Looking forward to Arin Greenwood's new novel

Arin Greenwood has a new novel inspired by the Saipan lifestyle coming out called "Tropical Depression," and I am really looking forward to reading it. Arin is a great writer, a versed traveler and, most importantly, a genuinely nice person. I remember back when I was on the island I googled Bali one day and read something she wrote about it. (If you Google her you will find a diverse list of topics expatiated on.) Either the article or the bio tag mentioned she lived in Saipan, and while everyone seems to know everyone in Saipan, I don't think I had met her at the time. I was so happy to see such a raconteur living right on my little island that I emailed her and expressed that I would love to meet her. We got to be friends and had several great conversations over the years. She was one of those people that island people I thought cool like Zaldy Dandan, Mike Ernest and Galvin Guerrero really liked her as well.

As for the subject material, I can relate. Lots of us dream of going off to live on a tropical island. Some of us do it. It's not always what you think, it definitely doesn't suck, and there is usually no shortage of memorable stories and characters. My five years in Saipan are probably the most memorable, pivotal and happiest five years of my life -- despite the many problems there.

A while back Arin did share with me an early partial draft of her novel, which comes out in November, and I know I am looking forward to reading the full treatment. Even though I am not writing about or from Saipan these days, I would like to think this blog is still a valid resource to those interested in life in the CNMI. I still get the occasional email about prospects for living there. Arin's book will include a great take on the various missionaries, mercenaries and misfits that have had Saipan sand in their shoes I'm sure. I will update the Amazon link here as soon as it is available.

I did my civic duty

The first election I experienced here four years ago I was relatively new and stayed inside, so I was oblivious to it all. I was off island during the last gubernatorial election two years ago. Today I really soaked up the carnival atmosphere of a CNMI election. The signs, the honking, the waving, more signs, more waving and the candidates on the scene. Where were the balloons, cotton candy and the potato sack race? I stopped by early and it was packed. By 3:00 pm it wasn't bad at all, and I really didn't have to wait.

I cast enthusiastic votes for Tina, Cinta, Galvin, Clyde Norita and Judge Govendo, all of whom I know, like and respect as leaders and thinkers. Those were absolute "for" votes, not lesser of evils votes. I think the CNMI would have elite leadership if those people were elected, which is a sentence I never thought I would write. I refused to vote for the municipal council in protest of their existence. It doesn't matter with three names on the ballot and the ability to choose three representatives -- there was no competition for the appendix vote. I voted no for the casino because it was written so horribly. I'd like to see a casino on Saipan, just not this scheme. I had to take a deep breath to be on the same side as the obnoxious numbnuts in blogger land campaigning against it. Those people, really that person, made themselves so unlikable that I half wanted to vote yes, but of course I went no. I enthusiastically voted for the runoff. I thought Roman Benavente did well in our forum at SVES, so he got the second BOE nod, and he has always listened and tried to help when I approached him. Joseph Guerrero got my vote for House for his performance in the education roundtable. I could have voted for more house members, and there were some I kind of like, but I didn't want to diminish my votes for Tina and Cinta, whose candidacies are the two I'm most hopeful about. If either lost by one vote, I'd have to open a vein, and after seeing Bush steal two elections, I know sometimes the vote totals are close. I think there really were candidates worth voting "for" this year, and that is a positive.