Called Duck to wish her a happy New Year. Caught her in the middle of making chocolate mice. The recipie goes like this. The frosting side of as Oreo cookie on top of which is placed a chocolate covered marasschino cherry for the nose and two chocolate covered kisses for ears.
She said she liked the fruit cake. But as much as her freind did. She said she gave her freind part of the loaf and three minutes late her freind called her on the duty cel to tell her how delcious it was. She had to give up some of her tea, it would seem I gave her too much. She says she has a cabinet full of tea but she appreciates it.
She is probably wondering why after all these years of silence I'm calling so much. She may even have some ideas, Mayhaps it's a Gunny Highway thing. Reaching the end of my career and approach the unknown I struggle to hold on to what is familiar. This explanation does have some merit but how I like to see it as is after all these years being an asshole I just want to smooth relation between us. Like the tune says, I don't change her life. I just want to have my freind back, and not two strangers pretending to know each other.

Fun Fun

Well everything was going good and on time. I had the Pork Loin On the Barbeque getting a little smoke flavor to it. Change of plan when the grease from the meat caught fire. My first evidence was the excessive amount of smoke coming from the Q. I like a little smoke on my meat but not at the expense of the neighbors upstairs calling the fire department. After securing the Propane I try to control the flames using the spitzer knock down the flames with water. Unfortunately that Idea was a no go all it did was cause the flames to flare. That meant going to the next level and Major changes to the time line. Time to break out the baking soda, and dowse the fire. The fire itself wasn't a big deal, but now I had to put the roast into the oven. The good news was already using it to warm a pan to carry the meat for transportation. Even then it was only at 200 degrees. That was 150 degrees lower than I needed.

I was planning to go to NASNI today. I need to copy my Navy Leadership Certificate for the advancement exam in january. I only get one attempt at making chief and all though I neither expect nor even care about making chief I have to try anyway. Because as a service member I think it is part of my duty to seek the next higher pay grade. If I am not meant to man that level of authority than God would not be with me in this venture. But if it is meant for me to be chief than I need to ease the way by making board. Anyway my plan was to make it to NASNI but I didn't even get out of bed until 1100 so that kind of nixt that. By 1100 PSD would be at lunch and like the rest of the navy wouldn't be back until 1300. So instead wasting the rest of the day waiting on PSD to return to work I'll just wait until tomorrow.
The reason I didn't get to bed early enough to get to NASNI, I'm ashamed to say, is I got caught up in Civ 4. Sure it's loaded with alot gravy that saps memory like summer heat saps strength. I has alot of window dressing like the extra detail place in in the graphics, not to mention when the units clash the screen zooms into maximum. Close enough to see individual buildings of each city. In previous games All players were shown were a city icon and a name. If one wanted to actually see what the city looked like one would have to view on a different screen. Now all one has to do is zoom in and every improvement you had will be shown to you. All this sparkle is nice and entertaining but all I want to do is rule the world. In addition my computer doesn't have the resources to see all the effects. Most of the terrain is lost in shadow, and the leaders are only floating eye balls.
All this aside though Civ 4 is awsome. I can train different units to meet certain situations. Whether to guard city, or fight in wood, and on hills. Diffierent units are better suited for different purposes. Archers are best suited for defending towns for instance. I could go on and on but in the end it is just as addictive as the last four, Yes Call to Power was a sequel, and it's just as easy to sucked in for hours.

It's been a fun week this week. Most of the week went as normal as could be expected. With the exception with not being able to get on game everything is nice and quiet. It was Wednesday and Thursday that really kicked me in the ass.
Wednesday started with command PT on the grinder. Normally command PT means PT for the SEAL instructors and any staff member who is stupid enough to heed the call. Lately however they've been gearing some command PT specifically for the staff personnel. Our command wanted representation and therefore I go. I'm a little peeved though that my divisional PT coordinator did not participate especially since it was he that was whining of not getting enough participants. The PT though proved to be very entertaining. I've learned a couple of techniques that I need to intergrate into my regime. Some of the excersizes made me aware of certain muscles that I have neglected. For instance, while I have been keeping up with the upper portion of my ab by doing crunches I have been completely ignoring my flexer muscles. This latter became evident when we were doing unassisted sit up. I couldn't sit up without my legs coming off the ground. The run was 10 min. out and a target time of 10 minutes back. This was my first run since I broke my toe last month. I had the carbon fiber sole in, and was going to stop running if the toe were to start throbbing. Fortunately that was not necesary, my toe was fine. Of course at the end of the run I joked with a coworker after the run that the toe wasn't throbbing, and added yet. In the end though even after my body cooled down my toe felt fine. On the run I kept an even pace on the way out and after the turn around point continued the pace until I came upon a shipmate in need. He was running as I approached but as I reached him he slowed to a walk. I told him that it wasn't smart to go from a run to a walk because it would make his muscles tighten up. Of course this isn't always true, and therefore this statement is a lie, but it kept him moving. I told him to vary his pace but don't walk, let his body find it's own pace. More importantly I ran beside him. Some people ran by and told us to speed it up and then ran on. I think thats like telling a bum to get a job but not give him the permanent address he needs to get one. So we took it light until we hit the burms that mark the compound, and I distracted him by pointing the rather large Jelly fish that were washed up on the beach that morning. These jelly fish weren't the size of umbrellas but they were bigger than I expected to be thrown on the beach with the size of waves we have in the summer. As we passed the burm we broke into a sprint, and as we approached the finish line I could feel my knees about to buckle under. Now thats what I call a good run.
When I got back to the shop everyone was in the office browsing they're favorite internet sites. I was a little annoyed that while I was out no one being kept busy. I can understand QM1 and his schedule but BM1 C should be finding thing that need doing not yapping with the 2nd's. I should have pulled him aside I'm sure but my blood was up. I went around and pointed out things that I thought needed doing. My blood was up from the PT session still which made me suseptable anger.
In the end I succumb to the mood of the shop and screwed around also. I checked my email until it was time for lunch. At which time I headed home to grab a bowl of chili that I had made and then forgot to bring. I had duty that night I wasn't about to let good chili go to waste. I was going to bring it back to the shop but the better of it. Might as well eat at the house instead of wasting my entire lunch hour running back and forth. Besides I thought to my self I could relax and 3o minutes 'til I'll head back, yeah that's the ticket. Little did I know though what the traffic was like when the time came to go home. The 163 was backed up right before Washington so I had to take side streets. To make life even more fun was that my next Op was moved up by 30 minutes, and the hits just keep on coming. Well I made it though a little flustered, and just in time to check my boat. The Op went smoothly and ended before 1600 which was a good thing since I had duty that night and my first check in was at 1700. In fact we finished early enough to gas up the boats for the around the world crew that night.
The around the world crew usually take 6 hr shifts but tonight because of people on leave, and the 1st class exam we didn't have enough people to cover all the other and support hell week. Especially with the two man rule, that would mean assigning 12 people for around the world leaving nobody for day operations.
Duty was quiet which I liked because I wasn't going to Rambo this duty night because I had a full day ahead of me for the morrow. Normally the duty personnel were expected to be awake throughout the night and go home in the morning. Unfortunately for me, I had an op at 0930 and another at 1430. So I grabbed 3 hour throughout the night. By the time all was done and I could finally go home I was beat.

I was sleeping until Leona called now I can't go back to sleep so I figured I might as well make a blog entry. I don't fault Leona for waking me though. She just got off of work and figured that at 2130 was a safe bet that I should still be up, I mean I am on vaction and all. She just didn't count on me being old and therefore needing to be in bed sooner. She was calling to tell me that she couldn't make it to my B-day on Sunday so we set up time on Saturday.

She's going bike riding on the morrow and asked if I wanted to come. Just to be silly I invited her to ride to Mira Mesa. She asked me if I were nuts. I told her that I did it once so one more time couldn't be any worse. I told her on Saturday how I had lost my keys, but her lack of reaction told me of her preoccupation and her reaction this time around confirmed it. I figured of course that it could be she heard about the ride to Mira Mesa and figured that I'm nuts enough to do such a thing. Needless to say though She isn't up for such a ride. She isn't up to such a ride though, she was thinking more of the early morning ride that she normally takes. I was tempted but I have to do laundry, and I know me any excuse to get out of doing laundry is a good enough reason for me. So I would make plans to do laundry later but since she has my car carrier I would either have to ride up there or meet her at a closer locale. Either way I would plan on a short one hour ride and end up getting home at 1700, way too late to do laundry.

Wow, one week of leave already gone. I can't say that I didn't try to make this week as productive as possible. Tuesday, as all first day of vacations go, was a down day. Try as I might I can't think of one thing other than small group that wasn't spent in neutral. Well, now that I think about it I did make some in roads into making a dent into the clutter that I call an apartment. Of course since the apartment I speak of is caught in a perpetual state of chaos, it doesn't take more than a blink of an eye for entropy to set in. But for a brief nano-second it really was a sight to behold.
Wednesday was spent bike riding. I made it all the way Mira Mesa before sanity kicked in. when I set out on this little trip it was just going to be a little trip to warm the muscles. Unfortunately I couldn't find my helmet so I had make a detour to Walmart to buy another one. From Walmart I decided to see if I could make it to where Ruffin road met the 52. Once I made it to the 52 it wasn't much of a hop to Miramar. By the time I got to Miramar I had to stop a bit and walk my bike and take off my helmet. It is amazing how much heat builds up under that hat once one stop moving forward. The gaurd at the gate probably thought I rode in from Mira Mesa because he made the comment that it would be easier ride the rather than walk it. I just smiled, nodded, and told him I was cooling down. I was at Miramar long enough to fill up my Auxillary tank before I decided be it would be rude to be this close to Mira Mesa without making a stop to say hello to couple of freinds. Anyone who knows me can understand how I get into these predicaments. After yapping a bit with the Solomons I figured it was time to get home. Of course took me about two hours to get to Mira Mesa. The way I figured it though if a bonked on the way home I could always catch a bus. I had to make a stop to discharge waste but I made it. My muscle However had a need to point out certain oversights in my post ride recovery period. Mainly since I failed to take a hot soak there still alot of lactic acid still left to be carried away by the blood. Though I do appreciate my body giving voice to certain abuses now and then I do it wouldn't wait until midnight to give rise to their concerns. Once I put some ice on them and did a little strectching they shut up and I was able to get some sleep.

Went to the 0930 service today. Met up with an old shipmate from the Princeton that also worships there. So far I know of 3 old shipmates that worship there. Two are on deployment and the other two I met again today. Carter, one of these old Princeton buddies told me about what was going on in the life of Mark. Mark was the Chaplain on board the Princeton from 2002 to 2003. He's was a very Godly man and had a hard job as being the spiritual leader on board while we were on 'pac. The battle that he fought was not against the many death that he had to endure but because of the many oppositions that Satan had brought against him as he tried to bring God into as many aspects of ship board as he could. Many of the leadership was apathetic toward God, whild others were in strong opposition toward anything that had anything that anything to do with him. Since we had parted Mark went on to chaplain at Pendleton. As a matter of fact he has just arrived back from deployment 3 months ago. And that is where his troubles starts. While he was deployed Mark's daughter left to live with her college boyfriend out of state. This, as would any Godly parent who had strove to lead his young'ns in the way of the Lord, devastated him. It also cast doubt in his mind as to what type of leader was he. How was he suppose lead other spiritually if he could not lead his own family. This was on top of the many other dilemmas that crossed his mind. The other two were the death that he had witnessed while in Iraq, and he is in his fifties now and feels it is too old an age in which to continue to suffer such stress, But where is he to go? He tried for jobs in the San Diego area but there have been no takers. Some churches wanted him as a senior Pastor, at 53 they seem to feel this is a station more inclined to his age. Unfortunately he cannot leave the Navy completely, he must first spend time in the Reserves which may require him to once again pick up and go at a moments notice to a place that may prove to be the death of him, not a very savory option for a church in search of a senior leader. All these things are pressing upon him, his unit is in the midst of work ups for another go in Iraq and he his now feeling the tell tale signs of Post Traumatic Syndrome. Carter is working with him with the job angle by asking him if he had asked God what he wants in his life. In a very surprised voice Chaplain Mark answered, "No as a matter of fact I actually haven't". All this however seems to pale in comparison to his daughter living outside of the will of God, and is now pregnant. I thought on this during the sermon, listen to Miles speak on the suicidal outlook of Buddhism. It occurred to me that if the father of a family is the physical representation of the family just as God is the father of all that are saved, and having a child stray is the mark of a bad father, then what does that say about God. It isn't a rare occurrence to have a person that is saved, especially at a young age to fall away if for only a brief time. I can be witness to this last, I was saved when I was nine. Though I was hot to trot at the gate I started backsliding until I was around twenty seven. I didn't suffer from doubt as some people but the life that I was leading did not speak highly of God. God however continued to love me continually called to me on occasions, whether while I dreamed or through people he placed in my life. So yes as men of God we are held accountable to God for our children but just as Gods children often fall away from his teaching so will ours.
I left Carter and his wife after I placed in they're minds the need for a BBQ. So that Mark can be surrounded by those that love him, because people in depression tend to pull away from those around them. I told them to give me a call when it begins to firm up and headed toward my car and what turned out to be a very long day running around south county. All I wanted was a dress ESWS pin and a system I could use to mount my ribbon devices. I knew there had to be one out there because I owned one. Something so useful should not be allowed to go out of production. My first stop was MCAS Miramar. I never warmed to the idea of the Navy giving NAS Miramar over to the Marines. After the building blitz the navy went through during the latter part of the 1980's to all through the '90s I thought it was such a waste to turn it over to the Marines which I didn't feel was known taking care of it's people outside of keeping the operationally viable. For a brief instance after they formally moved into their new home from El Toro I thought maybe I judge them wrong. Well I guess I was right, after a brief tour of the base I found what use to be called the base pool is now called the Water Survival trainer. When I was a kid of a day like this where the Temprature was in the 80 degree marks it would have been crowded with kids, instead it was closed. The vast land set aside for picnics and such is now Semper Fit, or some other operational viable building. I can't really blame the Marines though for transforming my childhood into business structures. They are in the business of bringing people home alive from very dangerous places where they aren't known to be the popular team. As the SEALS like to say, "It's better to spill sweat on the practice field than blood on the battle field. It's just sad to see the base I grow up around turn from the family freindly enviroment that I once knew to a cold operations base.

Half Blood Prince 16Jul05

Half blood prince hit the shelves today. I myself thought that the stories were for kids when they first came out in the late '90s. When Macaulay Culken was divorced from his first wife and the biggest news was their arguement over who got to keep possesion of the Harry Potter collection I thought to myself, (okay I rarely think anything to myself as much as nobody is listening), "how pathetic it must be for a grown adult to about". While others entering into the toughest days of they're lives argue over houses, automobiles aand children, these supposedly grown adult debate childrens books that I could by at book store for a pittance of my pay check. But then the movies were made and while on the Princeton I was able to see The sorcerer stone, and later the chamber of secrets and I was hooked. I don't know really know what it was that interested me this story. My guess is, mayhaps, an unhealthy infatuation of the girl that they had chosen to play hermione. Actually I was facinated with her ability to communicate so much with but a look. When she smiles it extends to her eyes. She doesn't have to say word to show that she sad. I can't wait to track her other projects and watch grow into her trade. I also like the interplay between hermione and ron. In the first story niether could really stand each other. The only thing holding them in each others company was harry. By the second book they appeared to have worked past each others differences and were freinds and hung together more and more. Ron demonstrates his fierce his strong loyalties to his freinds by standing up for hermione.
Being bit by the Potter frenzy so late is actually a good things because The Half Blood prince just went on the shelves and I have still to read the Order of the Phoenix. So by the time I actually get around to finishing the Order the Half Blood prince will have hit equilibrium. That means less waiting for the next shipment to arrive and more reading
Of course there are those who feel that this story has more than enough pagan doctrine and feel that the book should be banned to protect our young from its influence. I myself agree that a child not properly indoctrinated properly about the dangers pagan belief, magic in particular, are indeed in danger of falling prey to these pratices. However do I feel it should be banned in order deliver the evil from among us? The evil has been among us too long now. It has grown into everyday lives. Mtv and VH1 as well other media outlet spread the doctrine of hedonism. Corporate america is trying hard to show us the naturalness od the homosexual life style. shall we ban cable TV, so called 'reality shows? I feel that maybe mom and dad should themselves read the books so that they could discuss it with their kids. Contrary to popular belief these books aren't just entertaining for kids. I myself am 40 and find the reading very interesting. Banning books are never the answer. It may seem simple enough to burn every book that we fear will corrupt our youth but in the end you do nothing to quell these ludicrous belief you only affect the outlet in which they are introduced. In the end these danerous idea are driven underground and our kids will end up being introduce to them in a guerilla fashion. I would rather have my enemy before me rather than hiding behind corners. So in the end I praise things of the world such as 'Gay Pride' days. That way when these controversial stories are covered through the news networks I could discuss it with the kids. As adults, parent in particular, our duty is to teach our children what it is that we believe and why do we believe what we believe. If you can't answer this question for yourself, or have a hard time explaining it to others than maybe a little research may be in order. If our children can't answer the questions for themselves then they going to be in for a spot of trouble when they start college where every aetheist, agnostic, deist, gnostic, and any other nut case seems to gather now days, and can massage their minds at their pleasure until the young forming minds until they are scream the motto of the world. Do what ever you "feel" is right. Do what ever makes you feel good.

La Maddalena 1993


I've been spending some time going through old photos that I have aquired over the years, I believe this is a sign of old age. While sorting photos I ran across this particular favorite. It shows a lighter time in life. Me and Duck were just out and about when we ran across a bed of flowers. After I braided a crown for her I braided one for myself and we took this picture. I know I have one of her in her crown. If I find it I'll post it as a favorite.

05 Jun 05 taxi Service

Mag and Sto left today to school in Georgia. I had to drive them to the airport since I was the guy on duty.
On the way back I was flagged down by some guy claiming to a LT in Team 5. I could have blew him off but certain things rang true in this claim. Primarily was how he approached the truck as if he recognized it, kind of like a squid recognizing liberty van. I could have, should have, would have, asked to see some sort of identification. The teams may be small enough where everyone knows everyone else, but I'm a fleeter and not as trusting. However, since I've been up most of the night and so not very bright, and if this guy really was an LT I would probably hear of it on Mon. . Asking for ID may be justified but if there is shit to be caught the fleeters normally end with it on their faces. So I had them hop in and drove them to the top of the hill so they could check in. The LT was freindly and on the way up struck a conversation asking to whom Iwas attached to. When I replied that I was part of boat support he quite naturally thought I was of the SWCC community. Of course I had to correct him of that assumption by pointing out that I was a fleeter attached to BUDS.
When we reached the top of the hill I let them out, made a U-turn and attempted to find the freeway again. It didn't take more than a few minutes though for me to begin harboring as to the wisdom of lending a hand. The old adage of no good deed going unpunished began to form in my mind as I seemed to travel in circles gng down one dead end street then another trying to find one that wasn't barricaded. I became so confused that eventually I found myself traveling down a one way street in the wrong direction. I didn't notice my error until a black mercedez had to change lanes to avoid smacking me head on. Eventually I dicd find a freeway on ramp, and as I made my way towards it another pair of SEALs were making ready to flag me down, amazing how a marathon brings them out of the woodwork. Learning from past mistakes I barreled past them as if unaware of their presence. As screwed as that may be it was almost 0700 and I had to change out with my relief so I could go home and take a nap.

I was told not long ago that a Haiku and nice but they really don't make much sense. I think that a Haiku that doesn't make sense isn't a really good Haiku, and to rebutt I found some tech Haikus. All these poems are from " 777 Mathematical Conversation Starters," that I found in the Library. The author of these poems are unkown.

First snow, then silence

This thousand dollar

Dies so beutifully

/////////////////////////////////

With Searching Comes loss

and the presence of absence

"My Novel" not found

////////////////////////////////////

/////////////////////////////////////

The Tao that is seen

Is not the true Tao until

You bring fresh toner.

///////////////////////////////////////

/////////////////////////////////////

Windows NT crashed.

Of little worth is your ire;

The network is down

/////////////////////////////////////

///////////////////////////////////

A crash reduces

Your expensive computer

To a simple stone

/////////////////////////////////

////////////////////////////////

Three things are certain;

Death, taxes, and lost data

Guess which has occured.

////////////////////////////////

/////////////////////////////////////

Out of memory

We wish to hold the whole sky

But we never will

/////////////////////////////////////

I am the blue screen of death.

no one hears your screams;

Stay the patient course

////////////////////////////////////////

Serious error

All shortcuts have disappeared.

screen. mind. both are blank

//////////////////////////////////////////

Yesterday it worked

Today it is not working

Windows is like that.

////////////////////////////////////////////

You step in the stream,

But the water has moved on.

This page is not here

Through out my time in the navy there have been those that have questioned my sanity for staying in as long as I have and there are times when I believe them. No more so now. After the beaching the XO found out that there was only one person on board the ACB and reamed the Dept. Head a new one. Who in turn share this pleasure with the divo and chief. The XO mandated, more forcefully this time, during O-Call that never will a boat get underway without a coxswain and a second. To help out The ASDV was given over directly to Macs hands. Unfortunately the week was already a house of cards to begin with because of the vast quantities of Operations, and each one requires seemed to require at least 4 to 5 boats. It seems that SQT is starting its dive phase at the same time that 2nd phase is finishing its dive portion of training. Monday and Tuesday were rough but Thursday and Friday were murder. Not one person it seemed didn't stand a double watches. I had everybody E-6 and below on a boat. I spared no person from the pain. I On Thursday I participated with a 3.5 mi. swim in the morning poured over the next weeks watchbill in the afternoon, then participated in an evening operation that finished about 2100, went home, slept until 0300 and started all over again.
On Friday, so I was told on Thursday, the department head was going to speak to the division. At said venue there was going to be an open mic period in which period in which the group can express their concerns. It turned out that it was going to just the departmental LCPO spewing the company line. I can't say that I envy ENC Lazaga's position though. I think he too believes that this is a bad idea but feels he must bite his tongue in order to show a united front. I don't agree with the biting ones tongue part though. I feel a leader must be up front with his people. One must remember that the unwash hoards are as intelligent, as the leader. Especially since the leader was once part of these said hoards. In short they can tell when one is shitt'n them and will come to the conclusion that they are being shit on.
However that wouldn't be the end to this chain of events. At the offset there is being disgruntled. Then after a few weeks of 21 hour days there will be fatigue, and on top all this the Engineers are not where they need to be, mainly keeping the engine up. In the end what one gets is laborers who could care less what they're doing, too fatigued to do their job correctly if they could give a care, working with faulty machinery. Can you say Kibble and Bit? That is what may happen if during a night dive operation an ACB must traverse through a gaggle of divers with nothing to warn him of their presence except a couple of chem-lights floating on top of the water, or miss seeing a Yacht entering the bay in time to do much but watch chowder a couple of students.
Of course all this would pale if we could believe our masters were continuing the fight to nix this stupid order, or at least modify it to lessen its impact on the worker bees. But I don't even have faith in that. It's kind of hard to have such faith when ones chain of command will side with the instructors without so much as a resemblances of a fact finding mission. Nope, one dirty letter from the phase chief and auromatically it is our fault. 'I would rather you be hot or cold,' if we suck then we suck wind, but do not kiss me on the cheek then slap me on the other.
All through this week I kept asking if it were too late to go recruiting. Hell I what I wouldn't give to go back to sea. I extended on board for the soul purpose of retiring on shore. Through it all I try to keep perspective. I here out of Gods will and this testing is for a reason. In the end I shall gain a new perspective, bind this crew into a tighter unit, maybe something I couldn't even fathom too far down the line to percieve. Whatever it is I must stand firm against this enemy that would have me run and steal from me this blessing that the Lord is preparing for me.

Macs dilemna 08Apr05

Mac had a little scare today. He was playing safety boat for a det in Yuma. They had a chief had that was retiring and this was the last jump before he had to start paying for the thrill. Since I and the five other participants were off recovering from the night before I scheduled him for the Op. So there he was enjoying the show as these particular jumpers exited the aircraft. He was so enthralled by this spectacle that he failed to notice that he was being pulled into the jaws of the surf zone. Until he felt splashes on his shoulder. When he turned around he witnessed another wave coming that looked big enough to swamp boat. So he put his engines into reverse in an attempt to back out of the surf zone. Unfortunately that took him into the wave that crashed over outboard and snuffed his engines. He tried unsuccefully to restart said engines as aother wave hit him and caused him to broach. Through either deft skill or blind luck, I am more partial to believe the latter than the former, he managed to right his boat pointing its nose toward the beach. Which is more than a good thing because it was a couple set and he was on the beach. So there he was high and dry, stranded up on the beach, with nary a concept as to how to correct this unfortuate situation. A maelstrom of idea occured to him and were either discarded or shot down. One particular idea was to have the Z-bird run a tow line to the ACB standing off outside of the surf zone. Two problems with this idea was: A) The line would have to be at least 50' long, possibly 3" in diameter. B) 1 ACB wouldn't be strong enough to pull the stranded boat free if it were grounded hard on the beach. C) The Z-bird operator didn't feel comfy with the idea of braving the waves if they were as big as he pictured them. Given to the understanding the last reason kind of wussy I also under that if the believed it than in his mind it was real. If he paniced during the rescue operation and made a mistake we would be just one more person requiring rescue. After some consideration I decided maybe the best route would be to use two ACB's to pull the beached craft back into the water. However my figured that the Z-bird would be towed around the horn instead of launching from the beach. SBU 12 was willing to offer the use of a couple of 50' tow ropes to use. My plan however was to stay on the drawing board because Mac found a solution to his dilemna. He asked a couple of instructors if he could borrow some students. So out came a group of trainees and once they reached the craft immeadiately began to push on it. Their enthusiasm, though appreciate, was futile. Because in their haste to please they did not take into consideration that they would need some water to float the boat otherwise they would be pushing the entire 1200 lb of it. Once Mac called this their attention all went well. The waves came in floated the boat and with a lot less effort the boat was back into the water. As soon as Mac was waterborne he cranked the engines getting port the fire but starboard was still done. He had the trainees swing the boat around so that the nose was pointing out and away he went. He hit three waves on the way out. The first one tossed him nose down into the next wave, which drenched the entire ACB in green water. The third on caught him as he emerged from beneath the second wave and launched him almost verticle into the air with nothing to hold onto but the steering wheel. I'm sure we're going to catch hell for this but it makes for an interesting blog.

WHAT GOD HATH PROMISED

God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.
God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river, turbid and deep.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the laborer, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
–Annie Johnson Flint

The Gospel 03apr05

I was watching movie, Hero, before I left for home from duty. At the risk of seeming fanatical, I love that Movie. Not just because Jet Li is an exceptional movie maker. Though he does not wish to be compared to Bruce Lee, I believe their goal is the same in the end. To bring the beuty of chinese culture to the west. However, I must reiterate that is not the major reason that I like the movie so. it is because when the story was put together they inadvertently, I'm sure, placed the gospel theme into the movie.

unbelievable but true, if we look at the scene in which Broken Sword and his estranged lover flying Snow meet for the last time. Broken Sword asks her what would it take to prove his love. She does not answer his question. Instead she picks a fight because she feels he had betrayed her, and the Zhao people. After a brief fight he waits until she rushes him and at the last minute drops his sword. After she runs him through she is astounded because her charge should have been an easy block. She asks Broken sword why he didn't block her attack and he tells her it was prove his love for her. You are probably wondering what does all this have to do with the Gospel? Well this scene brings to mind what Jesus tells his disciples. Jesus told them that there is no greater love than when one gives his life for his freind. That is why Jesus died for us. In fact the stage was set at the creation of the world for this to happen. It was no accident Adam and Eve faild so miserablely. God knew what he was doing and knew that free will was too great an instrument to put into the hands such as us. Indeed, not even the angels who can stand blameless before the Lord our God are allowed the luxury of free will. Never the less free will was necesary if we are to love him. Otherwise we would be automaton no better than a radio spew out words that the broadcaster wished us to say. The Lord did this for us knowing full well the lengths he would have to go through in order to win us back from our inevitable downfall. the Lord knew he would have to give himself in the form of his only son. All through his ministry on earth Jesus preached this message to his disciples, and to others. It seeed that everytime he did Peter, the brash and couragious, tried to veto his word. Imagine trying to tell God there has got to be another way, of course I know I am guilty of such sin. However Jesus said there no other way and constantly rebuked his disciples for suggeting such a thing.
At any time Jesus could have saved himself the brutal touture, and painful death. In the end though he held his tounge allowed himself to be led, and kept the angels at bay that at an utterance would have swept down and saved their Lord and taught those wicked little beings the folly of mistreating the vine dressers son.

This PDA is the best. I get alot of grief because it appear so big and bulky especially when I place to my ear to call someone it does really comes in handy for research. I remember once when I was doing a minor property inspection and had no idea what a Furuno LC-90 was and why I couldn't find one on any of our boats. I found this intriguing, since we were suppose to have 17 of these things. So after a brief stint googling on this PDA I discovered LC-90 was a Loran/Charlie model. A model that was 3 generations behind what we posses now. For unfamiliar with navigation equipment Loran/Charlie was a positioning system that vectored by using different transmitting stations. My thinking is, since I was young lad at the time, The computer received the signal and figured where one was at by measuring the bearing line and signal strength. Since this system fell into disuse by sometime in the 1990's, Figure that it has been awhile since the minor property report was filled out properly.
Of course there are plenty of things I could use if I were update this system. One thing would be to add a bigger internal memory, and maybe a faster modem so it wouldn't take so long to download data. It also wouldn't hurt if the battery could do more between charge ups.

Milk Run


Did a Milk run today. Had to take a load of instructors for SWCC to the fuel farm. SWCC is in the middle of a 24 hr training evolution it ends their section on ACB/PBL phase. It wasn't a scheduled op but since I needed the stick time and they haven't pissed me off lately, unlioke SQT, I figured why not. Normally they simply drive a truck there and switch out. However last cycle there was a jumper on the bridge that screwed up they're entire timeline. The trip up and back were without incident. I asked one of the instuctors to cast off. When the line aboard he jokingly made the status report. It appears one of their student made some such report that the mooring line was onboard when he had cast off during an earlier evolution and the insructors thought this was humorous. I knew he was joking but forgot that none of these guys had ever seen a ship before so I rogered up that all lines were on deck aye, and that we were underway shift colors. I don't think they got the joke.

This is a picture of me and a cute little brunette that I met a San Diego Brewery. I've made 60L browns before but it's always nice when I don't have to cook to get great taste.
Enjoying a Brown at San Diego Brewery

I was reading a book by Ann Coulter today. I was struck by a thought about socialism. I often find myself confused by Socialists. Many of the crusaders for the Socialist cause come in the form of Senators, Congressman, and the like. Socialism in itself is not a bad cause of course. The bible tells us to help those who cannot help themselves. The Old Testament mandated that farmers of Israel not cut the grain on the border of their fields, nor should they go back and cut grain they may have missed on their first pass. This was so those who could not buy grain or land to grow their own could glean the grain left behind. In the New Testament Jesus spoke of the people of earth being split between sheep , and goats. The sheep were praised because they clothed and fed the poor, gave shelter to the homeless, and visit prisoners. He equated this to doing the same for him. On the goat side he damned them for not doing these things. Socialism is a leveling of prestige, where the rich are taxed to support the poor. This is where I become confused upon hearing the press reporting upon Democrats. The champions of Socialism, bring bill after bill of programs to fund the poor and needy in an already strapped economy. Firstly many of these advocate of socialism come from rich background. Many of these people come from elitist schools. In order to be a leader one must be able to sacrafice for themselves what they would have others to do without. So these leader fight to have these bills passed that eventually will require the taxpayer to pay for. What are these leader in turn willing to do without. Can Ted Kennedy give us examples by living below his means. Mayhaps by driving a something less expensive than a $30,000. Donanting the money saved to a poor neighborhood project.

What a day I had this week. It was one of those lights on but nobody home days. To start things off I woke up at 0200 but thought it was 0500. No big deal normally. This time unlike the other times I remember, I didn't check on other clocks in the house to confirm this. I just took it at face value. When I turned on the tube to check the news I couldn't understand why the 5 o'clock new wasn't on yet. Instead all I saw was the prerecorded news from the night before. When I stopped at Starbucks I was a little annoyed that it was still closed. That both Starbucks and Einstein bagel were both late in open perplexed me though. I can understand one store may be a little tardy but two businesses was unheard of. I was wondering whether there was a time change and I wasn't informed. Of course if it were a time change then time would of sprung forward not backward. Also how would that explain being behind by two hours. I was confused but I still couldn't put two and two together. Even when I was baffled that KPRZ was still playing the spanish version of their program when it was suppose to be playing Through the Bible did I catch on. Not until I reached the Starbucks in Coronado did I finally start to understand. I got out of the car and checked the business hours and discovered that on Friday it was suppose open at 0430. "Whoo, 0430 than that Starbucks wasn't just a little late. I was..." That was when I pulled out my PDA to check the time and found that it was 0300 not 0600. Even then I didn't believe it I had to get in the car and check the clock on the radio. Lo and behold they all sync'd up to tell me my watch was off by three hours. Boy did I feel like a genius.
Of course that wasn't all. Later on that day I helped pull boats out of the water. After the boat I drove the boat onto the trailer I lifted the engines so they would scrape on the top of the concrete ramp. Not to high though lest I pull the suction out of the water and screw up the water pumps. I did everything but shut the engines off. It wasn't until we were at the building 30 seconds later did Roper get out of the truck and tell me to turn off the engines. Needless to say, he was pissed, especially Since pumps cost money and he would have to change it out.

Today was fun. After a long grueling week last week trying to cover all the training support operations for this week I went into PB4T thinking all was right with the world. Of course I failed to remember the most important rule in management. If everything looks bright and cheery one should look behind themselves because chances are there's a train coming from the other direction. Maybe though I was just hoping for the best by denying what may happen. Because unbeknownst to me the phases had been working hard at building me a suprise or two just to keep my life interesting. First off SQT made a couple of changes to their schedule. most of their changes I found out after careful scrutiny to be mostly changes by deleting some ops and adding replacements. However after what seemed like loads of pen and ink changes I had a hard time deciphering what was what. Lastly, was second phase told me that they needed 4 boats to cover a practice bounce dive. This in the end proved the hardest to adjust to. Two boats here and three boats there is easy enough, but with most of my driver scheduled to take their rating exam this week I extremely low on resources.

As I read Proverbs 4 today one thing caught my I. Verse 25 says to keep our eyes straight ahead, to fix our eyes ahead of us. This sank into my brain because it brought to mind my recently completed fast. In order to purchase items to make salad, and later juice, I had to go to the commissary. Just like all other food store, there in the front is were placed items that are either not moving or bring the most money. Things like candy and chips sat screaming, "Buy me." The only way I could get through untempted is to keep my eyes forward. I needed to look at the ground lest I break my fast too soon and thus waste all the effort I had invested up to that point
This is like everything else in life. If we want to get through without missing up our ministry we must roll on with eyes front. This is almost impossible, because the world at large is spending all expense to make us turn our heads. Bright lights flashy slogans interupt what we are doing whether it be driving our cars or watching the tube, to get us tempted. We are inticed into accepting what is vile to God, or placing one sin above another.
The world at large is a confused place. Those that are in sin claim that their sin is not as bad as the sins of others. Those that suffer from fornication would have us believe that since they are not practicing acts of homosexuality they are not as bad in the eyes of God. These are the same to God, sin is more than what one does. It is more of where ones heart is at. We can feed a nation of poor. We can empty our bank accounts to clothe every poor child in the world. However, if it is done for any reason at all other than for a love of Christ then we have sinned. Sinning is when we seek to either share or straight out supplant the lord by glorifying ourselves and mocking him by disobeying his commands.
So keep your eyes front. Focus upon what is important, and that means Christ. Seek knowledge, find wisdom, these can only be found in the word of God.

Wow today was a fun day. I had duty the night before That means I stayed up for almost 24 hours. Catching 30 minute to one hour naps here and there, but otherwise reporting in every 2 hours that none of the boats have floated away. I would have gone home at 0800 as is customary but Mc said that he might need me at the 1st class association's fund raiser. So instead of going home I caught some ZZZZZ's in one of the aluminum chambered boats that we have parked in the back yard. Stobaugh said that he couldn't believe I could sleep in there, but I guess he's never been in deck before. As long I have a pillow I can sleep on non-skid.
The fund raiser was a hamburger and hot dog sale in the compound. Mc, Roper, and I, took turns flipping burgers. Whenever Mc wasn't flipping burgers he was throwing pattys on the grill so I guess only Roper and I were being relieved from smoke inhalation.
It was amazing the amount of traffick we had for burgers. I had serious doubts at first because the entire compound is gearing up for hell week. Once the smoke started to waft out from the grill though all personel not involed in cooking or serving was upon us. Our biggest seller was the burgers, not a one was left. Usually, from the vets, our burger sales last from 1030 to 1300, but this time we ran out of burgers an hour earlier.
When all was cleaned up and return to its original position, and all the spare items stowed away we loaded the sodas into Mc SUV and headed back to the shop. Where I immediately switched into civvies and headed home. When I reached the house I went straight to sleep, and remained in that comatose state until 1800.