OH, CANADA!

Time for a vacation update. With the first summer RA-ship winding to a close and the second about to begin, I figured I would take some time to spend with friends off the island. I chose the lovely but perhaps rather unusual city of Toronto as a vacation destination for two reasons: 1. The North by Northeast Music Festival was there, and 2. My best friend, Poornima, was also there. Poorn and I go back a really long time...six years ago we met in Edinburgh and solidified a friendship based on carbohydrates, beer, and bands. We've visited each other in various locations around the world, but now that she has a solid home and job in Toronto I figured it was time to see the place.
When I arrived, I was greeted by a beautiful thirty-story building, similar to our nice ones in Waikiki or Punahou. Only difference is, this pimped-out pad had a gorgeous view of the entire city as well as a pool on the roof! (True Hackers-style "the pool on the roof must have a leak.") On Day 1 we went to Anthropologie and spent too much on clothes (although my orange dress was worth every penny), and that night we had an amazing show: The Meligrove Band playing live from the CN Tower! We went up to the very top and looked down through the glass floors. I was petrified, but Poorn's presence calmed me enough to take some decent pictures. We also saw a free-jazz show from a band called Swyves, which were wonderful. Honolulu definitily needs some more free-jazz.
The next day I saw beautiful art at the AGO, which included pieces by the Group of Seven, as well as an exhibition on "The Space," an excellent Toronto artists' collective. The next big show for me was definitly the Besnard Lakes. They were beautiful, blissed-out psych rock, reminiscent of Spacemen 3 on a good day. Yet their lead singer hit high falsetto notes that J. Spaceman could never even dream of achieving. They played two encores and left the crowd baying for more. Definitly my favorite small show of the festival.
The next day I went to Kensington Market and saw the hipsters roaming in their natural habitat. The Chocolate Addict and the Chile's Empanada place were the highlights of this neighborhood.The next night was a bit of a low point with Japandroids and Wavves. I have to say that I enjoyed Wavves quite a bit, but it was less about the music for me and more about Nathan Williams' ridiculous stage props (cardboard aliens that breathed smoke) and onstage banter that reminded me of San Diego days: "Yeah, let's all get squirrely, brah!" I suppose you have to be from the Whale's Vagina to get it. Having gone to UCSD, I was quite amused. Poorn, however, kicked me repeatedly for making her attend. Japandroids were just boring as all get-out. Like a second rate version of the far superior Hella, they tried to make a two man set work, and failed completely. The mics hooked up to the amps just didn't do it for me. However, it was possibly a bad show for them and I wouldn't mind seeing them if they ever came to Honolulu. The night improved late on as I caught Portland's Glass Candy. They really know how to work a room and I found their disco beats catchy and fun. A band I'll certainly play more of on my radio show.
The next day we headed out for a special treat : the Toronto Island Festival. Despite having a beer line that lasted for nearly three hours, I have to say that this was the best outdoors show I had seen since T in the Park. We started with Timber Timbre, a Toronto folk band that I genuinely loved. I fully expect to buy this record and play the hell out of it on my show. Next we saw Beach House, who delivered an almost too-perfect set: glissandos and vocal tics just like on the record. Still, the sound was beautiful as it carried across the giant field on a 82 degree day in the North. Broken Social Scene truly amazed me. I've never seen them live before, and their set was hugely inspriring and actually left me in tears. "Texaco Bitches" was the highlight of the set for me, and is actually much more fun to listen to away from the U.S.A! They also brought Feist up on stage, as well as Emily Haynes from Metric (best legs in indie rock, five years and counting!) They seemed to truly love what they did and they made a believer out of me. Last in the night was Pavement, as the sun finally set. Poorn and I danced like fools to "Range Life" (square-dance style), "Rattled by the Rush," "Trigger Cut," "Cut Your Hair," "Sirens of the Slipstream," "Date with Ikea," "Stereo," and so many others! Malkmus truly owned vocally, and the band seemed to be playing better than ever. The tambourinist actually gave me goose bumps with how well he played! Our ears got blown out, but it truly was a perfect ending to a perfect day. Pavement is a band I truly thought I would never see live, and I'm glad that they reformed to make all of us indie kids happy as clams this years.
However, the day wasn't over yet for me. Poorn went home to sleep, I changed into a dress I bought at Anthro, and headed out to see another act I've loved from childhood: Quintron and Miss Pussycat. They were actually the main reason that I wanted to go to NXNE! I saw them at the Garrisson, where I met a couple of nice artist types. The venue seemed like one of the better ones in Toronto, and it was small and packed to the gills when the husband-and-wife duo from Lousiana took the stage. Qiuintron's set-up is truly remarkable: A car-grill covering the Hammond Organ, the Drum Buddy (which he built) set up to the left, and Miss Pussy-cat's mikes and props to the right. They played the most AMAZING set: jumping right into the crowd "Festival-style" for "Swamp-Buggy Badass," and "Witch in the Club" had the whole place jumping. My favorite, however, was the spaced out "Dream Captains," which had me dancing as funky as I could with the lights blazing off my back. It was a blissed out moment, and perhaps the highlight of the festival for me.
The next day was all about recovery, and Poorn and I had an amazing veggie sandwhich at the Black Camel (she had two!), and went hiking in Toronto's trails. We saw an old abandoned brick factory called the Brickworks, which apparently people still play shows in! We listened to birds call and even went through an old cemetary. I accidentally washed my feet in a hose that was meant for the dead, which had Poorn groaning with rage. I eventually made it up to her. A truly Rachael moment. For our last night we had nachos and beer at Sneaky Dees, and reminisced about old times. It was just like we were back at Favorit in Edinburgh. It made me realize how valuable her friendship has been to me for all these years. I am truly blessed to have a friend like her.
As I left on the plane I picked up some maple leaf and moose souveniers for family and friends. I thought about all of the beautiful art, architecture, and culture that I had imbibed here in Canada. It truly is a wonderful place, and one I want to see more of in the future. I can see that my Canadian friends in the UH Psych Program are correct: Canada= WIN.

Update City!

It's finals week.... so I thought I'd procrastinate with you, my adoring public. But seriously, these last few weeks have been pretty intense. I've been winding down my time at Hawaii State Hospital, and I know I will miss it immensely. I have had so many life-changing clinical experiences that it is impossible to go into them all. One of them sticks out though: Ku'aloa beach with my clients, paddling and repeating in a steady mantra "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10...switch!" We all went out in a canoe, nearly all the way to Hat Island! It was a gorgeous moment and one that I will remember forever.

This summer brings new challenges, and also some leisure time to look forward to. In June I will go to Toronto for my birthday to visit Porn (Poornima), who I haven't seen for nearly two years. Toronto Island Fest is the ultimate destination: to bask in the glow of Pavement and Beach House!When I come back I will have 1. A new practicum 2. A GA-ship 3. A Teaching Job. This summer is going to be INSANELY busy. But I know I can handle it.

In other good news, I was elected KTUH's Rock Director! Yay! This is my first radio staff position, and I know it is going to be a lot of fun.

See you all after finals,

Rachael

It Was A Strange Time in My Life....

More things have happened since last updates! Wow, almost too many to count. In terms of my work at Hawaii State Hospital, it has been an amazing experience for me. I have met such wonderful people, my boss has been compared to an 'angel' by more than one person, and my friend James listens to my show every week. The clients are even more incredible. I have the best rapport with a Native Hawaiian gentleman with a mild learning disability and possible Schizophreniform Disorder. All we do is tell stories all day, like about Pele and jumping into the volcano on Maui! He calls himself "Hawaiian Superman." We pull taro together down in the lo'i, which is hard work but incredibly rewarding.

School is hectic as usual, and next week I have to start child assesment. I have no doubt it will be difficult, but I also have faith in myself as a caring person who most will trust and speak to.

I have had about 10 billion DJ gigs all over town, most of them paid! This is a pleasant change for the 'working for drinks' ethics I used to see in San Diego and Edinburgh. I'm quite pleased with how this aspect of my life is working out. I do need to work more on my music, however. My friend Tracy and I are currently reworking the lyrics to 'Running In Circles,' so we'll see how that goes. I also feel that I should be trying to play live, even with old material. I would love to contribute something to the small but burgeoning indie music scene here in Oahu. Just writing that sounds super patronizing, but the truth is I really do love it!

My personal life has been a bit of a mess. Ever since Glenn broke up with me it seems I've been trying to fill this void that he's left by dating people that are, frankly, beneath me. I think I'm finally pau with that now. I want to actually try to be single (first time in four years). I think it will allow me to really take stock of who I am and what I want, instead of focusing on someone else. This time I'm really going to try to take it one solitary day at a time.

The final blessing in this has been my friends. I have made so many new friends here in Oahu. It seems I am never without something to do. Only last week I jumped into the cove next to China Walls with an old friend and two new ones, the sun dancing off our backs (and burning us to a crisp.) Directly after this I went to Kareoke with some different people, and the next day I had a beach party with someone else. The amount of friends I have made makes me feel truly loved, and in fact was sorely lacking in my life in San Francisco.

So the old cliches of "up and downs", and "never a dull moment" fairly accurately describes this year thus far. I will endeavour to balance it all a bit better in the coming months.

Aloha For Now,

Rach

New and Improved Psychology Position!

Aloha,

A lot has happened since this psych-in-training last spoke. I moved out of my old house, got an adorable kit-eh, and said goodbye to my ex. As one door closes another opens; I got an amazing job at Hawaii State Hospital.
At the Aloha Garden, we work on Hawaiian cultural values such as Lokahi, Kuleana, and Laulima. We try to present these values in ourselves and model them to the clients. We work in the recovery model to allow clients to grow and change. Our therapy is very different than traditional Western methods because we work alongside the clients in the garden as we weed, water, and cook. We have Occupational Therapists that come down to the garden to run classes. The clients themselves behave very differently than on the units. Many of them note 'The garden is the reason I chose to be at the hospital instead of in jail.' Hearing this makes me realize how effective the therapy is. My supervisor is doing a follow-up study in the community to see if the Aloha Garden improves the recidivism rate for previous offenders... I certainly believe that she will come up with some good numbers.

Aloha For Now,

Rachael

Time To Go It Alone....

More adjustments! Grrr... will this year ever end? Anyways, my boyfriend Glenn couldn't find a job here in Hawaii that he liked. He felt there were no opportunities for him, and so he is going back to San Francisco. We have talked about splitting up, and it looks like it will happen.
In adittion, I also have to find a new place to live by the end of the month, and move out of my place.
Sigh... will the grad school madness let up? I certainly hope it will at least prove useful to me in my future career.

A Difficult Turn of Events...

Unfortunatly, the organization I work for cannot support part time GRA-ships anymore. I was promised to work for them for four years, and I only got to do one. In addition, my advisor wants me to change over before next year to a different one, because he is going to lose his job too :(
Thankfully, I will still be working at Hawaii State Hospital, albeit for free. Also, they gave me a few months' notice. I had to take out a great deal of loan money to cover my non-resident tuition. My idea of going through school without debts now seems pretty ridiculous. I love UH's program but I am worried about having to change advisors mid-year, and all of the drama of finding funding. This is the reality of grad school... one day at a time.

Beautiful Hanauma Bay...

I was lucky enough to see this wonder of the natural world on Sunday. The bay, curved like an oar, earned it the name 'Haunama' hundreds of years ago. Now transformed into a snorkler's paradise, it is a thousand times less garish than the beaches of Waikiki. Even with the twenty minute educational video, and the unappetising prospect of hanging with tourists, it truly was the best snorkeling experience I have ever had.

The waves break fiercely upon the rocks, and to go out there you have to have fins of steel, but Glenn and I braved the underwater storm. Once there, I saw images of indescrible beauty. The triggerfish were about four to five feet long. The parrotfish were huge images of the scrawny creatures in Waikiki, about four to five feet as well. Everything seemed beautifully megafauna-esque. The overfishing and polution in Waikiki does not allow the fish to grow as big as they are here, I suppose.

The most wonderful part of the Haunamabay exeperience was the sea turtle I observed for a full ten minutes. These wonderful animals are small and agile swimmers, and very docile. Underwater, one can swim right next to them without disturbing them. The coral was alive, and healthy, and bright yellow, and to see the turtle feasting off sea grass right next to it was a psychadelic light show of yellows and greens.

Glenn enjoyed the live mongeese even more than the fish I think! We heard hissing, turned around, and there were the little Rikki-Tikki-Tavis that I had never seen before. Ferret-like, but much furrier and longer of body, they truly were amazing. They were rooting in the trash cans like raccoons (that were thousands of times cuter).

I long to return to what is so far my favorite spot on the island.