Kalai

Last week, I went to an informal concert featuring Kalai.

It was awesome. It was in Holliday, in the mountains. There is this little stage tucked up on a hiking path. The mountains surround you, and the sun set right behind the stage. It was a magical setting.

Kalai sings a song, On My Mind, and it is one of my all-time favorite songs. It is also featured in the new movie Johnny Lingo, which is one of my favorite movies (if you haven't seen it - GO SEE IT NOW! It is awesome, and the soundtrack is incredible. I bought it years ago. Also - if you've never seen the original Johnny Lingo, that is absolutely worth seeing as well. I'm still waiting for my Johnny Lingo to appear...).

As I was looking him up to link to this post, I read his bio. Because that is just how big of a fan I really am.

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Switch to my childhood in Anchorage, Alaska.

There was a family there, with a kid named Kaniela Ka Lei Ali’i ‘O’ Kalani Kala’i. My dad was close with him, as they were both in the Young Men’s. We grew up with that name on our lips, for the sheer… weirdness of it being a legit name. We’d practice saying it, fast and slow, over and over. After not hearing the name for YEARS, I can still say it. That is some hardcore memorization right there.

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Switch back to today, when I’m reading his bio. They have his name, Kalai, and say he was born some looong, complicated, apostrophized Hawaiin name. I skip over it. I can’t pronounce it, so why bother?

I read the rest of the bio, look over his songs, trying to find a download of On My Mind. Which, I couldn’t. Once I’ve decided I’ve officially wasted enough of my time, I go to close down my Kalai research.

As I’m closing down his bio window, I decide to say the name – just for kicks. See how I do.

“Kaniela Ka Lei Ali’i ‘O’ Kalani Kala’I”

Whoooooaaaaa. That sounds awfully familiar… the past comes whooshing into my head.

I know this guy! He and my Dad were besties, once upon a time.

Crazy. Too bad I made this discovery now, and not before the concert when I could have told him and maybe gotten my money back. Friends get into concerts for free, right? And we are practically besties too, obviously.

Random

• Julie hates this. I have it written on my whiteboard. She says it bugs her because its true and she gets mad every time she looks at it. Ha! I told her I'd take it down when her karma improves.
• Ever heard of P90X? I've officially begun. There are a group of guys from my work who do it at 6:20 in our office gym every morning. That's right, folks. 6:20. Which means I need to LEAVE my house at 5:50. I've done it for 2 days. I like it – I am sore… all over. I doubt I'll be able to walk tomorrow. Seriously. Today was Plyometrics (jump training). Does that scare you enough? It did me. One of the guys told me his first time he made it half way through and then almost threw up so he laid down the rest of the time. He is not a wuss nor is he obese. So I was terrified. I hate throwing up. Anyways, I did it today. AND – I did as good as the guys who have been doing this for a while. YEAH, BABY! Personal triumph. They were all super impressed. I was impressed. I felt absolutely fit. There was one minor mishap, but I shant disclose that here. I felt really weird about being the only girl, but they are so sweet and nice to me.
• My office is FREEZING. I have been shivering all day. I have a sweater on and my coat around my legs and still I'm dying. I can't focus when I'm this cold. Hence my blog break.
• This is what my world looked like on April 1. So much for April showers bring May flowers. Not that I'm complaining – I LOVE the snow. I love how the trees are blossoming and are pink and perfect, and then there's the snow on them, making it the most superb sight ever.




• Tight Pants Guy is back. He finished his contract and has been gone for a long time - but he's back. I'll try not to embarrass myself by disclosing personal and inappropriate information.
• I'm currently obsessed with these songs:
• Highway 20 Ride by the Zac Brown Band.
• 
  
  • Need you Now by Lady Antebellum
  • Bella's Song by Edward Cullen (from Twighlight, yes. But don't mistake me for a Twilight lover/fanatic. Give the song a chance before you judge me)
  • Mr.Brightside by The Killers (Seriously – who doesn't love The Killers? For an AWESOME rendition of the song, visit here. One day, I want to be that good on the violin. Maybe I should start practicing again.)
  
  These are the songs I listen to over and over all day long. I put my earphones in, listen to my tunes and drown the office out. Which is awesome, considering I work in the middle of the hall. Pretending I can't hear is the best method of work/people avoidance I've found yet.
• My little sister had surgery on her foot. She is doing really well. She's a tough cookie. So my mom is in town to help her out. That leaves Dad, Taylor and Bobbie alone in Saudi. For the first time, more of our family is currently in the States than in Saudi. Weird.
• This week, I like these words:
• Scapegrace: One who is wild and reckless
• Aspersion: Verbal exhibition of bad temper
• Aberrant: Deviating from the normal or correct
• Aggrandize: To make greater, increase – to exaggerate
• Amalgamate: To unite or mix – n: Amalgamation
• Wastrel: A person who wastes; a loafer
• I drink copious amounts of water.
• I'm going dancing tongiht. Not my favorite country dancing, or clubbing dancing, but Pride and Prejudice (which is my favorite movie and one of my favorite books) dancing. Seriously. The Elizabethean/English Country dancing. You know, when the guys stand on one side, with the girls on the other, and they dance. I've always wanted to learn - and tonight I shall! I can't wait.
• Alpha is over. Weird. SO weird. I now have free time to do... other things. Like tonight, I should be at our Tuesday officer meeting. But it's OVER. So I am free to go dancing. Weird. I'll have to post our end of the year pictures.
• I need to get back to work, even if I am freezing.

Love,
Brittney