Greetings and Salutations! Welcome one and all to my little home away from home, my very own web page. While I've been on the internet since 1992, it's not until January of 1999 that I've actually made the jump to making my own page, so please bear with. :) While most people finding their way here probably know something about me, I'm sure a few will wander in without the faintest clue as to who I am. Malea D. Buhlman, born March 10th, 1974 I've been told by people who have more than a passing interest in astrology that yes, I am a Pisces to the core. :) While I was born in Stanwood Washington, I grew up in Hilo, Hawai`i ever since I was about a year old, and so that's where I consider myself from.  If you're wondering where the name of my page came from, well Malea (Muh-lee-uh) means 'Calm Waters' in Hawai`ian, and my first on-line character (An Elfquest character for Two Moons MUSH) was called Calmwater because of that. 
 
Growing up in Hawai`i was a lot different from growing up in the mainland, as far as I can tell. Of course, I also grew up in the 'country' part of the islands. You know, 'Where we're going, there are no roads' kinda country. But I loved it. The peace and quiet, not worrying about people that might try to kidnap you, knowing everyone that lived within three miles of me...That kind of thing. Another side effect of growing up in the islands is that we tend to be a bit more superstitious than your average mainlander, much like a lot of the European people. Comes from having your gods active and about where you live, I'd guess (*grin*). 
 

I attended Malamalama Preschool, then Kealakehe Elementary for a year while I lived in Kona, and then Kea`au Elementary and Intermediate School when I moved back to the windward side of the island. After that I attended Waiakea High School where I eventually became captain of the Color Guard Rifle squad (part of our Marching Band), as well as being a member of the Drama club and holding down two jobs. *Why* I decided to make life hard on myself, I'm no sure, but I sure enjoyed it at the time. As part of our school's Marching Band, after graduation I got to go to Disney Land, Knots' Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, Sea World, and all the other fun California amusement sites. Definitely worth all the bumps and bruises from whacking myself with my wooden rifle. :) While I had wanted to join the Air Force after High School, my mother was insistent that I attend college, so I went to the University of Hawai`i at Manoa for a year, before dropping out and running off to the mainland to find a bit of excitement and adventure, and mostly to see more of the world than the tiny island I'd lived on all my life. 
 

While in College I'd gotten hooked first on Role-playing, and then on the Internet . With the proliferation of MUSH in that day, which combined RP and the 'Net, I was a goner. After leaving my island home,  I first stayed in North Carolina with a friend I met online named Jay Grizzard. While there I worked for a budding internet company called VNet, but then things far too complicated to go into here happened and I moved again. North this time, to Michigan and Ann Arbor with my then net friend who goes by Immortal Dreamer. I lived there for a while, then moved to the outskirts of Detroit, then back down to North Carolina, Asheville instead of Charlotte this time, with the affectionately named 'Packhouse'. 13 people and 8 cats in a 2 bedroom apartment. Oy! Christmas of 1994 found us back in Michigan however, eventually in Roseville, again on the outskirts of Detroit. Living day-to-day, traveling hither-thither-and-non, Immortal Dreamer and I, now engaged were doing little to improve our lot in life, but were enjoying being able to pick up and *go* somewhere at a moments notice. 
 
 

December of 1995 added a new and permanent fixture to my life, when I met Sean Bain, a Canadian who I quickly fell for. Contrary to being jealous of my new paramour, Dreamer and Sean had a lot in common and became fast friends. I suddenly found myself in the middle of an odd sort of love triangle that I'm not sure I ever could have navigated my way out of if the two of them hadn't taken matters into their own hands and told me not to worry about it. When I found out I was pregnant in 1996 I finally got around to marrying my long-time fiancee and my wonderful daughter Hokulani was born October 2nd, 1996. In June of that same year however, Dreamer and I moved to Hawai`i where we could see my family, the first time since 1993 for me, and the first time ever for Dreamer. With the shut-down of the C&H sugar mills on Big Island however, my long time home had a 15-17% unemployment problem and without a degree and sufficient experience in much besides making pizza, getting a job proved to be more difficult than we'd hoped. 
 

August of 1997 found us back in Michigan, having scraped together enough money to get back to somewhere that we *could* make money, and now in 1999 you'll find us both at the same jobs we got that month. A record if I've ever seen one. My daughter's a littler over 2 years old now, and she has three loving parents in myself, Dreamer, and Sean. We've actually got a large number of close friends and an active social life and it's times like these, I wonder what appeal I saw living on one meal a day (usually hamburger helper), scraping to make ends meet, and running to other states at the drop of a hat. Of course, then I realize what I'm thinking, and just feel all the older.