It is nice to be missed (or Starfish)

A waitress I haven't seen for a while in a restaurant I haven't eaten at for a while said to me, "Oh, I've missed your little stars!" True to my routine, I picked it up and and placed it in her hand saying, "Remember, you are a star."

Remember, you are a star.

The Beachcomber

Oh, Bev.

There have been a couple of posts dedicated to Bev “Bubbles in Paradise” Cabanatan lately due to her recent departure to live and thrive back in her home State of California. The postings from our circle of friends are just simple testimonials to what an effect her friendship had on us all. Everyone who knows her will miss her. I personally take it as a great loss.

It probably helped me a lot in that after her farewell dinner that she called me over to help her pack. There was a power outage when I got home and I think I would have been sad and mopey thinking about the eventual loss of another friend. I think I would have been so overwhelmed with grief that I may not have shown up to the airport. That’s just the way I am and protecting myself from a heartache that way is a poor excuse I know. But staying up late, packing her clothes, chatting, inheriting unwanted items, and eventually falling asleep on the couch saved me the emotions since we had our time on an extended goodbye. Plus there is nothing like a good dose of old reality by way of packing her belongings into her luggage to help bring eventual acceptance. Otherwise I would have been a pretty sad mess. She smiled at me all evening. She kept saying, “Oh, I know you will visit me. You can sleep over at the house!”

Bev, I will miss:

• Our hangout time with just you and me
• Being in love vicariously through your own love story
• Your hugs
• Your midday and late-day IMs
• Eating with you at any hour
• Doing random favors for you
• Your dark tan
• Making me feel like I am a good big brother
• Making me feel like I am a good teacher
• You needing me and making me feel that only I can help in certain situations
• The trust you have in my opinions
• Your open mind and heart, and readily available ears
• Jokes and the teasing
• The way you say, “You’re dumb!”
• The opportunity to play v-ball, dance salsa, and sing karaoke
• Having someone I can use the punchline, "At least it's not Tooth Morphology!"
• Your text messages that starts of with, “What r u doing?”
• Talks, talks and more talks
• You trying to hook me up with whatever new cute girl you've just met
• Your dark hair
• Your braces
• You being just a phone call away
• Invitations to everything
• Seeing and liking who I am inside at a time when I was closed off outside
• Your nice apartment and guitar
• Understanding my personal dilemmas
• Giving you grief about the stuff Greg was supposed to give me
• Being straightforward and real
• Squinty mad eyes
• Playing with your arm scar
• You telling me that I’ll be okay
• Your quick simple prayers
• Just having you near me

I miss you, Beverly Mae.

Last ride with Amy in the Subaru Airport goodbyes: With Tali, Noah and Carol

With Joy and Kuya ErnieWith The Whimsy Peddler
With Mai at a Glance

With two dentists that make looking good as a couple seem easy: Dr. Crystal and Dr. Ken. (Or, Two other people that I can use the punchline, "At least it's not Tooth Morphology!" on).

The best Taotao Guahan I (and I bet you too) know: John Dax

A prayer for traveling mercies.

Of course there was saddness and broken hearts... ...then Jessica smiled: reassurance that we'll be okay.

The Beachcomber

Party for the Marine Monument

Our friend Ed Propts sent us the following invitation

along with Tamara's beautiful art:

Dearest Friends,This Thursday, May 8, 2008, we will be hosting a "Support the Marine Monument" Party at Ocean's Bar and Grill. We're hosting this party to boost support for the proposed national marine park for the CNMI, and to also set the facts apart from fiction. And also because we like to PARTAY!The fun begins at 6PM. There will be free appetizers, a beer garden, happy hour prices all nite long, raffles and giveaways, and of course fun, fun, fun!Support a good cause, because this is an opportunity for the CNMI that we just can't miss!! Join us won't you??!!

For more info, please call Ed Propst at 483-7361. SEE YOU THIS THURSDAY At OCEANS!!!<<>>Edwin Propst, President Pacific Digital Media The Cabrera Center Suite 105PO Box 500995 Saipan MP 96950Tel: (670) 235-4176 / 483-7361

Here's a snippet of Ed's letter to our elected leaders addressing their short sighted passing of the resolution against the proposed CNMI marine park dated May 1, 2008 entitled:

CARE - Change, Action, Reform, and Excellence

(He calls it free corruption-free advice :) )

9. Rescind your resolution against the proposed national marine park. I am dumbfounded at how our leaders could so quickly and recklessly come up with a resolution that slams the idea of a national marine monument for the CNMI. What I want to know is if it is really true that the resolution was written by a WESPAC lobbyist. Do you truly understand the ramifications of your resolution? Have you exhausted all efforts in understanding the pros and cons of the marine monument? Since when was conservation a bad thing? Why do you buy into propaganda and sensationalism? As far as our local fishermen are concerned, how many of our local fishermen travel three hundred-plus miles to go fishing? It is not economically feasible, especially given the high cost of fuel! (Maybe the legislators figure the fishermen will swim up and back.) Do you know who is fishing those waters right now? Illegal commercial fishing companies from Korea and Taiwan!

And as we speak, the CNMI cannot do anything about it right now! Stop listening to lies and start listening to the voice of reason. I ask that you revisit your resolution and rescind it. There is nothing wrong with changing your mind if it means you are changing your mind for the right reasons.

So, eat your chicken BBQ sticks early at the Street Market and then mosey on down to Ocean's B&G to support the monument. You will meet plenty of progressive people that have their hearts and minds in tuned to what the CNMI needs and those have a genuine concern for our future.

I thought this to be the perfect quote for the current state of conservation here:

"It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save our environment." Ansel Adams

Thanks for letting me share.

The Beachcomber

PS. Just in case you were out of the loop, here's a few recent write ups from fellow bloggers about the proposal and our elected official's resolution to reject it:

Angelo's take:

http://jetapplicant.blogspot.com/2008/04/monumental-loss.html

http://jetapplicant.blogspot.com/2008/04/information-direct-from-hawaii.html

Tamara's take:

http://seaweedsandandsunsets.blogspot.com/2008/04/national-park-of-sea.html

Saipan Writer's take:

http://saipanwriter.blogspot.com/2008/05/227-please-make-it-stop.html

Angelo's sums up and addresses other's take:

http://jetapplicant.blogspot.com/2008/04/more-local-support.html

http://jetapplicant.blogspot.com/2008/04/internet-is-on-fire.html