Sunday 4/10/05 - Wednesday 4/13/05

Sunday Todd and I went to the Salt Pond but the waves were so active that we couldn't see anything.  We then went to Shipwreck Beach, to the left of Brennecke's Beach in Poipu to snorkel.    The water was very choppy making it difficult to get in and then out but it was a bit clearer and as soon as we go past the waves we saw turtles.  It was very refreshing as the water temp was lower than usual also.  Later that evening Jackie joined us in the common area (picnic bench, bbq, etc. near the entrance to our cottages) and we barbecued and had a nice evening.  Not much going on lately.  Jackie is moving out next week to a great cottage on the north side so she is having a pot luck here with us and her co-workers.  We're all looking forward to meeting everyone from her work.  Jackie recently came here after working on Molokai where she worked assisting the leper community and doing invasive specie and plant cataloging.  She is a botanist.  Here she is working on a few projects but right now the news is about the coqui frog and she is involved a bit with that.  The frog is threatening the birds here and is annoyingly loud.  It has been a big issue on Oahu and a couple of other islands and now is spreading to Kauai.  There are birds here though that are threatened more than other islands so it seems to be a big problem.  She also works with a group that is collecting species of plants on the cliffs of Napali that are extinct on all islands except Kauai.  They are cloning them.  Very interesting.

Monday I went to Kauai Community College and applied as a Continuing Education Instructor.  I really had a great time talking with the Sheri and June.   The rest of the day I worked on a new web page contract I'm starting for Isabelle's Jewelry shop.  This one should be fun!  Tuesday I went snorkeling and walking but nothing spectacular.

Today I went to my interview with Cheryl at KCC.  I will start teaching on Tuesday.  I really enjoyed meeting everyone.  She gave me a tour of the classroom, we filled out paperwork, and generally discussed the classes that I can do.  It looks like I will teach 2 days a week for 7 hours this next week and the following and then I'll be teaching other classes she has in mind; mostly contract classes for the county and some local companies.  One thing she was excited about that totally interested me is opening a VUE testing center on campus (she saw it on my resume).  Currently the Cisco and Microsoft students have to fly to the big island to test.  I will be writing the proposal for her and helping her submit it soon.  I can do the scheduling online and book the tests according to my and the room availability so that will be nice.  Another project coming up is a contract with the invasive species group (Jackie's work I believe) that have requested a solution and class for data tracking.  We'll discuss this soon.  I will be teaching 2 levels of Word to county employees at first and then move on to other classes as they finalize the schedules.  I like that it's not a lot of time but I will get major medical and a retirement plan.  Nice place to put my money again.  It's kind of hard to explain but the benefit of working for KCC as a casual employee will help with my acceptance here.  Kauaians are a bit distrustful if you don't have a job here and doing the contract work was just not enough as it's difficult for them to accept that as a real job here.  It was in my plan originally when I came here and I really do miss teaching anyway.  It will be nice to get out a couple of days a week too.  Not too early either... class is at 1pm.  Tonight Todd, Jackie and I barbecued and chatted again.  Jackie had a conch shell and now I get it!  So, Bill, when you get here we will do a sunset duo.  Some of you may remember I had a video last year of Bill playing at sunset on Brennecke's beach.

Sorry no new pictures... but..... tada...

Weight Watch.... Lost another 2 pounds and kept it off for a week.  Total is 27 now.  Going slow ...sitting at my computer the majority of the time is definitely not working LOL  They should sell exercise computers.