That's right folks, araalinas is shuttin' down. (GASP!!! Oh, the horror!!!) Araali (me) is no longer n as (American Samoa).

I'M SHUTTIN' IT DOWN!!!

Movin' on.

The countdown is over.

I've flown the coop,

left the Rock.

It was good while it lasted, but now I'm past it.

At approximately 11:20pm on the 8th of June, I left American Samoa with no plans to return. As most of you already know, I've accepted a teaching position back in Uganda, where I taugh for three years before going to American Samoa. I've been a bit out of the loop for the past week, not having regular internet access. I spend the weekend in Hawaii, and now I'm back in rural North West Florida. As sad as it might sound, it is "home, sweet home." God, my visits home are never very sweet, but it is a necessary ritual: gotta see the family, gotta see the friends. I'm only setting up temporary camp in the panhandle. I'll be heading back to Africa sometime in July; I'm looking at the 10th.

I'm shutting down araalinas (GASP!!! Oh, the horror!!!). This blog is "dunzo," but I'm setting up a new blog to chronicle my Florida adventure, and then one to keep you posted on my goin' ons in Uganda.

I forever remain "araali," and you better believe that the prayers continue to be lifted up to the pagan gods. But are they payin' any attention?


araalinusa.blogspot.com

Check it out, y'all.

PINK

is the new bod

Ouch! As a person who always wears sunscreen, I'm kicking myself. I fly out tomorrow night, and since I was recently asked by someone (who will remain nameless), "Is there no sun in Samoa?" I made an attempt to do something about the icky pasty color of my skin that normally is not exposed to the sun. In other words, I caved in to peer pressure, made an unhealthy decision, and exposed my skin to the harmful rays of the sun without protection.

Peer pressure's got a hold on you.
Peer pressure, it's the thing to do.
Peer pressure, what a strange energy.
Peer pressure, won't you set me free.

(Teen II: The Competition, sixth grade play, 1988)

Where is Cindy when I need her? I should've ignored the taunting of others and followed the advice of Cindy Crawford. Cindy, in her heyday as host of MTV's House of Stlye once pushed fake tans or being pale because she said everyone in the fashion industry knows how unhealthy real tans are. How could I forget the wisdon of Cindy?

What I hope is that by tomorrow, the pink will fade into a rich Coppertone tan.

A guy can dream.

Neglect to apply sunscreen... Never again.

06-06-06


Have you ever had the feeling that you were being watched, or glowered at menacingly by a spooky face while your are out having a good time with you friends at a neighborhood hole-in-the-wall on a Friday night?

Well I have. Take a a look at that face that showed up in a photo taken of me at Players' Club last Friday night. She does not look very happy with me. Nicole noticed it and showed it to me on Saturday. It weirded me out a bit, but then I took a closer look last night, and I'm not convinced it's anything out of the ordinary. The logical explanation would be that it's a reflection from one of the television screens on the walls of the fine establishment. It would just be quite a coincidence that such a pissed-off face would be staring in my direction at exactly the moment that the photo was snapped; some might even say ironic.

Nicole and I are not taking this possible brush with the paranormal lightly. We are going back to Players' Club tonight to "investigate."

8XL!


That's

XXXXXXXXL!


You can't make this stuff up.


Celeste flew out and left me last night. The sad reality is that we are highly unlikely to ever see each other again. She's going back to Texas, and I will soon be going back to Uganda. It was fun while it lasted.

Celeste introduced me to many things over the past 9 months. We shared many experiences. She's the type of girl who can get a man to say and do things he never imagined he would ever say or do. Honestly, Celeste, who talks like that? Celeste is the one who introduced me to the Samoan 8X t-shirt. They sell them at our favorite little shop on the island, J-Lynn Tees. Come on. Have you ever seen an 8X before? Did you ever know that they existed? I, honestly, did not even know that shirt sizes went above XXXL. To me that was plenty big. Well, this is Samoa, and there are quite a few 8Xers running around. Well, maybe not running. Could you imaging that? It is true that the 8Xer is not as common as the 6Xer (which itself is hella large).

At a bargain, you can purchase an 8XL t-shirt for only $12.95. I think that the shirts are being sold at a loss considering the amount of fabric needed to produce such a massive shirt. You could provide t-shirts for average-sized family of four with the amount of material it takes to produce one 8XL.

The 8XL t-shirt is a very handy item to have around the house because of its versatility. You can:

1. Use it as a spare bedsheet.
2. Make a tent from it if you need extra sleeping space outside.
3. Use it parachute from an upstairs window incase of fire.
4. Make a hell of a lot of dust rags.
5. Use it as a throw rug.

Be creative, and I bet you could come with you own unique use for the 8XL t-shirt. The list goes on and on.

I already miss you C.

Safe jouney.

Tony Snow does

N-O-T

want to hug the tar baby.


Hmmm. . .



I <3 Brer Rabbit!

But are references to Brer Rabbit stories, American plantation folklore, appropriate during a White House press conference? I'm just asking.

I would really like to watch Song of The South again just to see what all the fuss is about. I'd also like to take a ride of Splash Mountain. It's been a while.


Zip a dee doo dah!