The Steve Cameron Blog: CAMELS, HAWAI'I AND YALE

Still here.

I suspect I’ll be typing those two words a lot.

First off today, I’m afraid we may have accidentally confused you.

The title of yesterday’s blog referred to a “cute capybara,” the world’s largest, but exceptionally lovable rodent. I was surprised, therefore, to see myself pictured next to a camel.

Camels are not rodents, they are not particularly lovable (note the wire cage over that beast’s head) and even on the camel ride I took in the Canary Islands, the thing clopped at a bouncing pace that left my backside aching.

So to be clear: Capybaras are laid-back, friendly creatures. Camels are pretty much the complete opposite, although they are raced (with jockeys) for sport in the Middle East.

It was the first thing I saw on TV during a trip to Qatar.

Moving along...

You know, of course, that we’re now under Gov. Brad Little’s official lockdown order.

There are country song lyrics somewhere in that sentence, and after the pandemic takes a hike, maybe I’ll throw something together.

Were you planning to escape this prison by visiting Hawai’i, perhaps?

Not so fast.

Your holiday will get off to a slow start, since Gov. David Ige has imposed a 14-day quarantine on all travelers arriving in Hawai’i.

That’s a lot of mai tais in the hotel room.

And say you do wait it out?

The islanders will not likely greet you with their customary hospitality.

Hawaii has been ravaged by every type of disease over the past few centuries, all imported by foreigners from every part of the world – to the point that only 21 percent of the current population has authentic Native Hawaiian blood.

Perhaps King Kamehameha I and his descendants should have forced all westerners to their deaths with a tumble off the Nu’uanu Pali.

If you’ve been to Hawai’i, you probably get that reference.

Here’s a short version for haoles (non-natives or mainlanders in general): Kamehameha ended the battle to capture O’ahu in 1795 by forcing 400 warriors off the Pali cliffs, and it’s a long, unpleasant way down.

Now then...

If you insist on trying to re-book your Hawaiian holiday, make sure this pandemic has passed for good.

Otherwise, when you say “Aloha” upon arrival in Hawai’i, the locals are apt to remind you that “Aloha” also means good-bye.

But hey...

While Hawai’i might be out as a way to cheer up right now, Yale might have an answer.

Yes, Yale...as in the university that costs around $50,000 per year.

One of the most popular recent courses at Yale was “Psychology and the Good Life,” which was begun in January 2018 by psychologist Laurie Santos.

In that first year, the class attracted 1,200 students – almost a quarter of Yale’s undergraduate population.

Now here’s the great news...

Professor Santos’ class, presently called “The Science of Well Being,” is being offered online, and unless you need it for college credit...

It’s free!

Check it out on the Couresra online learning platform — https://bit.ly/3bmDwlQ — and you could be joining at least 300,000 others.

Santos does weekly installments, filmed in her home.

“The press attention we got for the class back in 2018 made me realize it’s not just Yale students who need this,” Santos told an interviewer.

“This would be great content to share with everyone who wants to be happier and flourish a little more.”

Wow, count us in.

Now where can I get a Yale hoodie?

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You’re welcome to join the blog. Any time, on any subject. Or with any opinion that doesn’t get us sued.

scameron@cdapress.com