Merry Christmas Everyone!

[tdogg]

Just wanted to send all of you warm wishes for a very merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! I'm leaving this Friday for 12 days in Hawaii with my partner's family, and not sure if I'll be on the computer. So, please be safe, enjoy the holidays and will catch you all when I get back to Sac.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

HAPPY NEW YEAR

:love::rainbow::aparty::weee::wave:

[tdogg]

I will U :love::love:

I'll tell you all about the boys of the beach, that is if I can take my eyes off the girls, er...I mean....my woman!

[paul]

Merry Christmas T

ah, do enjoy Hawaii...what's not to enjoy? Think of us snow bunnies while away.

[sailaway58]

Have a wonderful time, how could you not?;)
You can watch the girls for me...maybe some pictures?:lol:

[Zerbie]

Ahhh, T Goddess, off to 12 days adventure in paradise!!!!
Well earned, every moment of it.

Have a fantastic time! Definitely a wonderful happy Christmas and New Year's, T!
:D:D::):):):)cool::cool::cool::cool::rainbow::rain bow::rainbow::rainbow::rainbow::love::love::love:: love::love:

[Vanessa White]

I am so glad that you are having such fun holiday trip. You and your honey enjoy yourselves, and have a great Christmas and New Year also! :love:

[Jennifer5]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

[Sherrie Z]

By the time you read this you may be back already, but I hope you have a wonderful trip ... and Happy Holidays to you, and to everyone here at Soulforce! : )

[tpdncr4christ]

I saw this and laughed hysterically:

To all my politically correct friends:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

To everyone else:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

[tdogg]

Back from Hawaii. It was great, but actually on the rainy side and, well, 12 days with the 'in-laws' was more than enough. Glad to be home!

On the plus side, we had a wonderful Christmas, had family photos take, I got to eat loads of ahi (and it's SO cheap there!) and the highlight of the trip, and the best Christmas gift of all was to swim with a sea turtle. I was snorkeling with my girlfriend in my favorite Oahu lagoon, knowing there were 3 turtles in the lagoon. I was on my 2nd snorkel, my girl was getting out of the water and I had just about given up on seeing the turtles and getting out myself, when all of sudden there was a turtle not 5 feet from me. I motioned for her to come back and we spent 20 minutes floating and watching the turtle snack on the lagoon floor. He/she swam around us, gave us some sweet looks and had some yummy ocean snacks, going up now and then for air and not being concerned about us there, seemed actually to enjoy our quiet company.

Soon enough, the tourists got wind of the turtle, threw on their snorkel gear, splashed their way to the lagoon center, and began swimming after the turtle, who decided to swim quickly away. We left them on their own, and emerged from the water amazed and happy at this most wonderful gift from nature.

I'll never forget those 20 minutes.....

[Vanessa White]

Your trip sounds tremendous. I am so glad that you had a great time. What is ahi, please? I feel like I should know but alas, I don't.

The sea turtle experience sounds just amazing. I cannot imagine such a great experience, real life touching you, and both of you having the respect for that creature to just let it do what it does. What a permanent mark that will leave.

Are your partner's parents from there, or did they travel there as well for the vacation? I apologize ahead of time if you have told us this before....

Glad that you had a super trip and are back safe and sound. :love:

[Zerbie]

Your trip sounds tremendous. I am so glad that you had a great time. What is ahi, please? I feel like I should know but alas, I don't.

The sea turtle experience sounds just amazing. . :love:

Ahi is tuna.

Yeah the turtle visit sounds wonderful. :love::love:
What is it with people that they think wild animals are something to chase and provoke? What even is the perceived enjoyment in that? :confused:

[Vanessa White]

Ah, tuna. I would have eaten it pretty fully as well, love the stuff.

I really think when it comes to observing animals in their own habitat, people just don't "get it". They want to be frenzied and capture all aspects they can, instead of just having mutual admiration and respect for how they live in our world, or we live in theirs, depending on your perspective.

We have this trend in our local area of sorts. Many persons who have never lived in the "country" per se, come here for a dose of it, or build their homes in the woods. Then, either try to tame the wild animals who the land belongs to, or complain about how they eat their shrubs, poop in their yard, etc. We absolutely crave the wild things that walk through our yard and give us such joy. It is about mutual respect vs. trying to "capture a moment", if that makes any sense. I remember a few years ago at a beach in NC, my family and I were on a vacation, and we actually got to observe a wildlife worker harvest hundreds of sea turtle eggs after the mom laid them and left them; she was so careful in how she did it, it was amazing to observe and learn about. It is all about, as so many things in this mixed up world, RESPECT... :love::love::love:

[Daniel]

The garland is coming down on Epiphany- the 6th- for those who follow such wonderfully arcane traditions. No tree this year- no room in this little NYC apartment.

Oh Tdogg- I envy you so much! Hawaii! Loved it last time I was there. It really is paradise.

It's been 18 degree's here!

[Vanessa White]

Well, goodbye beautiful garland. What a beautiful photo Daniel! That suffices since the space was too small for a tree! I haven't had the heart to take our stuff down yet, I am not ready for it to be over!! :(

[tdogg]

Yup - ahi is tuna and I prefer it raw. Yumm! My partner's sister and brother in law live there, parents were just visiting like us.

There is a saying in CA, the worst day in Hawaii is better than the best day in California! Lucky for us Daniel, we have family there otherwise wouldn't be going as much. We are hoping to go again in '08, but if not then '09 for sure.

I find it curious that when most people try to 'look' at nature they are aggressive tourists! They want to get to it and at it. The best way to see is to become one with nature, quiet and still, and nature will practically fall in your lap! Maybe it's my American Indian heritage, but I'm blessed with an ability to fade into the landscape and not be intimidating to the plants and animals. I've had some incredible 'nature' moments because of that!