on fire

so i use that title loosely, there was an actual fire, but no one was hurt & i think it was contained fairly quickly...... but jeff's photo was used on the website for guam pacific daily news website (local paper), as well as defense imagery website......

it was a crazy day yesterday, aside from accompanying him on said fire photoshoot (it was lunch time & he got the call as i was picking him up- side note, i got us to the fire before the ambulance, not bad huh?) anyway, this week the base is in exercise mode & jeff has the alert photo phone, so busy, busy, busy.....

so the day was mild considering it was the fire & i think 2 other shoots during the day, but at night the phone kept ringing. situation #1 was around 8pm, then #2 around 10:30pm right after we had fallen asleep..... no biggie though, it only took him around a half hour. so he gets back in bed & we're asleep again & then another call about situation #3 at 11:40ish. so jeff gets dressed again & drives out to the location only to find out situation #3 was the same incident he had just taken photos of, aka situation #2. (someone somewhere needs to get it together).... so yes, after already leaving to shoot 2 times already, jeff had to get out of bed again & go shoot the same situation #2 now known as situation #3, again..... ok, so he gets back & tries to fall back asleep, then..... yes there is more....... a call at around 1am for situation #4..... so my poor husband gets out of bed for the 3rd time & starts getting dressed. well his captain calls & says the event already took place & there is no need for jeff to drive out there. whew! some relief!

can we say "high demand?" it's funny because from what i've heard you gotta expect to get some calls in the middle of the night when you're on alert photo, but not too often does it happen 4 times in one night- twice being for the same thing!

here's a link to one of his fire shots.... the photo above is jeff's too.......

my 4 of the moment

so i've had excited, hopeful feelings floating around these 4 interests recently.....

1. getting certified to teach pilates or yoga
looking into different certification programs..... there is a certification program in hawaii that i'm looking into which leads me to think about......

2. travel, preferably space a
wanting to know more about space a & start taking advantage of living way over on this side of the world
i even have a friend who is traveling throughout asia from now until the summer & we've been talking about the possibility of meeting in bali (still totally unsure how i'm gonna make a trip to bali affordable), but my mind is bubbling with travel possibilities.....
which doesn't quite lead into my next topic, but maybe because of location i'm feeling an urge to learn more about......

3. feng shui
reading up on feng shui & energy, & i might be crazy but i already feel a better "flow" just by trying a couple new things.....
and so researching these topics have lead to more interest in......

4. jewelry and gemstones
i found out we were moving to guam & when people asked me what i was gonna do over there i'd answer jokingly that i was gonna "start making jewelry". not sure why i'd say that, never really interested in making jewelry, never even really wore jewelry much (except rubies, heeheee).......... but during my trip to virginia before we left, my mom & i went to a jewelry making store & i got stuff to begin this new hobby. well, i love it & have been feeling really creative & excited about developing this hobby
my dad has always had an interest in geology & as a kid he would take me on trips to teach me about rocks, give me rocks & gems as presents, etc. & i am coming back to the thought about how certain rocks and gemstones carry meaning & can impact our being

so some of this sounds kinda hookie & i grew up with 2 hippie parents & have always leaned that'a way, but through the years i've grown more responsible (who says hippies aren't?), but also slightly more conservative (not politically really) but just never thought i'd be married to the military...... funny.

so, still dancing in my living room (if you count 4 arabesques, 8 relevés & a couple tendus from 1st position as dancing), but feeling excited about broadening my life. i knew i wanted to take advantage of this move in this way, not by quitting dance, but by being open to other new things......

must be all the feng shui allowing this positive chi to flow.....

jungle cruise

so on monday, it was a holiday, we went on a jungle cruise with another couple, debra & justin, & had a bunch of fun! the boat goes along the talafofo river & stops by an old chamorro village. at the end of the cruise, they provided coconut candy (yummy!) & juice (not as yummy, but still tasty) & bits of raw coconut (um, not for me - tasted a little bland & had a weird texture) & items made from coconut fronds. the people running the cruise were hilarious, very funny & entertaining. we went right after a rain storm so the water was a little murky, but the sky was clear & it wasn't too hot (for 1pm in a guam january)...... i think the price for the cruise is normally around $70, but we got the military discount & only paid $25...... so worth it. we had a late lunch at jeff's pirate's cove to wrap up the day.




carabao & rooster



debra & me with our coconut crowns

climbing to get a coconut


jeff with a coconut

jeff in a cave

feeling like an island princess

items made from coconut fronds

coconut candy

jeff doing a coconut candy shot


pretending to like raw coconut

playing rochambeau for coconut items

at jeff's pirate's cove

a 3 star & a living room ten-don't

so sometime last week, deep in conversation with myself i thought..... "hey, you remember when you used to do that dancing stuff? you could try & at least do a couple tendus, arabesques & cambrés, just for old times sake..... might even help with all this extra soft stuff that's laying around your body now." so i did. in the living room. wasn't very much, i did like 4 relevés & 2 arabesques (lifting your leg behind you until you feel an uncomfortable cramp in your back & butt).......... well, the very next day my back was in pain. how sad, i only had my leg at around 45 degrees (which when i was dancing could get my leg up to 90 & on the right side past 90, during dracula time) boohoo.....

well, i am beginning to realize how great ballet was for my body. now, in hindsight, of course. because while dancing i always found something physically wrong with my body to complain about & had serious knee issues for about 4 years. but now, after 3 FULL months off, i see such a change physically. i've gained about 15 pounds, yikes! and feel really soft. which part of me really likes, i feel feminine, but i also feel really weak, have less energy & don't feel as healthy..... not to mention i can no longer consider myself to be a dancer.

so again today i realized i'd try to do a little more living room dancing. and for the record, i have tried to call the dance studios here on guam & have gotten only machines & a couple "this number is no longer in service"...... so one day i might find myself back in a real studio, until then there is always the living room.

here is an unglamorous glimpse, and as ms. dorothy would say, "you call that a tendu (tahn-do), i call that a ten-don't!"

now to the 3 star part..... andersen has a DV on base today & tomorrow..... jeff is following around the distinguished visitor, a 3 star general, taking photographs & going to all the prestigious briefings/ events..... & i'm dancing around the living room. hmmm....

2009 wrap-up

we've been through so much this past year......

i started the EPI program to help with my teacher certification & am so happy to say that a year later i "graduated" & passed all the tests - general knowledge, subject area (Physical Education K-12, doesn't make much sense i know, seeing as i've never played a sport in my life, but that's just how we had to do it in FL. i'll also receive certification for Dance K-12 too) & prof. ed. i'll have the official certificate arrive any day now!

our sweet nephew cohen joined us in jan.... such a cutie!!

jeff left for BMT in feb......

at the recruiter's office, lots of tears.....

graduated in april & then was held over at lackland until the end of june. such a crazy story, he trained for CCT (combat controller) for over a year & had a contract for that when he went into BMT. one doctor at lackland decided that because he had a minimal concussion when he was 12 from playing soccer that he couldn't receive flight status. so they kept him at lackland doing testing & crap for months, until they decided he couldn't go for CCT, so then he chose to go into photography & finally got to leave to go to tech school........

his flight

we performed cinderella.....

me, katia & jen

ugly step-sisters (sans wigs & extensions)

performed with pensacola opera in aida......

me & my slave boys

performed with a beautiful elephant!!!!! she was the star of the show!!!!

we lost our sweet baby boy tag..... he was sick with a kidney disease since birth, but only really was affected at the end. i miss him everyday.......

showing off one of his tricks

sean & i created a new piece together called 'touch'...... love dancing with him, miss it....

we had an awesome summer season, so much fun!

boating....

grilling....

beaching....

kayaoke-ing.....

beach & bubbles photo shoots.....

goofing....

jeff graduated tech school in the fall......

in october, i quit my job after 5 years. i have been very lucky to have a job that i love since i've been out of high school..... dancing, teaching & setting choreography for various companies & schools. i'm hoping to continue teaching & doing choreography, & i would love to continue to train & perform as well, but i have yet to seek out what opportunities are available on guam.

jeff found out in november that he did receive flight status & could cross train into CCT in about 1 & 1/2 years if he wants..... but while he's doing photography, flight status will help allow him to do arial photography. so funny how things work out.

& now we're in guam! happy 2010 to all!

tada!

YAY!!! we received all of our stuff! yes, our computer is here! i don't even know where to start; in regards to a photo update...... i guess you should check my facebook first. a bit easier...... but i guess i'll post a few photos to give this blog a little umph.....

so where to begin........... i guess at the beginning.

so this is our resort stay.....

view from our hotel balcony, not too bad, huh?

exploring the island.....

golden carabao

tree snake catcher

at jeff's pirate's cove..... a cool touristy bar.......

our base house, soon to be "home".......

"um, i guess we'll take this one...."

our single red bow......

ooh, the rental car....

living room, pre-delivery & pre-paint.....

dining room.... for now.

the shell lights in the bathroom, think we'll keep em

how pretty.... um....

and jump ahead..... here we are at a new year's party...... thanks shane....

time for bed.....

SO glad to be back, i love the feeling of "home"...... it makes such a difference. jeff & i are watching one of our favorite artist dvd's, "the run up" & we have music streaming & a quick online hook-up, a belly full of yummy dinner, glass of wine..... how great! so there's our glimpse into guam. part 1.