Baking Soda...

I remember my first day of my Junior year in high school.

I remember running to my class because the bell had rung and I was late for my first day of class. *Side note: My sister drove me to school my freshman and sophomore year of high school. I was never late because someone wanted to leave ridiculously early from my house... but I won't mention any names. Needless to say, when my sister moved to college and I left when wanted to... I was late.* I walked into my first class and it was physics. I feel like the words 'Anna' and 'Physics' should never be put in the same sentence. Anyways, I remember my teacher introducing the class to what physics was all about:

"Have you ever wondered what the building blocks of matter are?" - Mr. Woods

(I didn't even understand the question...) - My thoughts 

"Have you ever wondered if you shot a bullet straight up in the air, will it come straight down?"- Mr. Woods

(No) - My thoughts

"Have you ever wondered how the golden gate bridge was built?" - Mr. Woods

(No) - My thoughts

"Have you ever wondered if you are driving 60mph, how long will it take you stop if you slam on your breaks?" - Mr. Woods

(No) - My thoughts

"Have you ever wondered what conditions that are needed for an object to maintain its state of motion, whether it is at rest or accelerating due to a constant force?" - Mr. Woods

(What?) - My thoughts

"Have you ever wondered how to determine the momentum before and after and inelastic collision?" - Mr. Woods

(No, Is this a joke? I turned to look at the rest of my class to see if anyone else looked confused) - My thoughts 

"Have you ever wondered how many cars can make it through a green light?" - Mr. Woods

(No) - My thoughts 

"If you answered yes to those questions, then you are in the right place!!" - Mr. Woods

(Ummm.... I don't care about any of those things. Is it to late to change classes? I'm 100% sure I am going to fail this class) - My thoughts

I stayed in the class for two more weeks then transfered into Botany. We had dead flies and would trick the Venus Fly Trap plants into closing. This was my kind of class. 

I bought Baking Soda the other day to place in my refrigerator. I thought Baking Soda has to be the weirdest product, but you can use it for everything. How does that work?

-Use it to eliminate odor 

-Use it to make cookies

-Use it if you have a stomach ache (that's on the box)

-Use it with toothpaste to make your teeth whiter

-Use it in your shampoo to make your hair healthier 

-Use it to clean with

Does no one else think that it is strange that you can cook with this product and clean with it? This doesn't add up to me. 

Why couldn't Mr. Woods teach this in my physics class?

Critters...

Critters is a very southern word... I didn't realize that until I started writing this post.

I am packing to come home and I am super excited!

My mom and I were talking about what I needed to pack the other day and this is what she said:

"Make sure you zip up your bags in between packing, I don't want you to bring any critters(geckos) home." - Mom

Everyone thinks the gecko stories are funny, until there is a possibility they could have one in their house...

Procrastination...

Procrastination and I are best friends. We have been best friends for several years, probably since I started school, if I had to guess.

Procrastination is not a good influence on me.

My life is consumed at the moment, by writing an 8 page paper on something that I do not know a lot about, that is due tomorrow.

I will write later... that is if I make it out alive from this paper...

Is That A Woman's Clothing Store?

One great thing about living in Hawaii is no one knows who this team is!! My sister shared this lovely video with me yesterday and I decided to post on a friend's facebook wall, who is an Alabama fan as well. I went to hang out with friends tonight and I had one person say:

"Hey Anna, I saw the video you put on Wes's Wall" - Chad

"Yeah I thought it was funny!" - Me

"Yeah me too! Is that a woman's clothing store down in the South? Is that why the kid didn't want to go in there?"- Chad

"(After I recovered from laughter) No, that is the University of Alabama's biggest rival." - Me

"Ohh, I have never heard of them before." - Chad

"Yeah, not to many people have, they are unimportant." - Me

Your Dixie's Football Pride Crimson Tide, Roll Tide, Roll Tide

April Fool's Day...

Except is isn't April and I am the 'fool.'

A couple of Sunday's ago I had my alarm set for 9:30 am. Now, I know some of you are up and chipper by 7:00 am, but as for the rest of us, keep your chipper-ness to a minimum until 10 am when I can actual function please. Anyways, my alarm went off as usual and instead of looking at the alarm, I was still facing the wall, and just began slapping my hand against the clock, assuming I hit the snooze button because the beeping stopped. My church doesn't start until 11:00 am, so I could hit the snooze button a couple more times. As I was waiting for the alarm to annoyingly beep again, it didn't. I knew I hadn't turn the alarm off, so I rolled over to look at my clock. It was 10:40 am already!!! Where did the time go?! Why didn't my snooze go off again?? I was going to be late... well I am always late, but more late than normal!! I got up washed my faced, put on make-up, and turned on my straightener.

As I was waiting on my straightener to heat up, I turned on my computer to look on facebook. I decided that I probably needed to hurry and decided to look at the time on my computer. The time read 9:45 am!!! I was throughly confused! I looked back at my clock and then back to my computer and there was an hour time difference. I picked up my trusty phone and sure enough it was 9:45 am!! I hate wasting precious sleep time! I realized when I was slapping the clock earlier, I must have hit the hour button and got ready an hour early for nothing. I felt like someone had played an April Fool's Day joke on me, except I was the one who played the joke on myself.

I didn't find it funny.

I went back to sleep for 30 minutes. Somehow, I was still late fore church...

Whistling...

Jalousie Window

      As stated in a previous post my apartment has Jalousie Windows. (This is not my window, but it looks exactly like this) You are never really alone with a window like this. Sometimes if your neighbors are on their lanai (porch), I can hear their conversations. My neighbor performs at restaurants, and every now and then, I hear him practicing his Ukulele. I do not mind it though because I love music and it is nice to listen to when I am painstakingly doing the dishes. (I really do hate cleaning dishes, if you can't tell)

     Speaking of music, I listen to music constantly. I have always loved music. Growing up I would just be randomly singing or whistling without realizing it, until someone would say something to me. (This was not my sister's favorite habit of mine)  Needless to say that has never stopped me from continuing the habit. *Side note: My dad also loves music (that's who I get it from), so my sister gets a double dose of it. My dad and I are both strong whistlers and when we are together we like to whistle songs together.*

     Anyways, this past Sunday I was sitting at my kitchen table working on homework. I had been listening to music all day, as usual, and the song "Sway" by Michael Buble got stuck in my head. (Dean Martin's version is better, but that is a topic for another post on another day) I was working on critiquing a research paper for class and was really concentrating. Well, without realizing it, I was whistling the song "Sway". (I guess it helps me think and process things) One of my friends texted me and that knocked me out of my deep concentration. Suddenly, I realized that I was whistling, but something sounded funny. 

I was whistling, but I was not alone. 

    Panic started to consume within me, did someone get into my apartment? No one could be in here though, because I can see both of my doors and they have not been opened. At that moment, I remembered stranger things have happened in this apartment, so no reason to lose hair over this.  I could hear two whistles. One whistle being my own, but the other whistle was not mine. I quickly stopped whistling to make sure I wasn't losing my mind. I sat quietly at my table and could hear someone else whistling. Where this other person was, I don't know. Had they been whistling with me the whole time? The second whistler, whistled for 30 more seconds and then stopped. I waited patiently for this second whistler to begin whistling. They didn't make one peep. I began to wonder if they were playing a game with me.

I mean is it really strange to hear more than one person whistle at a time? What are the odds that both of us were whistling and didn't know the other one was whistling?

    I felt like the ball was in my court (if this indeed was a game). I waited one more minute and heard nothing. I decided to make my move and then whistled a melody for a good 15 seconds and stopped. Then I eagerly awaited to see if my opponent would  strike back or wallow in defeat. Suddenly, I heard a distant whistle. At this point in time, I began to wonder, maybe they do not even hear me whistling and they are just whistling. The other whistle stopped and I decided to whistle again. (Looking back, I do not know why I continued whistling. I guess at the time, whistling was more entertaining than homework) Anyways, the second whistler did not continue, nor did I. I decided to turn on my music and focus on my homework. I haven't heard the second whistler since. On the contrary, I will be ready when they decide to whistle again. 

I am beginning to question if things like this happen to other people in their apartments? 

Another Summer Day...

"Another summer day has come and gone away, in Paris and Rome, but I wanna go home..." - 'Home' by Michael Buble

I fly home in ONE WEEK!! I am so excited! I haven't been home since Christmas!! It has been too long!

I wonder if home has changed much?
I don't know how I will react to central air conditioning.
I am going to be able to drive farther than 30 miles.
I will be able to view more than 15 channels on a TV set.
I will be in the land of dishwashers.
Do people still say ma'am and sir?
Will I think southern accents sound weird?
I will be able to get to another state without taking an airplane.
Will I remember to leave my shoes on when I enter people's houses?
Will it be weird to not wear flip flops everyday?
I will be able to find parking without worrying about a tow truck or paying to park.
I will get to eat at all my favorite restaurants that I see on commercials but Hawaii doesn't have.
Will I accidently call people auntie and uncle?
I will be able to sit in a room with real windows and not hear what is going on outside.
Will I remember to not use pidgin english?

I am so excited and can't wait to come home!

"Another aeroplane, another sunny place, I'm lucky I know, but I wanna come home..." 'Home' by Michael Buble

5 years...

I remember the first day that I met him.

I was a freshman in college and it was freshman move in day. His roommate helped my roommate and I move into our room. My parents had just left and the closest I was to anyone I knew was 2hrs and 45mins away, where my sister was in college. I didn't know anyone, but was excited because I love meeting new people. That night there was an ice cream social that the SGA (student government association) had in the courtyard. ALL of the freshman were there and it was extremely packed! I had gone with my three new found friends, two of those friends (Laura and Emily) are still one of my best friends today! The crowd was huge so we decided to stand to the side and talk amongst ourselves. Little did I know that the next people I would meet would change my life forever. 


Two senior guys from the SGA walked up and asked to take a picture for the welcome week slideshow. We probably would have turned them away, except we recognized the guy who helped us move in that day. He introduced himself, David, and then introduced his roommate whose name was David(my future boyfriend) as well. (I didn't believe that both of their names were David. I thought that they were trying to take advantage of a group of freshman girls and I wasn't falling for it. I wasn't born yesterday.) We ended up taking pictures as a group and became friends. (I still have that picture today, but not on the computer or I would show you)


The ice cream social was over and as were heading back to our dorm my friends decided to ask David (my future boyfriend) to go to Sadie Hawkins.  *Side note: Sadie Hawkins dance was always a huge deal for freshmen at the university I attended. Sadie Hawkins dance normally means that the girls ask the guys to the dance. However, I am very old fashioned when it comes to guys asking girls out. As soon as I heard about Sadie Hawkins, I immediately decided that I wasn't going to go. Guys are supposed to ask me out, not the other way around and I was not going to be talked out of it.* My friends decided to go as a group and ask one guy to go. All three of my friends had already asked David and then it was my turn. By the way, I still didn't believe that his name was David, so there was no way I was asking this random guy. Well...they ended up talking me into asking him and I am glad that they did. 


The Second Day I knew him.


I went to a small university, so you see the same people often. We ran into David throughout the day, but  I thought nothing of it. Later that afternoon there was a welcome week activity off campus and considering that fact that I had no idea where anything was David offered to give my friends and I a ride. He gave us his cell number and I distinctly remember putting his number in my cell phone and thinking I am never going to use this number, so why I am putting his number in here. (I do not mean that in a negative way. You know when you meet new people and put there number in your phone because you say you will hang out, but never end up using it. That's what I mean. If you don't know what I mean then, you are a better person I am)


The Third Day I knew him.


My three group of girlfriends and I quickly became friends with the seniors in the SGA. (David was in he SGA) They gave us rides everywhere! I remember Laura, Emily, the two Davids and I were headed to get ice cream one night. David (the roommate) decided to drive us. I remember walking to his car to sit in backseat. I noticed that David (my future boyfriend) was walking closely behind me. I thought it was strange. Couldn't he tell that I was getting in on this side of the car? I made it to the door and he reached around me to open the door.
"Ohh...ok.. I can get in on the other side of the car." - me


"(He smiled) Umm.. I was opening the car door for you.." - David (my future boyfriend)


"OH.. (I was dumbfounded, my jaw was probably hanging open) wow... thank you! " - me 


Needless to say, 5 years later I have still never opened a car door when he is around. 


The Second Week I knew him.


I was gone on a BSU (Baptist Student Union) retreat the first weekend of school. When we were heading back to school I noticed that the Northbound lanes had bumper to bumper traffic for miles. When we returned to school we realized that Hurricane Katrina was headed for us. I didn't grow up near the coast, so whenever their was a hurricane the only effects we got were rain. However, by the time I realized the seriousness of it all it was to late to leave. The interstate was packed and I was 5 hours away from home. My best bet was to stay at school. (I will write a Hurricane Katrina story one day) The next day we woke up and things with Katrina were just getting started. We didn't know a safe place to go, after all we had only been in college for 7 days! David ended up walking each of us to a safe building. He held on to us because the wind was strong and shielded us with his body because the rain was coming at us sideways at a million miles an hour. (Okay a slight exaggeration, but the rain was stinging when it hit my skin) He ended up taking care of my group of friends for the next day and a half. 


Those are some of my most precious memories that stick out from the first two weeks when I first met him. We started dating a month or so after these occurrences. This past Saturday was our 5 year anniversary and we couldn't be happier! We have had our ups and downs just like any couple but I would have changed a thing because we have grown from each situation. 


Hawaii


I remember the day that I had gotten accepted to Hawaii for graduate school. I was nervous to tell him because I wasn't sure how he would respond. I should have never been nervous because a negative word never (and still hasn't) came out of his mouth. He told me couldn't be more proud of me and thought I should take this once in a life time opportunity. He knew that living in Hawaii had always been a dream of mine and he didn't want to stand in the way. We discussed that a long distance relationship would be tough, but he assured me that we would be fine and everything would work out. Of course, he was right and our relationship is stronger today than it has ever been. People often ask how we make it work and I tell them I do not know how to explain it, it just works. We do not worry about the future because we know that God has a plan for us and we leave it up to him. 


I am extremely lucky to have a man of God that loves and supports me in everything that I do. He is my country boy and I am his city girl and we are like two peas in a pod. I love you David. 

Year 1

 

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Book'em Danno...

Screen on the Beach

            Hawaii Five-O premiered tonight on Queen's Beach in Waikiki tonight! The cast showed up at 6, but I didn't get off work until 5:45. I walked down to the beach and there were THOUSANDS of people. Literally, there were 10,000 people there on a small beach. Trying to find an open spot in the sand was virtually impossible. Somehow I ended up in a HUGE line of people looking for a spot to sit and some random photographer asked if he could take my picture and this random guy decided to jump in. (The guy wouldn't take a picture with his wife, but he took one with me . I left the conversation alone and continued to look for a little piece of sand to sit on.  Oh the photographer gave me his card for the site and this is the picture from tonight)

Random photographer with random guy and girl at the Hawaii Five - O premiere 

    Long story short, I ended up walking around the back of the screen to get on the shore line and that's when I saw the cast!! All my other pictures didn't turn out but I saw the rest of them too! 

Scott Caan who plays Danno, he was really posing for me in this picture.

I was so close!

         The Hawaii Five - O premiere was GREAT!!! It is a must see! I was extremely surprised about accurate the show was with how people lived, talked and acted here! Seriously, what you see on this show is Hawaii. (You will hear the word "Haole" pronounced (how- lay) a lot through the show and that means white person, trust me everything will make more sense now that you know that word. You will here the term mainland. I am sure you know what the means, but just incase you don't, it means all of you over there on the continental 48 states) It premieres for the rest of the world this coming Monday so make sure to watch it! 

P.S. If you like spoilers let me know and I will tell you what happened!

Dishes...

I used to be able to keep fingernail polish on my nails for weeks at a time. My nails looked so good then. I recently painted my finger nails and within 3 days the polish has already chipped half way down my nails. (I even put a protective coat on top of the polish) I would show you a picture but it is just to disgraceful. However, I will show you the color of the polish because it is beautiful!

Mint Sprint

As I was washing my dishes tonight, I realized this was why my nail polish kept coming off. Right then and there I decided that men should do the dishes for their wives and girlfriends. Whether men know it or not it would be very beneficial for them to wash dishes for their mind, body, and pocketbook. 


Top Five Reasons How Washing Dishes Can Benefit Men:


1. It will save men money. If women continue to wash the dishes, their nail polish will continue to chip off their nails. Then, they will have to spend money to buy nail polish remover, nail polish, or to get manicures. If women didn't wash the dishes then they would not have to fix their nails as often. Hence, men washing dishes saves money. 


2. Builds Muscle. God gave men muscles, use them. By scrubbing all those hard stuck on food items, men are not only cleaning a dish, but they are also working out their arm muscles. Its like going to the gym, without ever leaving their house. 


3. Choose Your 'Weapon'. There are several types of scrubbers or sponges. They have metal scrubbers, they have sponges with handles, they have sponges that squirt out soap. In reality, it's not like you are even working, more like playing with your weapon of choice.


4. Soft hands without the 'girly' lotion. If men use Dawn Dishwashing Soap it will keep their hands soft without having to use 'girly' lotion that your wife/girlfriend uses. Dawn has multiple manly colors and scents. (Plus, another way to save money because you will not have to buy double the lotion)


5. It Prevents Headaches. Washing dishes without having to be asked will make your wife/girlfriend happy. A.K.A no more nagging. 




I could go on, but what more could I say. What man wouldn't want to wash dishes after this list?

Moldy Sunglasses...

I really wanted mashed potatoes tonight for dinner. 


I really wanted to make mashed potatoes like I have at home. I used to make them all the time and they were perfect. I moved out here and I have yet to make good mashed potatoes. Difference: at home I have a hand mixer and here I have a potato masher. Leave it to Hawaii to keep me in the dark ages by using a hand potato masher. Mashed potatoes just don't taste the same with a potato masher. 


However, I had to skype chat with my discussion group from school to answer questions at 7:00 p.m. I really wanted mashed potatoes and fried chicken. I had time to make the mashed potatoes, just not the fried chicken. (Yes, I could have made it after my meeting, but who wants to start cooking that late at night?)  So  instead I decided to make loaded potato soup, because it is delicious and easy. I cooked the potatoes while my group was discussing topics that make my head hurt. After I had already added the majority of the ingredients, it was time to add the sour cream. I was so excited about my soup. I opened the container of sour cream and all I saw was green. 

Green Mold.

Green Mold all over my sour cream that was going to make my soup taste delicious. 


I improvised. Thank goodness Google was invented. 


I added the finishing touches and it was ready. My head hurt, either from school work that I don't understand or pure hunger. It was probably a mixture of both. I decided before I sat down to eat that I would go ahead and put my flour back in my cabinet. As I am putting my flour up I hear something fall. I just figured it was a magnet. I constantly knock magnet's off the fridge. I closed the door and turn around to see my sunglasses sinking in my soup. 


Sunglasses.


Sunglasses sinking in my soup that was going to be so delicious. 


I took the sunglasses off and washed them. I stared at my soup. It looked fine.


I ate it and it was delicious. 


The end.


My head still hurts, I think I need chocolate. Maybe frozen hot chocolate might due the trick... this time hold the mold and sunglasses please.

Not My First Rodeo...

It's Back.

I spent 3 weeks of my life this past May worrying and stressing every time I would walk into my apartment. At night, I wouldn't let my hands dangle out from the covers in bed because I would be afraid "it" would get them. During those 3 weeks of worrying I never saw "it" until one day I came home and found it resting on my door frame.

The GECKO is back.

Last time I wrote about it I told you how I 'kicked it to high heavens' over the rail. During those 3 weeks I tried every thing to figure out how to get rid of the gecko. However, I never told you about the phone conversation I had with my dad the next day after I kicked the gecko.

"You know, when your mother and I went on our honeymoon (in Maui) there was a gecko in our room. Your mom refused to stay in the room because there was a gecko on the wall" - Dad

"So what did you do?" - Me

"Well, I called the front desk and they sent up a handyman to get rid of it. He had a towel in one hand and a can of raid in his other hand. He walked up to the gecko sprayed it with raid and it dropped right into his towel and he walked out." - Dad

"DAD!! YOU KNEW HOW TO GET RID OF THE GECKO THIS WHOLE TIME AND YOU ARE JUST NOW TELLING ME??? DON'T YOU THINK THAT INFORMATION WOULD HAVE BEEN USEFUL THE FIRST TIME I SAW THE GECKO?!" - Me 


"Well, I didn't think about it then. It just now occurred to me." - Dad


"Unbelievable! I can't believe you never thought to tell me this before...." - Anna


This brings us to tonight, aka 30 mins ago. I had just walked in the door from a wonderful dinner and desserts with friends. I was tired and ready to get into my bed for the night. I went to sit on my bed to take off my shoes when I saw something scurrying across on the wall caught my attention. I knew what it was before I even had to look. The gecko. This gecko was still cream colored (the same color as my wall and floors) but this one was smaller. I surprisingly remained calm and racked my brain of what to do. It was still on my closet door and wasn't really moving, so I figured I could get the sticky contact paper and just touch it with the paper and be able to get it out. (One would think that I learned my lesson last time with the contact paper) With a heavy sigh of agony, I went to go turn on the air conditioning and cut contact paper. It would have worked like a charm except the 'scaredy cat' inside of me got the best of me. The gecko started slowly moving. I moved the trash can away and had an amazing plan of touching the gecko with the sticky paper and then pressing it on their with the trash can. (Let's face it I want it out of my apartment, but I don't want to have to touch it) Of course, the gecko disappeared. I literally never saw it run away. Which means, this little sucker is fast. I laid the contact paper sticky side up on the floor hoping the gecko would come back out and get caught on it. 


Next I remembered the story of the Raid can story my dad told me about. (Raid doesn't kill them, but the spray comes out cold and basically freezes them where they can't move.) I forgot to mention that after my dad told me that story, I went out and bought not 1 but 2 cans of raid. (I wanted to be prepared) I sprayed around my bed hoping that it would keep the gecko away from bed tonight when I sleep. I lifted up my bed skirts because I was sure that was where the gecko was hiding. I couldn't find my flashlight so I just started to spray raid. (How come when you can need something you can never find it, but when you don't need it you always know where it is?) I told the gecko that this was not my first rodeo and it wasn't going to stay long.


Now I am sitting on my bed with can of Raid on my bedside table, ready to use at any moment, with my room smelling like lemon because the can of Raid I bought has a "lemon scent."

*BREAKING NEWS*

As soon as I finished this story I thought I remembered where I had put the flashlight. I set down my computer and I was about to hop off my bed when I see the gecko come out from under the other bed. I gasped, jerked my legs up, almost panicked, but then realize the Raid is on my bedside table. I urgently grab it and leaned over and sprayed under the bed. I swiftly jumped to my feet to go get the flashlight. I ran to the corner and sure enough no flashlight. I wasn't going to let that stop me. I turned on all my other lights and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. The flashlight was in the top drawer of my night stand. I dashed to the drawer and pulled out the flashlight. 

I then assumed my position.

 I was laying with my stomach to the floor with the flashlight in my left hand and had my trigger finger on my right hand on the Raid can. I was calling, more like taunting, the gecko to come out from its hiding place. I was ready. (Side note: Remember the movie Home Alone. Remember when Kevin decides he is going to protect his house from the 'wet bandits'. There is a scene where he goes outside and says "I'm not afraid anymore! You hear that, I'm not afraid anymore!!" Then his next door neighbor with the shovel appears and he runs in his house screaming. That is what I felt like in that moment. I was not afraid anymore, that is until the gecko would show his face, then I am sure I would be scared all over again)  I waited anxiously to see a movement of any kind. I sprayed just to taunt the gecko to see any movement. Then all of a sudden I saw it! I began to spray and spray, but it wasn't freezing! Why wasn't it freezing? It was moving slower. I continually sprayed it, but it came to a slow crawl. I realized that I had nothing to catch the gecko with at that time. I sprayed it again and then placed the comforter under my bed over it. (The apartment supplied me with a comforter, but I don't use it because I live in Hawaii and it is hot. Therefore I just folded it and placed it under my bed.) I ran to get a cup.  At that moment, I decided I probably needed put on shoes too. I am not sure why, but it seemed appropriate at the time. I slowly slid the comforter out from under the bed. I gently lifted the comforter from the floor and their it was. I sprayed it again with Raid and then slammed the cup down on top of it. I looked through the clear cup and said, "Oh my gosh, I have it. Oh my gosh I have it. Oh my gosh I have it! Now what do I do?" I slid the cup out from the bed and this is what I did:

The Gecko is trapped in the cup!

Victory is mine!! And it's so sweet!!

Score:

Gecko: 2   Anna: 2

I spared the gruesome details, if you want them you can call me. 

Two Words...

Two Words: Tow Trucks

Two more Words: Mortal Enemies

Putting those two simple words of 'tow truck' in one sentence can make any local here that owns a car stand on edge.  Locals in Hawaii whether they are from the islands or originally from different states,  have different color skin tones,  and may speak with different accents, but there is one thing that we all have in common. The common factor that brings everyone together is that we can all agree that tow trucks are our mortal enemies. Tow trucks are like piranhas waiting on a innocent fish (cars) to unsuspectingly swim (park) in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Seriously.

We are allowed to park on the streets from 6pm - 6:30am. By 6:25am tow trucks are lined on the streets waiting on the unsuspectingly sleeping owners of the cars to forget that they are parked on the street and snatch their cars ups. Once the clock strikes 6:31am the tow trucks take their position and can tow a truck within 30 seconds. Literally. I have seen it happen.

When I look for parking places I try to find a place where a tow truck will not be able to get to my car. I feel like it is a unsaid battle between the tow trucking companies and myself.
Key points into not getting your car towed:
1. READ the street sign
2. Park your wheels angled at the curb
3. Put your parking break on
4. Park next to an illegally parked car that way your car doesn't look so bad