Things I Already Love About Living Here

• Trash (rubbish, it's called here) is picked up TWICE a week, not once.
  
• People drive slower here than they do in California. In a good way.
  
• Finn picks up freshly fallen plumerias on his walk to school every morning.
  
• I can hear doves, ducks or gekkos at almost any time of day or night.
  
• I can buy sashimi, poke and fresh sushi -- in bulk -- at Costco.
  
• There are certain views, roads and vantage points that remind me of my favorite parts of Baja.
  
• The local food options (gourmet dining aside) are plentiful, affordable and diverse.
  
• The ocean water temperature is so warm you can stay in the water for hours before chattery teeth and blue lips set in.
  
• I used to think the famous Hawaiian trade winds could be a bit annoying -- erratically blowing things over, encouraging dust in the house, even waking up our always lightsleeping little Shea in the middle of the night. Then we had a couple of still, sweltering August days without them and I quickly had a change of heart. Now I LOVE the trade winds, dust and all.
  
• The slower pace here reminds me of my former home town, as it was during the '70s.
  
• Can't bear another burger? You can order Saimin at the airport, at Ala Moana Beach -- and at McDonalds.
  
• The only time I've put on a sweater here was when the air conditioning in a restaurant was turned up too high for my personal climate zone.
  
• Hanauma Bay.
  
• People really do live aloha here.