Wednesday Update

Okay, so here's the latest in my Wed. night class.

We went on a field trip to the Manoa Heritage Center, which is actually pretty cool. It's this large Tudor mansion with a restored heiau (sacred burial site) and gardens which have indigenous and endemic Hawaiian plants. On the way there we decided to carpool and like the idiot I was, I agreed.

This is why I'm an idiot: We pile into two cars and I should've realized this earlier but the people driving have those enviornmental safe cars that could probably fit one person and a pencil. There are eight of us in the class. So four of us have to cram into one and four into the other; not a problem for everyone else since they eat grass. They're not the red meat lovers I am so there's no fat on their bones. They do me the courtesy of letting me sit in the front seat...thaaaannks.

Have you ever seen those clowns who drive the really small cars around in a circus? Well, they looked better than me. My knees were crammed into my face, my arm was out the window and my butt was so low to the ground I thought I slid the whole way there instead of driving. When we finally got out i was relieved to get out of the car but the weirdness had just begun.

The guide talked for 20 minutes before he even started the actual tour. I was leaning against one of the trees, since there was nothing else to sit on, when he screams, "Please do not lean there!"
I jump up and say, "Why? Is there a bug or something?"
He says, "No! But it's a tree! How would you like it if someone leaned their body against you?"
I said "I don't know, is that someone Steven Strait?"
He glares and moves on.

Next is the garden part and the guy's sooooo boring. So I decide that it's up to me, yet again, to bring life to the pary. I start making jokes about some things. For example, he shows us a plant that was used by Hawaiians to fish. He says that they would throw the root into the water and it would numb the fish so they could reach in and pick them out. So someone asked, "What do they call that?" and i said "Cheating." Everyone but the tour guide laughed.

Then he showed us the garden with plants that were used to feed Hawaiians (sweet potatoes, taro, etc.) So he points to one plant and says that it was a last resort to eat; only when you were starving. So I said, "Kind of like Mac & cheese or cup of noodle."" Again, he glares while everyone laughs. I'm thinking, what's up with guy? I'm killing out here and he won't even crack a grin!

I decided to be really annoying and I took pictures with my camera phone while he was talking, so in the middle of his sentences all you'd hear is this loud "CLICK". When he was done I ran up to him and said, "I got some great stuff!" I showed him the camera and said, "Look! Here's you talking...and then here's you pointing...and then here's you talking again...and again...and again....and again....and here's you scratching your leg....and then you're talking again..."

He wasn't really happy. I can't imagine why. We're going to some garden thing in Aiea next week. Do not fear, you shall hear all about it! :)