Red is my favorite color

Who's the early bird in my neighborhood? Before the sun is up, before the sounds of tires and the beams of lights speed down the road to join the bumper to bumper mass of worker bees, Max & I quietly pad through the Stepford community.

Leaving the beige houses and turning the corner on to the avenue, Max finds his spot. After dumping his mess in the trash can, we head up the road. The left side of the neighborhood opens up to a large field with the mountains looming in the background. All is quiet. I'm thrilled that I've finely managed to get out before the traffic.

Then I hear it. Only one chirping bird. At first I don't realize that it is doing a solo as so many birds sing as I pass this area that I don't pay attention. But then I realize that none of the birds are singing but this one. As I walk on he is still the only one singing. I recognize his chirps as he is such a colorful character that I always run to the window to check his palls out when ever they call in the neighborhood.

It is the Northern Cardinal. His bright red plumage certainly is something to sing about and I don't blame him for being so ecstatic in the morning. I wished I could wake up and look that great, dressed and ready to go.I love red the best. And if I had his voice I would wake the whole neighborhood too. Well that is if I was going to move away and didn't care if I made enemies with everyone on my block.

But his calls are beautiful and assorted. If you would like to hear what he sounds like you can go to this site http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=3

An Endangered Species

Kids seem to have more rights in their high school then I do when I travel. OK, I don't want to beat this air travel thing into the ground but when I saw this letter to the editor in our Sunday Honolulu Advertiser I got all riled up again.

A Kilauea, Kaua'i reader wrote to the editor about the changes to Chapter 19 concerning student rights to privacy. She stated that if they were to allow for searches in lockers, drug sniffing dogs etc. the students would have to surrender their dignity on demand.

My sentiments exactly as I'm standing in the middle of the airport having air blown up my dress. And believe me I'm no Marlyn Monroe. But surrender my dignity I had to0 or I would not have been able to fly home.

Drug sniffing dogs? I ask you , how many of us have been seated waiting to get on a plane when someone lets the dogs out and he is sniffing what ever you may have in or on you? My right to privacy? Out the door.

Then she goes on to say bad outcomes will present themselves if we... "indoctrinate our youth to accept personal space violation from figures of authority." Have I been indoctrinated?

And last but not least, the statement that had me hitting the paper with the back of my hand and ranting to Max as he sat at my feet. "Unreasonable searches of students' bodies and property undermines our country's core civic values."!!!

So when do kids in school who may have drugs in their lockers or guns or both deserve more privacy then I do when I am boarding a plane? They are not even subjected to body searches. Unlike me just because some old lady with a uniform doesn't like the way I look and pulls me over. Is it because I am taking a flight and she's at work? or she has to wear a mans uniform and I'm in a dress and she would like to see me look miserable rather then look like I'm going to enjoy a trip to Hawaii?

I thought after 9/11 our core civic values were done away with. I did not realize we had rights anymore. Well at least someone has rights, just not adults. I don't fly free from harassment, someone listening to my phone calls or reading what I search on line.

All I can say is, better watch out kids, your days are numbered. Your an endangered species. Beware when you see some little squat woman speaking with an accent descend upon your locker. Don't say a word or you may end up in detention and never go home again.

Trip of a Lifetime

Here you can drive around the island in a couple of hours and that is that. Of course it is a different type of beauty and so even though it is a short distance I always enjoy it. No, here if I want to visit my family I have to board a plane. And I won't do that anymore. In the past when I took trips, standing in line with other passengers, checking in was amusing not grueling. Where were these people going where were they from? I wondered who was filthy rich and who might be going on a trip for the first time. Then sitting and waiting to board I would start a new book or brows through the gift shop. On the flight I was always wonderd who I would sit next to or what was going to be served, was my book better then the movie or would I rather sit and watch what was being shown.

Now there are lines for lines. Figuring out how you print out your boarding pass, going from a check in line to another line to check your luggage, then another line through security and then another line for security again because some imbecile agent who can barely speak English picks you out to be double checked. You are sat in a chair where everyone in the security line can see you and wonder why you were singled out. Then you are stood in some kind of device while they blow air all over you to entertain again, those passengers standing in line.

Then you go to the waiting area where you wait and wait because you've had to show up at the airport 3 hours early to make sure you get through all those lines in time to make it to the line to board the plane. Finely you board the plane and you are placed in your seat with a shoe horn. you can put one arm on the arm rest. If you put two that means that the person sitting next to you won't have room for his arm. You don't put your table down for your drink because if the person in front of you puts his seat back your drink could end up in your lap. And heaven forbid if you try to stand up to get to the bathroom. You have just enough room to get by the person next to you without wiping his face with your ass.

So here you sit in your seat not eating or drinking because your not about to pay those exorbitant prices and the food choices in the snack bar were limp salads or dry white bread sandwiches and they were overpriced too. No, I don't travel anymore. It's just not worth it. And I must say modesty does not permit me to stand in one of those xray machines while some idiot rent a guard scans my body and has a laugh at my silhouette . You know I don't think it makes us more secure it just makes us seem guilty until proven innocent. The terrorist probably aren't even going to use the airlines again, there thinking about our water system or spraying our crops and any number of things that are out there for the taking. Oh and why do they take away knives from passengers when first class passengers get silver wear to eat with that includes knives? Don't they think a terrorist can book a first class passage? Hmm

I guess I'm stuck here on the islands until such day our freedom to travel will really be free. Or North Korea decides to experiment with a real target. Then I guess I will really be taking a long trip. Can you say Oblivion?