maybe.

It’s amazing the street cred you get from local people when they discover you live on Ewa Beach Road. Generally when a haole says they live in Ewa Beach they mean Ewa Gentry, a planned pristine, cookie-cutter, community on the other side of Ewa Beach. Ewa Beach Road has an eclectic mix of residents nestled along a mile long oceanfront road sandwiched by the Pacific Ocean and government owned property. I think it is an ideal snapshot of true local living. All races, ages and tax brackets.

"Living the dream down in Ewa Beach" is a bit of a joke between my husband and I. When friends or coworkers find out that we live on Ewa Beach Road, they usually say, really?
I have to admit that the first time I laid eyes on Ewa Beach I was not impressed. We were on the search, scouring our new island for a little place to purchase. A little place as close to beachfront as we could afford. I was put off by the fact that so many of the homes in Ewa Beach suffer from neglect, disrepair and clutter. It seemed so tired and used up. How did these people not realize where they lived?

So what changed you might ask? I did. And Ewa Beach began to grow on me. And the local life. And I have no complaints, well except maybe for the neighbor boys who ride their extremely whiney mopeds up and down the street. But the fact of the matter is-- we live on the beach, just steps to the sand. We're all good... and living the dream.

Hello Again

Hello again.

I am back from the brink.

The last few months have been consumed with work, moving, renovating, life.

I plan to redirect my efforts towards my writing and hope to flesh out my second novel this summer. My characters have been calling to me (one from the depths of an icy river) and I can not wait to find out what they want to tell me. Your are more than welcome to join me on this new adventure...

NEWSFLASH: a DearEditor.com “FREE Fiction Edit” Giveaway

NEWSFLASH: a DearEditor.com “FREE Fiction Edit” Giveaway

What's In A Name?

So I changed my name when I was thirteen.

It wasn't the first time.

When I was five and my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Rummel refused to call me Danielle and insisted upon calling me Daniel, I marched straight home and demanded that from that day forth I would use my middle name, Kelly, while at school. You see there was another kid in my class named Daniel and he was a boy! I really loved the way Daniel folded his construction paper, but I digress...

My stint as "Kelly" was short lived, I think after all the commotion I caused and steps that I had taken to be referred to a Kelly was a little enlightening for dear Mrs. Rummel, and she finally figured out my very challenging pronunciation. (Can you imagine? I was only 5!)

The second time I changed my name was on my terms. I was thirteen and about to embark on the wonderful world of employment. I applied for my work permit from the State of California and made my very first visit to the social security office. When I went into the social security office the lady behind the counter asked me my name and I said, Dani, Dani Hawkins... and it was so.

In hindsight I'm a little confused at the apparent lax of the social security office, did I have to bring my birth certificate? Did it not matter that they were different? That one choice that I made at 13 has compounded over the last 25 years. When I got my driver's license three years later, I chose Dani once again. But all my formal education, including college, was experienced as Danielle. First as Danielle Hawkins and then as Danielle Pisors. Every paycheck, come to think of it, even that very first paycheck from Lake Don Pedro (where I made a whopping $3.35 an hour) was made out to Danielle Pisors.

I purchased a home as Danielle Pisors, I file tax returns every year as Danielle Pisors.

When my husband and I took a trip to Mexico in 2001 I had the first "issue" with my name. My plane ticket was reserved as Danielle Pisors and my drivers license said Dani. Oops. I had to pay a notary public in the airport an arm and a leg to approve an Affidavit of Citizenship so I could leave (and return to) the country.

After that I was careful to buy plane tickets as Dani just to avoid those little hiccups.

When I applied for my U.S. Passport for a trip to Costa Rica I was careful to apply as Dani Pisors. Was I now Dani Pisors? I still have a birth certificate that says otherwise.

The reason all this is coming up now is because my new state will only hire me as Dani Pisors. This is weird to me. Phoenix-Talent School District, Ashland School District and Medford School District all hired me as Danielle Pisors. They didn't seem to have an issue with what was on my driver's license or social security card. Huh?

The thing that seems weirdest to me is that my friends call me Dani, and I love it. But I have always been known professionally as Danielle.

Am I now officially Dani? And if so where did Danielle go?

DearEditor.com Giveaway! Don't miss it!

NEWSFLASH: a DearEditor.com Giveaway – a FREE YA/MG EDITposted 1/19/11 January 19th, 2011 by DearEditorAdmin
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Dear Readers…
To celebrate the completion of her manuscript for Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies, the Editor is giving away a FREE Substantive Edit of one YA or MG fiction manuscript. Deadline: January 31, 2011. Read on for rules….
Dear Readers…
I always urge writers to celebrate when they complete a draft because that’s a really big deal, and today I’m taking my own advice: I just sent the manuscript for Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies to my editor and I’m celebrating with everyone by giving away a free Substantive Edit* of one Young Adult or Middle Grade fiction manuscript. Here are the rules:
1. Your manuscript must be YOUNG ADULT OR MIDDLE GRADE FICTION.
2. Your manuscript must be COMPLETE.
3. Your manuscript SHALL NOT EXCEED 80,000 WORDS

12 Days of Christmas Local Style

(The 12 Days of Christmas local style)- by Eaton B. Magoon Jr., Edward Kenny, Gordon N. Phelps

Numbah One day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, One mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Two day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, Two coconut, an' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Tree day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, Tree dry squid, two coconut, An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Foah day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, Foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut, An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Five day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, Five beeg fat peeg... foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut, An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Seex day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, Seex hula lesson, five beeg fat peeg (that make TEN!),Foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Seven day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, Seven shrimp a-swimmin', seex hula lesson, Five beeg fat peeg, foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut, An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Eight day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, Eight ukulele, seven shrimp a-swimmin', seex hula lesson, Five beeg fat peeg (that make TWENNY!), foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut, An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Nine day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, Nine pound of poi, eight ukulele, seven shrimp a-swimmin', Seex hula lesson, five beeg fat peeg, foah flowah let, tree dry squid, two coconut, An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Ten day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, Ten can of beer, nine pound of poi, eight ukuklele, seven shrimp a-swimmin'Seex hula lesson, five beeg fat peeg, Foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut, An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Eleven day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, Eleven missionary, ten can of beer, nine pound of poi, Eight ukulele, seven shrimp a-swimmin', seex hula lesson, Five beeg fat peeg, foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut, An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

(Numbah Twelve day of Christmas the bes', and the bes' stuff always come las'...)
Numbah Twelve day of Christmas, my tutu give to me, Twelve TELEVISION, eleven missionary, ten can of beer, Nine pound of poi, eight ukulele, seven shrimp a-swimmin', Seex hula lesson, FORTY steenkin' peeg, Foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut, An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree!

Music and lyrics published by Hawaiian Recording and Publishing Company, Inc., and copyrighted in 1959.

Living in Hawaii So Far

So we've been living here in Hawaii for about two and a half months now. It has been a ginormous adjustment. But most of the challenges we've had to deal with would be challenges no matter where we moved.

Par for the course, moving is hard.

Leaving behind friends is the biggest challenge, for myself as well as my children. But my kids seem to be doing okay, as well as can be expected considering they've only been here for a couple months. As with all things time will help.

Isolation is definitely a huge aspect of such a relocation. All of our friends and family are so far away that I do truly feel cut off from my old life. The time zone doesn't help matters. Suddenly I'll feel like I need to talk to someone only to realize that with the time difference it would be terribly inconvenient for me to call right then. Days will go by and missed opportunities, and that in itself is sad.

Life here is beautiful though. There is sun everyday. Really hot sun. And the ocean is always cool and refreshing. With Thanksgiving approaching it is bizarre for it to still be in the high 80s. It's really weird, it just doesn't feel like Thanksgiving. It feels like summer break. I think the holidays will be a new challenge for the kids, I think they will be missing noisy extended family celebrations... (and how on earth will I cook a turkey for six hours in this heat?)

With all this isolation comes a new closeness in our family. All we have is each other and so we spend more quality time together, exploring our island and just being together. It's really nice. I have such a wonderful family. I am truly blessed.

Being haole is not necessarily an easy thing. Sometimes it's a non-issue and then other times it is uncomfortably obvious that we are outsiders. I love Hawaiians. I love their sense of ohana and their fierce self worth (only the Hawaiian way is right). I love the way they speak, even though I can only catch every third word or so. Sometimes I truly feel like a foreigner.

The beaches are amazing here. We have been exploring the waters on all sides of Oahu. The ocean has become our playground. Surfing and paddle boarding and snorkeling are our favorite pass times. I love the way my children have already gained a new appreciation for the ocean and the creatures that live there. And how so easily they've become comfortable in the sea. This is what I've always wanted, an ocean lifestyle. I look forward to our mastery of spear fishing and shore fishing. (Although I'd much rather capture them on film.) I hope to learn to surf with grace. I hope to find a cute little house somewhere a little cooler than Kapolei and slowly renovate it inside and out. And to garden, oh to garden, here where everything grows and it's summer forever.