Fishpond Field trip

Before I get into my fishpond work... a couple of things.

One, my teacher made this comment and I will never look at certain homeless the same. In a video we watched homeless were portrayed as modern day foragers. I'm not sure about all homeless everywhere but here in Hawaii... I can see that connection. Since Hawaii has a pretty decent recycling program, one always sees the homeless digging through trash bins and collecting cans or other recyclables items to sell back for cash. Not only that, these people are extremely inventive in taking stuff most of us discard and using it for themselves.

Two, dating is going cause me to gain weight :P

Three, I am getting too old to stay out past 2am at clubs and bars, drink, get less than 3 hours asleep, and NOT expect my body to stage a full muscle revolt when I get up early, eat junk, go and move BIG coral rocks all morning!

...on that note on to the field trip :D

Today I went to the He'eia Loko I'a. In my anthropology class, Culture Religion and Environment, we are required to go to a lowland, a midland, and highland historical Hawaiian site. These sites give us a look at how the native Hawaiians were so GOOD when it came to working the land and sustainability. Actually, good is an understatement.

This is my second trip to a fishpond and the ingenuity of the people is just amazing.

I'm not going to go through the history of the fishponds, you can check out the website for that.

It was an early morning for me and I met a classmate at the mall so we could car pool, and it's always helpful to be with someone else when trying to look for a place. While waiting in my car I was joined by a rooster, yes a rooster in the mall parking lot! Actually there are a lot of chickens at this mall and on the backside there is a graveyard. It's weird but you go with it, have a chuckle and press on. My classmate showed up and we were off, and suprising enough the place was easy to find! YEAH. We sat around waiting for everyone to show up and I was drinking lots and lots of water.

To start the day we all got into a circle and held hands and one of the guys said a Hawaiian prayer. Not sure what was said but listening to Hawaiian language is nice and pretty. We said "amen" and the schooling began. This time they I actually got to hear a little something about the fishpond. It took them 8 years to get ride of some of the mangroves, something that was brought in. Once they got rid of the mangroves... native plants just started to show up and flourish. They are using the fishpond to grow some fish, but they are still working on the wall and that's what we helped with. One group on one side, the other group on the other... we put coral and a little boat and sent the stuff over. Simple stuff but hard work. Those coral pieces were BIG. Some of them were so big I didn't even try to carry them.

It was slightly over cast and there was a nice breeze so it wasn't overly hot in the morning. The physical work and the fresh hair did help alleviate my hangover. Afterwords we had lunch at the site which I inhaled! Gave a girl a ride home and we had a good chat. We talked about how we feel about relationships and what we are doing (she's in her late 20's). It was nice to find yet another person that feels the same way I do about certain things. Once I got home I showered and passed out for four hours! It was heaven. Then up and out for a dinner date and then we rented a movie. It was a long day, but a very good day.

Today is Valentine's Day (I started this yesterday). I just got my coffee and it's 9:30. I'm happy and looking forward to the day. I don't have anything going on but things that I want to do.... and need to do, school work doesn't get a day off and I haven't done anything in a couple of days :( I love having a day with no expectations, specially when I'm content happy and at peace. I can't ask more than that :D