Tsunami Warnings, Dog Attacks, and Other Surprises

Just plugging along over here, in the middle of the Pacific ocean.

There was a 8.9 earthquake on the coast of Japan a few weeks back. Tsunami warnings sent all of Hawaii to the hilltops and Japan had a devastating surge of ocean wipe out cities in minutes. Luckily, it was just another false alarm on Kauai. Big Island and Maui received some damage from the ripple effect, but all in all, Japan loses. I watched on news clips as an ocean of black water, debris, and flames swallowed buildings and sent cruise ships and passenger trains to the depths of the sea. The earthquake had rattled the coolant systems useless in their nuclear power plant and sent the entire country of Japan, Hawaii, and part of the West Coast of the U.S. into a panic of potassium iodide tablet purchases. Entire towns near the nuclear plant were evacuated as rumors of another Chernobyl spread like wildfire.

I had friends from all over calling to see if I was alive the day after the tsunami warning, and even though I was safely tucked in my bed that night on the top of a mountain ridge, I was watching Japan disappear on the news and thinking I might possibly die, too. Was that wave coming HERE? The countdown was the worst. We knew it was coming for hours. How big was not determined. Kauai would be hit first among the islands, which in my mind meant we would see the biggest surge. As I read about how a tsunami works, wrapping around my island from all sides and pushing everything in its path forward in a giant rush of tide, panic rose in my throat. I peered out my window, 2am, pitch black, towards the oceanfront I knew was there but could not see. Was I safe? I wasn't really sure. These are fears I've never had before. Tornadoes in the Midwest were a frightening possibility, but we had false alarms every summer, and for some reason they didn't scare me. I used to wonder why some of the students would howl and sob in the corridors of elementary school when we had tornado drills. I know, now, that perhaps a tornado was just as scary to them as this tsunami appeared to me. Unplanned, unheard of in my lifetime, and completely foreign. I didn't know how to react. I had people telling me to fill my bathtub with water, and others telling me to go to sleep, that it was nothing. What was I supposed to do? I decided to lie awake in bed until the witching hour of 3am had come and gone, uneventful. Finally I fell asleep, wind blowing peacefully through my window. Maybe next time it will be real, though. Maybe next time, I'll have an ocean outside of my window. Life is so unpredictable. Yet again, I am reminded that life is short. Yet again, I look at my bucket list and realize that I have a LOT of shit to accomplish!

Last week Oscar had his own scary moment, with a worse outcome.

I let him out to pee on a Monday morning, and when I turned away from the door, he bolted for the fence, broke through it, chased down a loose chihuahua, and tore into it. I think it would have died had I gotten there a few minutes later. The owner was of course hysterical, squealing as if her child were being slaughtered by a pack of wolves.

Of course that's what the neighbors thought.

The ex-husband screamed at me for owning such a miserable beast, that I should kill him, as I pried my dogs jaws off of the squeaky toy-sized animal. I carried my beast home in my arms, his confused expression telling me all I needed to know about his "attack." That chihuahua had earned it. They let that thing roam the block on a regular basis, and this time, he got too close to the fence. My dog's prey drive kicked in, and the hunt was on. Of COURSE I don't condone chihuahua slaughters, but I can hardly blame my dog for doing what dogs do. I can't fight against hundreds of years of genetics. I can't take the drive out of a dog that was bred to hunt rodents, protect homes, and fight. I was cited by the county for off-leash violation and must appear in court in April to determine my penalty. In the meantime, I am trying to pay the vet bill for the chihuahua, which, luckily, was pretty minor. I also put out a "runner" in the yard so that Oscar will be tethered and will not be able to breach the fence again. I started working with an animal behaviorist on Monday and she is helping me to redirect his attentions on walks and get him under control even off-leash. We have our work cut out for us, but it is a labor of love.

Surprisingly, my derby infatuation and devotion is beginning to pay off; I have successfully bartered private roller derby training for dog obedience training, and the fun doesn't stop there! Starting the Newbie Clinic on Saturdays has led to exciting prospects. Misfit Maiden of Minnesota Rollergirls has been traveling around New Zealand and Australia, and recently stumbled upon a leader of several leagues in AU that would like to hire her and MYSELF to run a Derby Clinic! They are paying for everything... flight, accommodations, food, and a grand stipend on top of it for my time! Funniest thing is, I never realized how much derby experience I was accumulating as I traveled down my road of life. Did I know I've been playing derby for 5 years already?! Holy cow! I had no idea! It's true. I started playing derby in 2007. I have played with three different leagues and was a key player and developer on two of them. I helped draft the constitution and bylaws for Oahu, and am currently drafting a constitution/bylaws for Kauai! OMG! I'm all official and stuff! I wonder if everyone has that epiphany moment in life when they realize that it's not all for nothing, and that experience really does take you somewhere... I'm so surprised, and so excited! The Bonesetter, also a former MNRG skater, has joined forces with several other skaters to form Triple Threat, another derby clinic training group. I am starting to network and explore possibilities of joining them for trainings overseas! The possibilities, as derby expands beyond the United States, are endless! At this point, I'm very excited, a little bit nervous and insecure, but also really ready to start reaping what I sow.

I have put a lot of effort, money and sacrifice into roller derby. It's about flipping time for that payback! AU in May, beeyatch!! Woot!!

"Work" remains undefined and strange. I am tutoring 2 days a week now at the Hawaiian Immersion School, where I have learned that students begin to learn English speaking and writing at the 5th grade level. I have plenty of opinions on this matter, but due to the fact that I am still learning and investigating this schooling concept from an insider's perspective, I am remaining mute on the subject. I am also working with the arts nonprofit to teach art therapy several times a month, art after school for at-risk youth in the low-income housing on Fridays, and FINALLY have received the curriculum guide for the program I was originally hired on for. We meet today to go over a battle plan on how to incorporate the expected curriculum through an art-based lesson strategy. I am excited to feel like I am earning my paycheck, and relieved to get the ball rolling so that grant resources are not being mishandled for my paycheck.

In other art-related news, Jim O'Rourke, mastermind and co-founder of the Rourke Museum in Moorhead, MN, has passed away due to a fall in his home. He will be sorely missed by the Midwest art community. I am pleased that his museum and all of it's exhibits scheduled will continue on undisturbed, including the annual Midwestern Art Invitational that I enter into every year with my father. I am currently working on my submission for this year's theme, "What Would Dante Do?" I had a quick trip back to MN a month ago and managed to find some pretty amazing pieces to use for my idea. Photos and details to come!

Staying busy, checking off items on the bucket list, realizing dreams, and tapping potential. Sounds like a good use of my life. Poverty is gonna lose, I swear!