Sustainable Seed Project

I received a notice announcing that the cash-strapped CNMI Government will start austerity measures that will reduce personnel spending up to 12.5% therefore the need to reduce working hours from 80 to 7o per pay period. CNMI is in trouble financially due to continued low tourism numbers and the collapse of the garment industry. As Bill 17-45 is still being deliberated in both House & Senate, I am trying not to stress about what this will mean to my already cash-strapped wallet.

I've been thinking a lot about Tinian as well. Are the leadership and residents really that open to moving the Futenma Airbase that readily? If the Okinawa does not want them and Guam has been pretty vocal about the D-EIS, will the economic assistance that this will bring outweigh possible detrimental impacts to our lives in the CNMI?

I love Tinian the way it is: Full of history, full of nature, friendly people, peaceful, accessible. It is a quick getaway from the hustle and bustle of Saipan (hehe) and I enjoy going there when I can. The Mayor's Office also initiated a project there that was pretty impressive. It involved crafting seeds into leis, necklaces, earnings, and other ornaments. I am pretty sure that like everyone else, I find it disheartening to have very little selection in CNMI crafts and wares. Sure there are the Boyogo Dolls, and some local drink and food items, but shouldn't there be more? And there is enough (if not too many) of other things crafted elsewhere. Sometimes, you just need a keepsake or a give away from here that has a story here and not "bought here but made in the Philippines.

I think the Tinian Mayor's Office got something going on there: a product that they can call their own, from sustainable, readily available materials, attractive and sell-able. I am sure they just need some savvy marketing to make this work. I mean, can we get more creative than reintroducing another casino initiative for Saipan? Rehashing the casino initiative has been submitted (count them) two times by our legislators against the will of the people who voted against it in the last election. Well, this is slipping a bit into politics and this is not what this post is about. It is about exploration, experimentation, art, beauty: a sustainable seed project!

Props to Tinian for the idea, but i just wanted to see how viable an endeavor this will be. I mean seeds are aplenty and a sustainable supply.
All you need is collect, prepare them and figure out how you want to design them. Voila!

Actually, to do this right you've got do your research as to the materials and tools that you should use. Not all seeds can be used and not all plants used are easily accessed. Can you believe I grabbed a pod that I didn't know and got a handful of stinging hairs? That was a painful and itchy lesson!
Collecting and prepping can be difficult. Some seed pods are not for the faint-hearted (insert Deece name HERE) since they can be full of bugs and worms.

Well, Laurina and I put these together to see how they'd work out. I wanted the project to be sustainable and green, avoiding the use of chemicals like varnish or polyurethanes. I need to research natural varnish and oils that will coat and protect the seeds (maybe linseed or tung oil). We reused a discarded nylon fishing line I picked up at San Antonio Beach and made at least 4 seed leis.

More updates later as I research, discover and try to get creative.

Ti napu.

The Beachcomber

Harry's Back: I Hope He Kicks Ass

Our beloved Harry Blalock is back blogging. I hope he is back for good because I think he generates a lot of traffic in his blog for people wanting to get more information about Saipan. A lot of people checking him out are divers and tourists, so he does his part in promoting our islands to the world. I tell you, it is a lot better than my nervous attempt in inviting Darryl Hannah and her sister to dive Saipan after seeing them in Palau!

Check out his latest entry called, Still Alive and Kicking which in a way is his "news of my death has been greatly exaggerated" entry back into the blogosphere. He also talks about diving the Grotto. I'll have to share with you on a later post about my experience there with Harry. He was so professional, careful and knowledgeable.

Another thing I miss about Harry is his Food For Thought on KZMI-FM. I've been a fan since I came from Guahan in 2002 mostly because I learned quickly what was going on in my new adoptive island. He stopped working at the station to explore where his new diving career may bring him so there was quickly a void that developed in the social commentaries that he shared with the public. And boy, do we need him now more than ever! It is only the second month of the year and politics have played out a long rap sheet of shenanigans that most of the citizenry are upset about. We feel discouraged, abandoned, silenced, and so on. Harry was an avenue for our voices to be heard, and our sentiments expressed. I am not the only one who feels this way, of course, so check out the comments on this page.

Harry, I am glad that you are back. Your fans (and the Commonwealth) needs you.

Ti napu.

The Beachcomber