Happy New Year

For New Years we went to Ofu for three nights. There was a really good group of 11 that made it. It was a big hassle to get the "airline" to fly us over and back when we wanted. Luckily Ofu Jim was able to convince them to come to their senses. Jim's parents own the lodge at Ofu.
So we went to the airport and after talking with an employee with a plastic sword, learned that our tickets would work and we could go to Ofu. We got the tiny plane.


I was seated directly behind the pilot.


Surprisingly, the flight was pretty smooth and we made it there with no problems at all. The landing is still scary though.


We stayed at the Lodge again. That is just a very nice and super relaxing place with a huge yard with hammocks right by the ocean.



We spent most of the first day hanging out at the beach right by the lodge:


At sunset, just before dinner, we walked down the beach and took some pictures.


You can see the island of Ta'u in the distance.


They do nuclear testing nearby:

OK, its just the sun:




A few weeks ago Naomi did some fashion modeling at a show here on the island. Here is another attempt at runway model:


The next day we went to the bridge. Randall is a guy doing construction on the island. He took us down there in his truck:






Hanging out at the bridge is great. It is just a wonderful spot between Ofu and Olesega islands:





Then back to the lodge for some more chilling out:


The next day was New Years Eve. Some of the group went for a hike up the mountain without a real trail. Some of us didn't want to be exhausted for NYE, so we drove over to Olesega


we got some wood for a bonfire:


and drove around Ofu, hanging out/swimming at different places.




But some of the group went bushwhacking up the mountain instead:





Right after they finally got back from fighting the jungle, there was a waterspout. I've now seen a tornado or waterspout 2 times and both on Ofu:

After they got back, they declared 2008, "The Year of Not Alden" for Alden forgetting to tell them where to go on the trail at the top, since they didn't make it to the viewpoint.

Then we went snorkeling and hanging out at the National Park Beach, which is about a 5 minute drive from the lodge. It is the best snorkeling I've ever seen; just ridiculous.



That night we had another good dinner and then had some drinks:




Before midnight, everyone was at the bonfire.




After midnight, we went for a swim in the bathwater temperature ocean to start 2008.

Speichers are gone

Jeff and Meredith have left the island now. That is pretty sad, but at least they are just moving to Hawaii, and they have done their time here.

It has kind of been a bloodbath of people leaving. I think soon it'll kind of be more constant for a while.
Risa, Maximo, Ayla, and Leti leave fairly soon, then nobody til summer I think.

J&M will be missed though. Meredith is great and Jeff might be the funniest guy I've ever met.

Christmas

Christmas eve most of the palagis I know came over to my house.

There were tons of presents for a gift exchange.

And we had tons of food (with meat cartel prime rib and a deep fried turkey) and plenty to drink (including 2 kinds of mulled wine- Risa's was better than mine).

There was also a Christmas Eve Yard Bonfire:

Rich brought some fake snow for Cliff and Julia's kids Everett and Simon to play with:

Everett made a snow angel out of fake snow on top of fake grass:

Then we got to the gift exchange.

Ruth scored some vodka, but I think Maximo stole it from her later.



It was a very nice evening and I think everyone had a good time. If you can't be with your family for Christmas, this was a really good substitute.

Christmas morning, Sleep Giraffe got the pulatasi made from clown material that she wanted along with a giraffe bouncy ball to hit around:


Djali was dressed up like Santa, but looking for her presents:

Naomi's friends Dona:

and Caitlin:

came down to American Samoa for Christmas as well.


Djali was happy with her goat bouncy ball.


Merry Christmas!

Palagi Beach/ Bar Assn. Christmas Party

Sorry, I've been not only bad about blogging but also reading and returning emails. I had a few trials scheduled for the past several weeks and one of them actually went to trial. Luckily the jury found the guy guilty . But, now I don't have any trials until after I get back from New Zealand.

Every government department here is supposed to put on a Christmas singing program (pese) and perform it for the governor at the outdoor theater in town. This lasts about 5 hours per night for three nights. It is also usually mandatory that everyone go to practice beforehand. Some departments practiced far longer than the AG's office, but ours was 3 weeks, every work day. The first week, practice was from 1-4pm each day. Then it was 2-4 and finally, it was just 2-3 the last week. I could only make it to one practice because I was actually busy. I assumed that the memo we got that practice was "mandatory" did not include me putting off getting ready for jury trials to sing. (I'm probably wrong, but I didn't hear anything about it.) Anyway, every department has their own uniforms that they make up. Here is Amity with Alden- Alden is in his pese uniform:


and here is Risa in hers:

OK, here's mine (this picture was actually from Christmas Eve and stolen from Liz's blog, but same outfit):


As you can see, my getup is much more ridiculous and ugly than other uniforms. But that was kind of fun going down there and doing it. Everyone gets really into it. The only bad thing was I didn't get home til about midnight. We were supposed to go on at 8, but really went on about 11. I hadn't eaten yet either. Carl's Jr. saved me.

We also had our bar association Christmas party. Against my protests and without any consultation (I was on the Christmas party committee) it was booked at the Yacht Club. The Yacht Club is kind of cool because it has a section that is open air and by the water, but it is kind of not cool because their food is TERRRRRRIBLE. I got the "prime rib". It was actually cold roast beef. This came with a potato that must have been boiled for about 25 seconds and a dash of sour cream.



The "shrimp pasta" was the other option. It came with no sauce and three shrimps on top of the pasta. Seriously.
Doug picked up a girlfriend there though:

The Christmas decorating of churches here is insane. Check out this one for example:



The next day after that party, we went to Palagi Beach. I'd never been there before and was really impressed. You have to hike through the woods, traversing a small mudslide for about 30 minutes to get there.
mmmmm...leptospirosis:


Then you come out of the woods and it is just around a little point to the beach:

There was a really good turnout, the weather was great, the beach was great, and someone even packed a grill and charcoal.
Pirate Chris' brother Sean and Phil Murphy jumped off this rock:




If you keep walking past that beach, maybe 15 minutes later there's another smaller beach and an island off shore.

A little ways past that, there's another island not too far off shore. This is the most southwesterly point in the US. Between this island and the point of the "mainland", waves roll in. It is the only place I have seen so far in American Samoa where you can go out and play in the waves and not get smashed onto a reef. I was in there with the waves for a long time.

I think Palagi Beach is probably my new favorite place on the island.

Seahawks

NFC West Champions 4 years in a row. If only the Seahawks could be as good as, say, the Raiders. The Raiders don't mess around. When they want a top 5 draft pick every year, they know how do get it done and they succeed. Today, the Raiders also clinched a Division Championship (for Green Bay)





My Vonage is fixed. 206.501.2135

I may have made a terrible scheduling error. I wasn't taking the Super Bowl into consideration when I made reservations months ago for hiking the Milford Track. I'll be on day 3 of the hike when the Seahawks take care of the Patriots. I'll have to figure something out.

Terrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible!!!!

I can't believe the Huskies came back in that one. I was just sitting here listening to the Husky game. Man, that is just awful! To come back like that, then hit all those 3s, Brockman to tie up the ball, then Dentmon to hit that shot and have it overturned on a replay. I feel like I'm going to vomit.
Doesn't it seem like we have way more than our share of things like this?:
UConn 2x
Louisville
Ortege Jenkins
M's 00 & 01
about 5 football losses this year
Super Bowl (I almost puked again)

Fun with Google Earth

Look how far away from anything this place is:
(click on these to zoom in)


Here's the general neighborhood. It is about a 3 hour flight from Apia to Suva, Fiji (not that I've been there yet):

Here's Tutuila with some places noted

You can even pick out my house:


I bought my first plastic Christmas tree ever.




They have real trees available here, but they're $75.

Movie Reviews:

Reno 911
It sucks. I wanted to like it because I like the show. I think they should have just kept it in Reno and just made a longer episode that they could swear in. 2.5

The Great Raid
This is a pretty good war movie. It isn't as good as Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers or anything, but it certainly is worth watching. Plus it covers a part of WWII that doesn't have tons of movies about it. 6.5

Willingham:
I think (after calming down a little) that giving him another year is the best thing for the program. They certainly blew lots of leads and chances and that was extremely frustrating. But, they also had the #1 toughest schedule in the country and if things would have gone a little differently (ahem, better 2nd half game coaching), they easily could have gone to a bowl game. Plus, the recruiting class looks really good. Hopefully we'll be much better next year. And if we're not better, hopefully Mora is still hanging around. Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and BYU for non-league next year is pretty tough again(ok, ND sucks; I mean really really really sucks). I think I'll try to make it back for Oklahoma or Notre Dame.