too deep now to ever swim against the current

Today is the last day of September of 2008. I don't have much to say right now.

I've been out of commission again with something I've never had before. It feels like my chest is caving in...sort of making it hard to breathe. On top of that I had a migraine for a straight week. Thankfully I woke up yesterday without the raging pain in my head, but still the weird feeling in my chest.

Here are some pictures I've been promising:

This was girls night in Lahaina.



Here we are drinking...


...and deciding what to eat!


Lauren's going away party & the bungalow.


I didn't need to shove the cake in her face cause, well, she did it herself.


Me & my homegirrrrl, Lauren!


Alyssa sporting her demon face & me being oblivious to demon face.


"COME ON BABY, DO THE LOCOMOTION!"

and tonight will go on forever while we walk around the town like we own the streets

I'm feeling much better than I was at the beginning of the week. I even picked up shifts at work today & yesterday to make up for loss time & I pulled in some sweet overtime hours. Hopefully, I have a pretty little paycheck this coming Friday.

It's amazing how life works sometimes. You close one door & another one presents itself. Whether or not you open it is your choice. I think it's good to close some doors and venture into new rooms, but you don't want to get too lost because then you'll just be alone in the dark. Friday night I went out with work friends. We just hung out at one kid's house and played Wii all night. Around midnight three of us went swimming in the ocean. I used to be so afraid of the ocean at night...fear of the unknown. Yet, that night, I just floated on back staring up at the sky. THEN A SHARK CAME AND ATE MY FRIEND! No, I'm obviously kidding, but how funny would that be?

I'm really tired right now. I plan on flying to another island next weekend. Stay tuned!


Oh, & GO BIRDS!

don't be afraid, cause no one ever sings alone

I've been sick the past couple of days with a high fever, sore throat and just a stuffed up head. I haven't really eaten much since I've had no appetite & I haven't left the house. So, today I forced myself to get out, take in some fresh air and catch some sun.

On the bus ride over to Lahaina I did a lot of thinking. I'm gonna switch up my plans for the next couple of months and after I'm finished with Maui, I'm gonna head somewhere cold. Haven't put a lot of thought into it, but it makes sense... at least to me it does.

I did a lot more thinking on the bus ride home...


I often live my life as if I'm in a movie. This way the bad stuff doesn't always seem so 'bottom-of-the-barrel' bad. And let's face it, most movies have happy endings, and I guess that's what I'm really waiting around for.

The music I listen to makes up the soundtrack of my life. Certain lyrics having more meaning than others. As some of you may already notice, I title each blog entry with a line from a song. These lyrics help me through different situations, both good & bad. It's weird how things to seem just always work out for me. I used to worry myself sick about tiny, little problems, but see, the real problem is you spend all of your time worrying that you forget to appreciate the greater things in life. You forget to smile for no reason whatsoever. You forget to live. I've taught myself to stop worrying so much and to just breathe.

It amazes me thinking about my childhood and picturing myself now. I moved to Maui with only $200 bucks in my back pocket and nothing saved. It's been almost three months and I'm still kicking it out here with a smile on my face. Is it hard? Yes, but I'm not complaining. I refuse to give up so easily. I haven't found what I'm looking for yet. I've made plenty of mistakes in life and I don't want this to be added to that list. I just won't let it.




...just breathe.

well, i never pray, but tonight i'm on my knees

You ever see two little girls who are just so damn adorable you can't help but stare at them? I mean almost to the point where you look crazy with a goofy smile on your face and in your head you're probably thinking "Wow, these kids are so gosh darn cute!" whereas, everyone around you is thinking "Keep the kids away from that weirdo!"

Yeah, that was some chick at the mall today. I was waiting for my bus to work and I couldn't help but laugh at the awkwardness of the situation as the mom held on to her girls' hands a little bit tighter and hurried away.

So, I'm in the market for a second job. I'm waiting on a night manager of The Ale House Tavern to get back from the mainland, and hopefully we can work something out. Turns out, it's pretty damn expensive to live out here.

After being out here for over two months, I finally have a charger for my camera. Once I get the usb cable to connect my camera to the laptop, I'll be showing you more pictures in no time!

you can watch me disappear

I called Maui home for the first time Friday night, and it didn't feel weird at all. This weekend was a lot more fun than I had originally expected and I owe it all to one single person.


A majority of Saturday was spent in Manayunk with 3 people I never, ever hang out with. We went to the Red Bull Soap Box Derby. The remains of a hurricane were apparently passing through Philly and we got the worst of it. I was literally soaked all afternoon, but it was well worth it. The event itself was ridiculously wild and just mind blowing.

Saturday night I showed up at Paddy's and had some beers with a few old friends before the crowd came rushing in. It was great to see a lot of faces the past couple of nights, but honestly, it's usually the norm that I go a couple months without seeing certain people. I managed to fit in Sugarmom's and Lucy's as well on Saturday night. With only a few hours left before leaving the mainland, a friend and I walked around Philly for a bit. "That really happens to people?" is all I can say about this weekend.

I slept the entire way on both planes. I guess I was pretty tired from getting a total of 4 hours of sleep the entire time I was in Philly. I gotta admit, it felt great getting off the plane and being home.

don't be gone when i get home...i need you there

I fought the law & the law won, but the fight was well worth the risk.


I ended up talking to a friend who already had a buddy pass booked for me and I payed $92 to fly home. As of right now, I do not have a way back to Maui on Sunday, but I will get back somehow. I need to be back there. I want to be back there.


Philly is still the same. It doesn't matter how long you go away, things will always be the same at home. I'll always be happy to see the skyline on a pretty day though. Philly is home, but I'm not done with Maui yet.



Lots of family came over for a couple hours last night and it was really great seeing everyone. My little sister Lauren (3yrs) asked me to please not go back to Hawaii. I felt like crying and staying just for her. After hanging with family, I went and met up with friends at Bar Noir. I felt so strange being out. I don't really know why though. I've only been away for two months...it's not that long. Some of the people that came out I usually only see every couple of months anyways. I do miss them for sure and I'm hoping to spend more time with everyone before I get out of here.

This morning was traffic court...the main reason I came home. That went really well. I'm guessing that heavenly angel got herself all cleaned up and remembered to keep an eye on me. Hopefully, she finds some sweet airfare deal for me to get home to Maui on Sunday!

Walking home from court was fun. I noticed how dirty Philly is compared to other places. At first I was thinking it was really gross, but I'm sure every major city is the same. I found it particularly amusing that there was some sort of flower bush growing along a wall and it looked so out of place. Not to mention there was trash on the ground around it and cigarette butts thrown into the bush.





You can almost see the flowers fighting hard to stay alive. Such beautiful flowers that if treated properly could really bloom and possibly change the view of the whole street. If only people cared more.

to the kids who would talk and stay up all night

I'll see you soon.

Stay gold.

we were aiming for the moon, we were shooting for the stars

I love falling asleep on beaches. I went to my secret, yet not really so secret, beach in Paia after work yesterday. After falling asleep for almost 2 hours, I went swimming in the ocean. What a fabulous way to wake up! Later on I had to head over to the hostel to help Dani move out.


Hanging out the bungalow used to feel comfortable. I would go there as if it were a safe haven. Just laying in the back on the hammocks and looking up at the blue sky would put my mind at ease while offering me a sweet, serene moment. Letting me forget all worries- past, present & future. Last night was a little different.



As I was eating some bananas from the banana tree (when I say 'some' I really mean I ate about 12 bananas. they just taste so good!), I got to thinking about that old saying "If these walls could talk..." and just wow. All I could think was "shit man, these walls have seen some of the most amazing people and some wild-ass parties." By the time I got around to the 5th banana, I couldn't help but realize that I was quite fortunate with the times I've spent staying/living there. There are people all over the world that I can happily call 'friends.' It's hard saying goodbye to these great people, but we have to help ourselves understand that it's not "goodbye forever" but more of a "see you later." People come out here for so many different reasons. The thing most of us have in common is we're not exactly sure what it is we're looking for and we have no idea how we're going to find it. Yet, we all seem to find ourselves through these wonderful friendships we create along our journey. We were never lost. We just needed to escape the everyday routine we were used to for so long. The same boring lifestyle that clouded our eyes and fogged up our view. There's something magical about this island. I'm sure I can speak for many people when I say that.

By the time I was on my 10th banana, it was getting closer to closing time. Erin and I were gonna take Daniele to the airport for her flight home. I played a quick round of guitar hero to show off my phenomenal HARD level skills- the song was Strutter. After failing the song, I stood up and blamed it on the 11th banana claiming "the bananas don't like Kiss, okay?" I don't think anyone bought it though. I played again on medium and managed to hit all the notes. My pride was back because well "oh, are you kidding? bananas looooove the Foo Fighters!"

All in all, it was a bittersweet night. I understand that the people I love are leaving for home and while the hostel may not be the same for me, it's just the way it goes. Nothing has changed at all. Amazing people come and go all of the time, and that's just how it's always going to be. On Sunday when I come home from Philly, I'll make my way to Little Beach. The bungaloids I know will be there with fresh faces, and I guarantee you that one of those faces will be another wonderful person. Yep, another wonderful person on a venture looking for something he/she doesn't fully realize is right inside of them.

To all of you on that journey: You don't know how lovely you are.

so long sweet summer

Yesterday was Labor Day. That unofficially means it's the end of the summer. My sister Sara starts her senior year of highschool this week, and Hannah starts first grade.

After work yesterday we (pacwings people) went to Baldwin for a bbq. We had a good time, but they're not normal bbqs. No one is grillin, and no one goes swimming.

I was running around with the babies and having a blast with them. They kept climbing up on a wall and I would tell them they were gonna get hurt. This went on for hours and then (yes, mom, this is a typical "lisa move") Stacey's daughter Rylee (1.5yrs) was hiding behind the wall so I went to jump over it, but instead, I fell over it and somehow managed to make it look like a front flip. We were all cracking up...even the kids.

Today is Dani's last day on Maui. Her flight leaves tonight at 10:40pm, and I'm really sad, but also happy for her. It's bittersweet! I'm gonna miss the hell out of her though- that's for sure. I'm hoping we can get a good crowd to head over to Little Beach this afternoon.

Tomorrow night is my night.

all i needed was time

"too stubborn, too ignorant, too crazy about you.
i didn't know love was blind
to say this world was made for us
i never knew...i never tried"


The day Jamie's son, Jaedyn Ace was born, I was spending my time snorkeling, swimming with huge turtles, and being buried under the sand. The following is me and my roommate Stephanie.


Saturdy, August 30th at 5:02pm EST, all 21 inches of Jaedyn Ace McMichael's entered the world weighing in at 8lbs 9oz. Like most deliveries, this was a tough one, but my cousin Jamie is a very strong woman, and she popped him out in just enough time to make the cut-off deadline for kindergarten in a few years. She wants him to the baby of his class just like I had been.




While she was going through a rather painful delivery, I was having a blast with my roommates. We hit up a couple different beaches in Kihei, and then had dinner at Cheeseburger in Wailea. Later in the night, we went back to Kihei and hung out at the Tiki Lounge where we got our dancing on.

Sunday was Little Beach day. Dani and Erin and I went to Little Beach and drank Mimosas all afternoon. Yesterday was my favorite Sunday at Little Beach thus far.

Life can deal you a terrible hand sometimes, but you learn from mistakes, be it your own or others, and you move on. The trick is rising above these little lessons and finding the correct path through your maze. Of course, there are always going to be little paths that branch off to darker unknown territories, but don't lose track of the light, and you'll be just fine. Now, if you get too lost in the dark, ask for a reshuffle. With a second chance, you just might get lucky on the next hand.