What do you like best about living in town so far? Is there anything specific you miss about Mililani?
The best thing about living in town, is being able to walk to work. It takes me back to my youthful days of high school, where I walked about a mile to school every morning, then walked back home in the afternoon. Walking gives a new perspective on scenes that flash by from behind safety glass at 30+ mph.
Time. I have more of it living in town. I really do value it and am quickly spoiled by it now. No more 45-minute commutes in one direction (and that’s WITHOUT traffic). No more stopping at Costco to get gas more than once a week… or putting 25K miles in a year on my brand new car. (Goddamn I love my Honda Fit)!
A cat. I have a pet cat here in town. Some days I love it. Some days… I think to myself: I still love my cat, but Jesus, cat. You are one crazy little furry beast. And then sometimes we fight. Is it called a cat-fight, if it’s between one cat and one human, btw?
Mililani is my hometown. I love the way things are more spaced-out on that side of the island. Driving home past Waipio Gentry — that one long stretch between Pearl City and Mililani, where you see no buildings, no houses.. just trees and grass and mountains.. so nice. Mililani also doesn’t have telephone and electrical wires everywhere. Dare I say the people are different? In Mililani when I went jogging, more than 65% of the people made eye contact and greeted me in some way. In town, less than 75% of the people acknowledge me, and I’ve taken to no longer making eye contact after being ignored countless times. (wait, I’m bitching again).
Mililani has great weather. I did not have the foresight to purchase a place with good cross-breezes in town, and boy am I paying the price. For the first time in my life, I’m sleeping with oscillating fans on, and don’t even use the blanket more than 50% of the time. In fact, I only use sheets. All my cool Sesame Street comforters and blankets are stored away, possibly never to be used until I move again. But wait, you asked what I *liked* about living in town, so I’ll stop my bitching about the heat. heh.
It’s also been a case of “you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone” in the sense that I lived in a house and had privacy and plush carpeting, and a yard where I could plant stuff or just walk around and water stuff.. and being able to park in the garage that is just a few steps away from the front door is awesome. Being able to watch TV an listen to music without worrying about the volume, being able to play with my rabbit, (I miss my rabbit), and memories of growing up with my family in that house.. I miss that and I value those times. I had it good.
In the end, both are good, but town doesn’t have the nostalgia and great weather Mililani does. Mililani is beautiful, but doesn’t have the convenience of being close enough to town. If only I’d found a job in Kapolei, or Wahiawa or something. I’d have stayed out that side. But, at least my friends live in town, and it’s a new experience — so I like that aspect of it a lot.
