I'm really, really happy that my dad seems to be recovering. He's also been the most reasonable member of my family regarding my concerns. I haven't told him I never plan to get one, but he agrees that it's reasonable for me to wait for long term safety data. Once he's up and about I'll see whether his opinion has changed for these vaccines. I sometimes wonder what he'd be like if he didn't have my mother in his life: I think he made a major mistake marrying her, but it's his decision, and he does love her.

As for moving to Hawaii, I'm thinking my best bet is to move to the US first, and then go to Hawaii once I'm in. People on the islands don't usually like to hire people who aren't already there, because too many people will apply and then if they got the job not take it. So barring a minor miracle, I'll likely be moving to the continental US first. Of course, Pele may very well grant me such a minor miracle, but I won't plan on it. I will let you know if I'm ever in the area. I figure there's a good chance of that when I move into the US, given that Chicago is a major hub for travel.

Finally, thank your for the recipes! Taking a look at frozen dinners for ideas is a wonderful idea, and one I think I'll will help my meal planning a lot.