On the Road Again

On Wednesday, I will be boarding a flight bound to the United States...13 plus hours later I will be landing in my old stomping ground-- Boston, Massachusetts (I went to grad school in Boston and lived there for a few years).

The reason I am flying to the States is because my best friend Courtney is getting MARRIED in Maine!!! Unfortunately I'm not going to be in the States long, but I'll be there just long enough to visit my brother in law Gregory (he attends the same school I went to-Boston University), visit with my cat Murphy (who has been living with his grandparents in PA), see my best friend and "kindred spirit" (we both love Anne of Green Gables, that's where this is from... sorry if you don't understand what I'm talking about) get married, make a toast, sing a song in the ceremony, and inhale the crisp New England air. Sounds like fun, no?

I'll be sure to post pictures when I return. Speaking of return, when I get back to Okinawa, my in-laws will be here. Wow...There is a lot going on....

Did I mention that Kev and I just booked a 5-day trip to Hong Kong for September??? We are both very excited.

Anyway, hope everyone had a good weekend.

~Chrissy

Okinawan Wildlife....

Okinawa is a tropical island, so that means we have some interesting flora and fauna. Case in point, see the photos we got of an Asian long-horned beetle we found on our tangerine tree up on our rooftop terrace. Here's some information from Wikipedia:

The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) (ALB), sometimes called Starry Sky (Sky Oxen in China) beetle, is native to China and other areas of eastern Asia, where it causes widespread mortality of poplar, willow, elm, and maple trees.

Asian longhorned beetles are big, showy insects. They are shiny black with white spots dashed irregularly on their wings. Adults are typically 1-1.5 inches long. The distinctive antennae that give the beetle its common name are as long as the body itself in females and almost twice the body length in males.

The Asian longhorned beetle, or ALB, is an invasive species in the United States and it is a serious threat to many species of deciduous hardwood trees. During its larval stage the ALB bores deep into a tree's heartwood, where it feeds on the tree's nutrients. This tunneling damages and eventually kills the tree. Tree species considered ALB host species include all species of maple (Norway, sugar, silver, and red maple) as well as horse-chestnut, poplar, willow, birch, London planetree, ash, mimosa (silk tree) and elm.

Take a look! These guys are real "pests" back home in the States....







On another note, here is a photo I took of a road sign off the Okinawan Expressway. Okinawa is known to have wild boar, some of the locals actually go out and hunt them. I've never actually seen one, perhaps the sign is the closest I'm going to get...




Hope you enjoyed your first exposure to some of the wildlife of Okinawa. :)

XOXO,

Chrissy

Typhoon Season on Okinawa

When it's summer time in Okinawa, it's also typhoon season. We haven't had one hit us yet, but we did have one (Typhoon Fengshun) come very close. Fortunately for us, it veered off to the west, but unfortunately for the islands of the Philippines, the storm made a direct hit.

Typhoons are just like hurricanes, except since they originate in the Pacific Ocean, they call them by a different name.

Last summer, Okinawa was hit by Typhoon Man-Yi. However since this island is used to storms, the island weathered through the storm without any major damage. Ironically though, Man-Yi was one of the worst storms to hit the island in over 50 years.

I guess this is when you are very thankful that buildings are made from concrete. Thank goodness.

Hopefully, our summer will be free of typhoons, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Be well...and be safe out there....

~Chrissy

R.I.P

I wanted to post a note about the passing of our Beta fish, Fishy.
We didn't have him very long and I'm afraid perhaps the Okinawa water we were using did not agree with him. He is now swimming with the fishes in the sky....


Rest in peace, little fishy.

Emmy! I won an Emmy!

I'm not usually one to brag, but this time, I have to....
My old friends and colleagues at Discovery Channel notified me to inform me that the show that I worked on "Cash Cab" won an Emmy for "Outstanding Game Show/Audience Participation." My name is listed as "CHRISTINA MILLER-SUPERVISING PRODUCER" (along with several other names), but nonetheless, I won an Emmy! Isn't that smashing?!?!!?
Now, if only I can find a way to get a hold of the statue. Someone told me that I could buy one since the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences only hands out one at the actual award ceremony, but I'm not sure if that's true.

It sure would be nice to have one of those statues...to display proudly on my mantel. Wait a minute, I don't have a mantel...but who CARES???

Just wanted to share the smashing news....On another note, please let me apologize if you have been trying to get in touch with us via the phone and haven't been able to do so. Our wireless router with Vonage is on the fritz, so we haven't been able to make or receive any phone calls with our phone. We hope to get it fixed soon. In the meantime, if you need to reach us, please email. We also appreciate any care packages and such you want to send our way (hint, hint, wink, wink).

Over and out....

Chrissy :)

The People Called it "Ragtime"

Actually, I have been in this great musical before. I played the role of the "girl in the swing" aka "Evelyn Nesbit" in the DC community theatre premiere of "Ragtime" with the Theatre Lab of Dramatic Arts about 3 or 4 years ago.

This time, I'm performing in the musical with the Pacific Okinawa Players! And the best part??? I'm playing a different role, a role that I have wanted to play for sometime. The role of "Mother."

This will be a challenging part for me to play, but I'm up for it. Rehearsals will begin in August and the show will open in October.

Stay tuned for more information. I'm sure I'll have lots more to talk about.


~Chrissy

The New Job...

Well, it's been about three weeks since I started working for MCCS Broadcasting and so far, so good. My co-workers are a lot of fun and I'm getting a heck of a lot better with shooting with a camera and editing with Final Cut Pro. About a week and half ago, I actually directed and produced my very first television spot for MCCS Broadcasting. A TV spot on a MCCS program called "Smooth Move." The program is a workshop for military families who are due to PCS or move back to the States after their assignment is complete here on Okinawa. Anyway, I called up a few of my friends to be "actors" for the shoot. On the whole, I think it turned out pretty well. :)

~Chrissy

A Pet Fish

As many of you know, I've been pining away for a pet dog for a while now. Of course, I understand the reasons why it is not practical for Kev and I to have a dog at this time, but still, a part of me wants to have a pet. Well, let me introduce our new pet. Kev bought me a Siamese fighting fish also known as a Beta fish yesterday. We even went to the 100 yen store and got him a nice glass bowl. He's bright blue and seems to be doing "swimmingly." Ha! So as of now, we have a pet fish....Not sure what to name him...guess we'll just call him "Fishy" for now. :)

Love from Oki,

Chrissy

To my wonderful husband....

My 2nd wedding anniversary is just around the corner, June 10th to be exact. It's hard to believe it's been 2 years.

So much has happened since Kevin and I became "man and wife". I don't think Kev and I ever imagined we would be where we are now...living an adventure in Okinawa, away from loved ones and family in the States.

Life has a way of throwing you a curve ball every now and then and I have to say, if it weren't for my wonderful husband, I'd be lost. Kevin is extremely patient, loving, and supportive. And for that, I'm extremely thankful. I would like to thank you, Kevin, for believing in "us." You are my rock. I love you. Happy 2nd Anniversary, my darling.

Love, Chrissy