Thursday, March 24, 2022

Cthuluau

 

Days turn into weeks, weeks turn to months, and months go by, but relatively little changes in the world of criminal defense.  I continue to receive and resolve cases, trials approach only to be delayed at the last minute, and I’m constantly bouncing between clients who are mad at me and clients who are thankful for my work.  As much as I like my job, there’s only so much one can take without a break from it all.  This month, I finally got just the break I needed.  Best of all, it was alongside my sweetheart/partner in (researching) crime, Cthulhu!

To be specific, Cthulhu and I were bound for Hawaii, the sun-drenched island chain where I grew up and where my parents still live.  The last time I had visited Hawaii was September 2019, before I officially became an attorney (and started this blog).  This marked the first time I visited Hawaii and hugged my parents as a practicing attorney.  It can be jarring to look at things this way and realize just how quickly time can pass.  Still, regardless of time, occupation, or global pandemic, some things stay the same.  Cthulhu and I spent our time doing a lot of what we usually do in Hawaii: swimming, going to the beach, and playing Red Dead Redemption 2.

It wasn’t all fun in the sun and virtual cowboying, though.  One think Cthulhu and I ventured out to do was hit up the Hawaii Cat Café to enjoy some coffee in the presence of kitties.  With Christmas Cat back in Oregon, it was a great way to de-stress and get some feline-induced relaxation vibes.  It was definitely a great addition to the vacation itinerary and contributed to the overall feeling of relaxation.

SO

MANY

KITTIES!

Most of our non-cat relaxation was low-key.  There was however one other major excursion of note: near the end of vacation, Cthulhu and I hit up Kailua Beach to soak up some rays and try something neither of us had done in a while—building sandcastles.  With little more than a bucket and our imagination, we eventually created a gorgeous folly known as Kailossus.

Behold!

A close up with more details.

The drainage pond at Kailossus, which helped the castle withstand flooding experiments.

How we left Kailossus, to be discovered and enjoyed by others.

However, like all good things, vacation eventually came to an end.  And so, I made my return to Tillamook, where the air is laced with manure and the prosecutors are packing heat (in Tillamook County, prosecutors are deputized by the Sheriff’s Office, meaning they have issued sidearms).  I picked an interesting time to come back, too: Oregon has now removed almost all mask mandates, meaning that life is taking a massive step back to normal.  Work is picking up already, but I’m energized and ready to go thanks to the rest and relaxation I got in Hawaii (along with some reassurance that the pandemic is winding down).  Aloha, Hawaii; it was wonderful as always.  Now, it’s time for me to leap back into the jurisprudential fray!


Postscript 1: Happy Belated St. Patrick's Day, everyone!  Even at 29, I know that you need to wear green to get in the spirit/avoid pinches.  My wardrobe that day took that into account.

Postscript 2: another low-key adventure was trying Parmesan ice cream.  It is way, way better than you think it might be, and I cannot recommend it enough. :)


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