Free loans from all of us!

Free loans for from all of us!
Despite knowing about it for many years now, I never did bite the bullet and start participating in microfinancing... until this week.  And guess what?  It's absolutely addictive.   And here's a totally free way for you to try it as well. (I know that sounds Shady Salespersony.  Hopefully, you know me well enough to know I'm the last person to pass on a pyramid scheme.)

The basics: various organizations allow ordinary people like me to loan money to entrepreneurs in developing countries.  The hope is that it assists people in pulling themselves out of poverty.  I also believe that it's particularly empowering to women.  You choose the person, the place, the business, the amount, the repayment duration, and more.  I went through Kiva.   They have the highest possible ranking on Charity Navigator, have a nearly 99% repayment rate, and are (I think) the only organization for which PayPal waives all transaction fees.

So why am I telling you this?  Some wealthy sponsor has given Kiva a bunch of money that, for a limited time, is to be used for loans by new Kiva members.  In other words, you sign up, pick a person you'd like to support, and Mystery Moneybags Dude provides the $25 to be loaned.  You don't have to loan a dime of your own money.  Also, for every new user, the referring member (me!) gets a free $25 loan too.

Interested? Great!  Please go through the link below to browse the site; that's how I get to make another loan too.  Questions?  Happy to answer them the best I can in comments.  Trust me:  it's worth the ten minutes of your time to help someone in Ecuador.  Or Uganda. Or the Philippines.  Or (sadly) some other countries that I didn't even know were countries (Thanks both to Kiva and the Olympics Opening Ceremony).

Thanks for reading!  Here's the link:  Free $25 Kiva loan for you and me!

[Full disclosure: there are some people and organizations that are critical of microfinancing as a concept.  By all means, feel free to educate yourselves. There may be valid objections, however this is something I have decided I support.  It's not going to singlehandedly end global poverty, but I like the idea of giving others a very very small fraction of the opportunities and advantages that I have had.]

Free Books!

In April, I participated in the inaugural World Book Night.  Basically, I signed up to give free books to strangers, the only criteria being that I find non- or light-readers.  There was a fantastic selection of books to choose from.  Mom got one by mail, but everyone else who benefitted either ran into me in an elevator, made my sandwich at Subway that day, or otherwise made eye contact in any other circumstance.  I was a little anxious in that I'm awfully introverted, but I was really surprised by the positive and thankful reaction from (most of) the people I spoke to.  Here's an overview for those of you wanting to sign up for 2013:

Mormon Temple frenzy

So you may be surprised to learn that Hawaii has a really large Mormon population (I had no idea). Living here has also done wonders for my perception that all Mormons are the whitest people alive. Not so much the case here. Who knew? Anyway, as a result, there's a temple here, which has been undergoing renovations. Before they rededicate it, they allow the general public to take tours. (Normally, you have to be a member to be allowed to enter). So, on Tuesday, that's just what I did. It was interesting, I kept my inappropriate comments to a minimum (I was with my Mormon friend who's a real trouper about my swearing like a sailor and enjoying adult beverages, so I try to be equally respectful to her beliefs), and we finished the afternoon by having lunch at a North Shore shrimp truck, so all in all, a good day.

No pictures allowed inside. The grounds outside are the nicest parts, though, so you're not missing anything.
 

 

This is my friend Lauren.  The conversation went something like this when I picked her up:

Me:  "The tickets say 'appropriate Sunday attire requested.'"

Lauren: "Yeah, 'requested.'  They don't say anything about 'required.'  I'm not changing."

Sure enough, while the people who were obvious members of the LDS church were in suits and dresses, the general public were in slippers and shorts.  It's Hawaii, man.

Warning: graphic content

So there are lizards all over the place here.  It's weird; at my old apartment, I had the really beautiful bright green with red teardrop spots geckos (just like the Geico mascot).  At my newer place, I only have the boring brown geckos.  Still, I have gotten attached, and have named several.  (My favorite is Henry, who I think is sometimes bullied by Frank.)

Cut to this morning, when I went to take out the trash, and found a sad, completed flattened gecko stuck to my front door. I think it was Joe. I imagine when I got home last night, I didn't see him, and he was totally in the wrong place at the wrong time. RIP.

And, the close up:

Year four!

New title, new look.  In May, I celebrated (and by 'celebrated,' I mean 'realized') my third anniversary of the big move to Hawaii.  I'm now two months into year four.  No plans to leave anytime soon, but I'm not staying forever, so now I need to kick things into gear so I don't leave with any regrets.  In other words, if I planned to learn to play the ukulele or surf the pipeline, this is the year for it. 

summer on the mainland

Went on the Kelly Kent East Coast Tour last month.  Had a chance to see tons of friends and family.  It was nice to be home.  Just a few pics from a few legs.

Madison and Grady, my niece and nephew.  They are super fun for a 48 hour visit.  They might exhaust me if I stayed longer than that...

Mmm.  Kabob Palace.  Perhaps my favorite DC establishment.  Certainly my favorite 24 hour place.  My friends were kind enough to place what may be the first catering order in KP history.  It was just as good as I remembered.

Part of the old DC gang.

Loved the day I had to just play around in downtown Boston.  I can't believe I still miss it.

Spent some time hanging out and reading in the Public Garden.

Love this picture.  The real swans nesting in front of the fake swan boat.

Was surprised to find I was a little sad when I got back home after this trip.  Usually I'm all about being back in my own bed, but it was awfully quiet here after two weeks of nonstop playing.  Thanks to everyone who hosted me.  Nothing terribly new.  Since I've been back, it's mostly work and World Cup, not necessarily in that order.  Hope you'll come visit soon.

Aiea loop

Here are a few pictures taken from the Aiea Loop trail. It's in the middle of the city, a nice (muddy) trail high in the Koolaus but without a lot of incline on the trail itself. These were taken a good month ago; I just got around to uploading them today.

This is the H3, the highway that runs through the Koolau mountains.

The view looking down on Pearl Harbor.