Lives & Times

Pray

2007-07-06T23:37:00.000-05:00

Irish Ruin One

2007-06-06T23:46:00.001-05:00

Cashel One

2007-06-06T22:28:00.000-05:00

2006-11-18T23:32:00.000-06:00

Sleeping
24"w x 8"h
acrylic on plexi glass
steve park

The Little Girl on the Stoop

2006-11-18T23:19:00.000-06:00

The Little Girl On the Stoop
22"h x 10"w
acrylic on canvas
steve park

Jericho Gets Picked Up

2006-11-18T14:49:00.000-06:00

So there is now officially work until the big wedding. Jericho was picked up for a back 9 episodes. This will take Lisa & I up to the end of April to mid-May, when we will then take a delayed honeymoon to the Emerald Isle.

Be sure to tune in on Wednesday at 8pm on CBS and keep me working.

Howard Dean's Best Friend Is An Inconvenient Truth

2006-06-22T01:08:00.000-05:00

Went to see An Inconvenient Truth tonight and it had me thinking on two fronts. As someone who seeks out little bits of nature while living in Smog City, whether it be a hike in the Santa Monica Mountains, or a quick paddle out at El Porto; who enjoys being outdoors in general, I agree that something must be done with the environment (to keep It from getting rid of Us). Read A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. It was fascinating to read how the ocean curents do their magic, the glaciers carve the continents, how humans made it from the seat of life in Africa to Australia and how scientists discovered The Bends while building bridges in London.
It's pretty incredible to look at the scientific evedence out there regarding what we are doing to the environment and the daunting momentum we are creating that will make it that much harder to reverse. I feel that we humans are cruising right along toward an environment that will not sustain us any longer, at least not at the population levels we now have. Anyone with even a passing interest in science and learning would be impressed with the book and film, very informative and scary.
Other the other hand, it is one of the most impressive political films I've ever seen. If Howard Dean and the DNC are looking for a face for the Democrats to throw at the GOP in '08, he need look no further than his nearest movie theater. I didn't vote for Gore in 2000. I wouldn't necessarily vote for him now either, there are other sides to the political game than simply the environment but he is right now, Today, the single best thing the Dems have going. Sure the Republicans are going to say he's using scare tactics, they'll say what he's proposing isn't financially feasable, they'll find scientists somewhere to contradict Gore's information. In the six years since his defeat in Florida, Gore has loosened up and shown that he has a personality worth voting for and depending on his politics on the Hot Button issues he may have quite a few moderate Conservatives heading his way.
In 2007 Gore is going to be making a run at the White House to achieve his life's work of saving the world. After the Dems take control of Congress in the Mid-Term elections this year, due in equal parts punishment to the GOP for a mangled Bush 2nd term and Gore's campaign ad cum documentary, he'll cruise into office with a Congress ready and wiling to cooperate.

Lots o' changes... So little time

2006-05-21T21:46:00.000-05:00

So it's been 7 months since my last post. Holy CRAP! OK, here is a synopsys of what's gone on...
- Brian Dunlap, Marine and CDF firefighter was killed in Irag by an IED. Brian died from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Taqaddum, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Los Alamitos, California. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward). He died on September 24, 2005.
- Thanksgiving was in L.A. this year. Lisa and I took a drive up to Malibu and then headed to Harry Potter and had popcorn for Thanksiving dinner.
- Turned 30 with a birthday bash. Mom came out and joined my friends and local family for the festivities.
- Christmas and New Year's in Philly. Cold as all hell and a blast. Pictures and stories to follow.
- January 29, 2006, I proposed to Lisa...
- Lisa said yes!
- We picked a wedding date: April 6, 2007, our anniversary.
- We picked a site: Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, CA.
- We picked a officiant: Lisa's brother, Carmine.
- Lisa started a new job with the same agency. It's much less stressful and has great hours.

So now I have a little list of events to give more details on. Check back in a few days for pics and details from all of the above.

Until then, here is a random site to check out: http://www.under-tec.com/index.php

Scour the net

2005-10-15T17:08:00.000-05:00

It's been too long since my last post and this one isn't really anything new, but I wanted to put some cool sites up for people to check out. Some are funny, some are serious, some make you think and some will make you feel pretty stupid.

Here they are:
Design: Staightline designs
Math & Logic: IBM.com's Ponder This
Game: PADI Skydiver
Funny: The Men Commandments
History: Abraham Lincoln's 1st Innagural Address

I'll update more on my life when I'm feeling it. Moving right now has me pretty drained and I can't put the thought into a good read.

The Depravity & Grace of the Human Soul

2005-09-13T17:19:00.000-05:00

The past couple weeks have been a little rough for this country. Hurricane Katrina swept through south Florida then hammered the Gulf Coast, giving us all images of devastation we haven't seen here since 9/11. While my heart has gone out to all the victims of the storm, I can't also wonder about a few things.
Depravity:
> Politicians in both Parties - Why did the political finger pointing began before the eye of the storm got out of Louisiana and Mississippi?
> EVACUATE! - While I understand the inability of the poor to evacuate, I'm baffled by the people who could afford to evacuate and didn't. I grew up in north Florida and now live in Southern California. If given the choice of natural disasters, I would choose a major hurricane over a 9.0 earthquake every time simply because you can see a hurricane coming hundreds of miles away. This to me is A: stupidity, B: naivete at Mother Nature's power and C: stupidity
> Looters - I would be among the first people looking out for myself and my loved ones and looting the hell out of stores for food, water, diapers, batteries and other things to keep me alive. But the people who are looting TVs, stereos, Playstations and beer & liquor are petty thieves and fall into a very special class of asshole.
> Shooters - Who the hell shoots at rescuers? Seriously. Why would someone shoot at people trying to help you, even if it has been a long response? The first rule in an emergency operation is Rescuer Safety. Hundreds of firefighters, police and other emergency responders get injured and killed every year because the job in and of itself is dangerous. These men and women are rescuing people from toxic flood waters with any number of hazards. For all the political temper tantrums about slow rescue operations, those people should have been left alone to fend for themselves.
> Anarchy - Why did the city of New Orleans spiral into a mass of lawlessness? How many people trapped in a flooded city died from violent crimes? Is this country really this close to anarchy without a police presence?
Grace:
> Deamonte Love, a 6-year-old boy walking down the road near an evacuation point in downtown New Orleans, holding a 5-month-old, surrounded by five toddlers who followed him around as if he were their leader. They were holding hands. Three of the children were about two years old, and one was wearing only diapers. A three-year-old girl, who wore colorful barrettes on the ends of her braids, had her 14-month-old brother in tow. The 6-year-old spoke for all of them.
> Donations - Less than two weeks after the storm hit the Gulf Coast, private gifts have soared to nearly $700 million, a pace exceeding the response to the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 (from Yahoo! News)
> Aid from the world - Impoverished Bangladesh, where millions live on a monsoon- and flood-prone delta, pledged $1 million and offered rescuers. Thailand, recalling U.S. aid after last year's tsunami, offered to send 60 doctors and nurses as well as rice as a "gesture from the heart."
They are among more than 90 countries, rich and poor, proposing assistance to victims of Hurricane Katrina, with Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates contributing "very large cash" donations, the State Department said Tuesday.
The Bush administration eagerly accepted a German offer of high-speed pumps to reduce the floodwaters in New Orleans and a Dutch offer of experts on levee reconstruction. (from FOXnews.com)

There are more uplifting stories in the aftermath of Katrina, but the depraved stories get better ratings. Seek out the good ones and help in any way you can. You can donate to the Red Cross or the Salvation Army on their websites.

Thanks.

The Real World part deux

2005-08-31T12:12:00.000-05:00

It's been quite a while since I posted an update. Life is quite a bit busier in the real world. Bohemian Baby had it's soft launch on Monday the 29th. We've got a great product and a great market to sell to and we all know this thing is going to take off sooner rather than later.

I have yet to get into the water and plan to go on Friday. If all the stars line up it would be shoulder high with light offshore winds and totally empty. The reality of living in Southern California mean it'll be anywhere from waist to head high crumblers with 3-5 on each wave.

Another brutal reality of being back (and I knew this was coming), is gas prices. Holy crap! I went from a year of no fuel cost whatsoever to having a car that requires 91 octane. $3.15 a gallon! I will now fall into the "It was better in the good ole days" category when I say I remember when it was 99 friggin cents.

Football starts up soon and since the Cubs have yet again crapped all over a promising season I can now start on my two other teams. Jacksonville will beat Philly in the Super Bowl and while they won't win the national championship, the Florida Gators will surprise Auburn, Georgia, LSU and Tennessee and win the SEC title!

Back In the Real World

2005-08-17T17:56:00.000-05:00

The countdown hit zero a little after I touched down on Saturday morning. I think it's a good omen when an airline arrives a full 30 minutes early.
I'm going to have to get a real update together in the next couple days however, because I'm still kind of running around like a chicken with no head.

Quote of the Day

2005-08-11T21:43:00.000-05:00

"I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine."
- Ayn Rand

The Cheat "Told the Truth"

2005-08-09T04:10:00.000-05:00

The day that Rafael Palmiero, who up to that point was a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame, was suspended for 10 games for violating MLB's new substance abuse policy I dumped him from my fantasy team without hesitation. Then I wondered if I did the right thing, acting as judge and jury and finding him guilty without hearing his "testimony".

From the Washington Post on August 2nd:

"Why would I do that in a year when I went in front of Congress and I testified and I told the truth?" Palmeiro said. "Why would I do this in a season when I was going to get to 3,000 hits? It makes no sense. I would not put my career on the line. I would not put my reputation on the line and everything that I've accomplished throughout my career. . . . I'm not a crazy person. I'm not stupid. This is something that's an unfortunate thing. It was an accident. I'm paying the price."

Or, check out this commentary, which echoes my thoughts.

http://www.taintedbill.com/moveabletype/mt-harper.cgi/4034

Does Mr. Palmiero think we're all complete morons? Does he expect us to believe that a 20 year veteran is allowing illegal substances to get into his body on accident? In the "steroid Era" of baseball!

I mean, when are these guys going to learn? Bonds was injected with "something", but was told it was a vitamin. Right. Does Mr. Palmiero now expect us to believe that he JUST started using steroids (on accident) after he testified to Congress? It was just an accident!

Here's a proposal: The FBI needs to get an X-File opened to find the phantom trainer(s) out there who are going on malicious "steroid Shoot-ups" and bringing down the modern era's biggest icons.

T-Minus 100 hours

2005-08-09T02:23:00.000-05:00

The countdown has officially begun. There are now 100 hours until landing at LAX and getting back to the hustle and flow of big city livin'.

UPDATE:
The plans for the foreseeable future include the following:
2005
- move back to L.A.
- work my butt off for a little start-up company I've been fortunate enough to have been invited into
- go surfing
2006
- move to Austin, Texas to continue with this little start-up and make it not-so-little
- volunteer in Texas to keep my skills up and get my firefighting fix
- continue building a life with the beautiful, funny, amazing, fantastic, hyper-intelligent woman I love
- go on an airplane to go surfing

Quote of the Day

2005-08-01T14:22:00.000-05:00

"Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that power to work is a blessing, that love of work is success." - David O. McKay

Airport Rescue Firefighting

2005-07-26T23:01:00.000-05:00

On Monday, I finished my final cert earned in this year on Kwaj. With my ARFF, the total is now 4 certs earned since coming to Kwaj. I earned HazMat Operations, Firefighter 2, Shipboard Firefighting and ARFF this year.

More would have been nice, but those are the ones I came here for.

This Year

2005-07-16T23:48:00.000-05:00

So I'm quickly approaching 365 days here on the atoll (I can feel Lisa smiling at that fact), and I was looking back and thinking about the past year.

> Kwajalein Atoll diving: This place has so much to see, I'm grateful I had the opportunity. Sharks, rays, turtles, eels, dolphins, various fish, coral reefs, anenomes, ship wrecks & ships sunk in battle, planes shot down or dumped after the war, giant clams. The dives and the history that goes with it is truly amazing.

> USAKA Fire & Emergency Services: Not quite what I had in mind. Simply put, way too slow a department to keep me happy. That isn't the departments fault by any means. The opportunity to get certifications didn't pan out to the extent I wanted, but I did earn a few very important certs. Financially, the time here has been great. Not my-god-I-never-want-to-leave great, but just about where I was planning on being after spending some serious DOH! on my vacation. This department certainly has some things to work on (as I'm sure most departments do). Kwaj station living conditions are pretty bad, Meck station is horrendous (in a condemned building), and Roi is... cozy. But the apparatus & equipment, for the most part, is pretty nice.

> Lisa: I don't think any one person has had a bullet just to themselves before. She has been really amazing. Being away from her has been very tough. We were apart for our first holiday season, birthdays, marathon, MFT licensing, anniversary, a nephew being born, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but I hope she'll forgive me since she got her own bullet! Missing all that sucked and I'm looking forward to being there for the second go around (except the marathon, I don't wanna!)

>John y Judy: I was blown away when my big brother asked me to be his Best Man. I was honored and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

> Mom and Russ: What is the greatest sign of a mother's love? No, it's not childbirth, or the years of teen angst they put up with, it is being willing to go to the DMV for hours on end to straighten out a paperwork nightmare so you can sell your truck. The sign of a brother's: taking care of, adding things here and there and then selling said truck. Trust me, this stuff may not seem like a big deal, but I was so fed up with the DMV Bulls#!t, I was ready to dump it in the Atlantic.

> Timing and Opportunity: Words taught to me by a very good friend. And a theory I'm still working on mastering. Now, in the waning days of my tour on Kwajalein Atoll, I'm mulling the timing and opportunities awaiting me back in civilization.

Quote of the Day

2005-07-16T23:38:00.000-05:00

To get your ideas across use small words, big ideas, and short sentences.
-John Henry Patterson

The Guns of Kwajalein Atoll

2005-07-14T05:06:00.000-05:00

The Guns of Kwajalein Atoll
Originally uploaded by Scuba Steve 2005
photos by G. Van Rensalear

Rock Star!

2005-07-09T03:55:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentleman, Lisa is now officially a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. After breezing through the second exam in a mere 37 minutes, she finally realized what she has wanted since she was 14 years old. That in and of itself is odd, I don't know too many people who knew what they wanted to do with their lives at 14. Hell, it took me 25 years to figure it out. Next step, Private Practice.

Congratulations Lisa, 1435.

Weekly Update

2005-07-03T23:32:00.000-05:00

HMS Booby

I didn't realize that it's been well over a week since I posted anything. It's simply because tons of stuff has been happening, all day every day. I've barely had time to sleep.

Not really. I'm just a big slacker.

But I have actually been doing stuff. Went diving this past Friday. Two dives, one to a junked C-46 which I've already been to and the other to an actual crash. A Japanese Zero crashed about a quarter mile off of Namur. Here is a little info on Zeros. Fortunately I had my camera with me, and it LOCKED UP halfway through the first dive. I'll go back before I ship out and get some snaps of it.

Saturday was the kickoff to the big holiday weekend. We celebrated island style with the annual Roi-Namur coconut races. There were two classes, Stock and Modified and while my personal favorite the HMS Booby didn't win, it certainly got Best-In-Show.

And now I'm back at work. Workin' hard. Workin' for the Man. Not lettin' him keep me down.

And So It Goes...
--
stevePARK
http://fyrefyter75.blogspot.com

Quote of the Day... er I mean Week

2005-07-03T22:24:00.000-05:00

The least of learning is done in the classrooms.: Thomas Merton (1915 - 1968)

Quote of the Day

2005-06-24T04:14:00.000-05:00

I hate to think that all my current experiences will someday become stories with no point.

Calving and Hobbes by Bill Watterson - It's a Magical World

As a footnote: Damn it if this is already starting to happen to me!

College World Series

2005-06-24T04:07:00.000-05:00

Look out for the Florida Gators to win their first College World Series on their fifth attempt. They play Texas in a best of three series for the championship.

Go Gators!

Isla Solitaria

2005-06-24T04:02:00.000-05:00

Isla Solitaria
Originally uploaded by Scuba Steve 2005.

How do you think Tom Hanks would have done had he been Castaway on THIS island?

Gmail invites

2005-06-21T17:00:00.000-05:00

I have 50 Gmail invites again... It seems Google refreshes your quota if you have taken awhile to send them out. So if anyone out there wants an invite to Gmail, just let me know and I'll send one your way.

The Chain of Command (aka Bloated Ego)

2005-06-19T03:00:00.000-05:00

Chief
Leaps tall buildings in a single bound
Is more powerful than a locomotive
Is faster than a speeding bullet
Walks on water
Gives policy to God.

Deputy Chief
Leaps short buildings in a single bound
Is more powerful than a switch engine
Is just as fast as a speeding bullet
Walks on water if the sea is calm
Talks with God.

Assistant Chief
Leaps short buildings with a running start and favorable winds
Is almost as powerful as a switch engine
Is faster than a speeding BB
Walks on water in an indoor swimming pool
Talks with God if special request is approved.

Battalion Chief
Barely clears a Quonset hut
Loses tug-of-war with a locomotive
Can fire a speeding bullet
Swims well
Is occasionally addressed by God.

District Chief
Makes high marks on the wall when trying to leap buildings
Is run over by a locomotive
Can sometimes handle a gun without inflicting self-injury
Dog paddles
Talks to animals

Captain
Runs into buildings
Recognizes locomotive two out of three times
Is not issued ammunition
Can't stay afloat with a life preserver
Talks to walls.

Lieutenant
Falls over doorsteps when trying to enter buildings
Says, "Look at the choo-choo"
Wets himself with a water pistol
Plays in mud puddles
Mumbles to himself.

Firefighter
Lifts buildings and walks under them
Kicks locomotives off the tracks
Catches speeding bullets in his teeth and eats them
Freezes water with a single glance
HE IS GOD!!!!!

Cool Site

2005-06-18T22:29:00.000-05:00

Check out the site www.numericana.com.

How quickly can you find out what is unusual about this paragraph? It looks so ordinary that you would think that nothing is wrong with it at all-- and, in fact, nothing is. But it is a bit odd. Why? If you study it and think about it, you may find out, but I am not going to assist you in any way. You must do it without any coaching. No doubt, if you work at it for long, it will dawn on you. Who knows?

New Features

2005-06-15T03:38:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, just wanted to ask you all to let me know what you think of the site so far. There is a poll on the right side of this page. Just click on whichever radio button you like.

Also, I added a guest map, so you can put your virtual pin on the map showing where everyone is from. They don't do any nasty pop-ups or anything, you can just fill in your name and click on the map and you're done. A more visual guestbook, if you will.

Hope everything is going well. Things here are crawling. Luckily I have a full two days off planned. Tomorrow will be diving at Sand Island and the next will be surfing, probably at Melu Pass.

Pics to follow!

The Carson Downey Band

2005-06-12T20:58:00.000-05:00

Last night the Carson Downey Band played at our humble little Outrigger Bar.

It was a really great show. In addition to getting to enjoy good live music, it was a once in a lifetime experience watching Downey absolutely kick ass on the blues guitar. Absolutely unbelievable licks! Probably one of the best guitar players I will EVER see in my life.

It turns out that three guys from Halifax, Nova Scotia, can do American Blues plenty of justice.

If you like the Blues, check them out here.

Quote of the Day

2005-06-12T20:55:00.000-05:00

Well, if crime fighters fight crime and firefighters fight fire, what do freedom fighters fight? They never mention that part to us, do they?
-- George Carlin

ARC Instructor

2005-06-10T02:04:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I finish up day two of the Amercian Red Cross Instructor course. I'll then have a couple classes on Roi to hone my teaching skills before heading back to Los Angeles.

New Sites

2005-06-09T15:16:00.000-05:00

Here are two more websites to check out:

Urban Gallery.net is Eric Hill's site and barthubenthal.com is the site of, you guessed it, Bart Hubenthal. These are two guys I had the pleasure of working with in LA. Eric I've known for years, and Bart I met just recently on Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

Check them out.

Quote of the Day

2005-06-09T04:45:00.000-05:00

"I want what I want, but I don't know what I want."
-- L.A.Konen

Visit DM7 Studios Online

2005-06-07T19:09:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, please drop by and visit my good friend Dave's website, DM7Studios.com.
Not only is he only is he an amazing photog, but he also happens to be one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet.

I Wish This Was Yesterday

2005-06-07T04:47:00.000-05:00

I Wish This Was Yesterday
Originally uploaded by Scuba Steve 2005.

This is a picture of me and Lisa, my sweetheart, taken in Orlando at my brother's wedding in April.

Only 67 days left... tick, tick, tick.

Quote of the Day

2005-06-07T03:56:00.000-05:00

I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite.: G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936)

16"x8" Arcrylic on Canvas

2005-06-04T23:59:00.000-05:00

16"x8" Arcrylic on Canvas
Originally uploaded by Scuba Steve 2005.

A work in progress. The finished product coming soon.

--

stevePARK

http://fyrefyter75.blogspot.com

And Still We Wait

2005-06-04T23:37:00.000-05:00

I've been back on the island for a month now and there still hasn't been a call.

On one hand that is certainly a good thing: People aren't getting sick and injured. One the other hand, it's bad: When the calls do eventually come, they'll come in bunches. The last real slow period we had, the year of 2004, ended with women in labor, a woman having a massive heart attack, and three work injuries. In the real world that's not much at all, but on this island where there is no Doctor, just a nurse and two EMTs, it's not good.

Much better to spread these things out.

Plus it breaks up the boredom. I think I'll speak to the employees this week and see if we can't schedule some injuries and illnesses so they don't conflict with each others care.
----------
On another note, I had my first meeting with HR about leaving in August and heading back to the states. At the very least I'll be spending some time in CA upon my return. If we decide to head to Texas, it will be a couple weeks after I get back.
----------
Yet another note, I'm balding.

Maybe that would explain my dream a couple weeks ago. I had a huge Afro. It ruled.

Quote of the Day

2005-06-04T23:30:00.000-05:00

"Is binn béal ina thost"

Meaning: Silence is golden

Quote of the Day

2005-06-03T13:11:00.000-05:00

Courage is not the lack of fear. It is acting in spite of it. -- Mark Twain

New Feature!

2005-06-02T18:27:00.000-05:00

Quote of the day! To start things off, I'm quoting the old fat bald wise man of our times... Homer Simpson.

America's health care system is second only to Japan ... Canada, Sweden, Great Britain ... well, all of Europe. But you can thank your lucky stars we don't live in Paraguay! - Homer Simpson

I Stumbled Upon this...

2005-06-02T03:57:00.000-05:00

Check out this site, POV-Ray: Hall of Fame. It has some amazing computer generated 3d renderings that blew me away.

Roi-Namur looking south

2005-05-30T18:01:00.000-05:00

Action Shot

2005-05-30T17:58:00.000-05:00

Since there is a mission coming... soon, I wanted to put up a cool picture
from a previous mission. Not sure what exactly we are going to be shooting
at this time, but these are the types of light shows we get here on
occasion. I got this picture from Nowhereatoll Photo Gallery.
Check it out for more mission shots, as well as a bunch of other types of
pictures of the atoll.
--
stevePARK

Be Thankful for What You Have

2005-05-28T02:20:00.000-05:00

Today was boat license day. Another firefighter and I had appointments to go on our "boat orientaion" trip to finally get our license to rent boats for fishing and diving. While we were waiting, the opportunity came up to head over to 3rd Island, Enniburr, where the Marshallese workers live. It was sobering to say the least.

Enniburr is an island roughly the size of a football field that has about 1,000 residents, 50% of who are under the age of 16.

Here is an article descibing the conditions:
On Enniburr, a sparsely shaded island the size of a football field, where about 1,000 people have relocated, there is no electricity, no running water and no stores. A few of the residents make the five-minute motorboat ride to Roi-Namur, at the northern tip of the atoll, to work on the American base there.

The others, though, mostly sit around all day, dreaming of another life. Asked what people there use for toilets, one man in his 30's who gave his name only as Simon, answered: "That's a good question. I guess we mostly use the reef, or that big bunker over there left by the Japanese. Maybe the Americans could take that away for us one day, and give us some electricity."

Five times a day a 1,000 gallon vat of fresh water is brought to the island for drinking & bathing. It isn't enough. 100+ 5-gallon buckets are brought by individuals to supplement their families needs.

I'm going to do more on this. Since I wasn't planning on going to 3rd Island, I didn't have my camera. I plan on going back next week to shoot some photographic proof of how good we have it.

Mulling a Move

2005-05-26T04:35:00.000-05:00

It's been a few days and I actually got a little OT, but still no calls. For those of you waiting to hear about the train wreck of a radio debut... It hasn't happened yet. Hopefully in these next two days off I'll drive that train right off the tracks.

The past couple days I've been mulling a change of scenery once I move back to the states. Lisa and her brother and sister and I have been tossing around the idea of moving to Austin upon my return to the mainland. I drove through Austin on my way to CA in '98 and enjoyed a couple nights there, and I've never heard or read a bad thing about the place. The only question: Is it right for Lisa and I to head there for a year of honest work, some school, a little business planning and career soul searching, with of course rest & relaxation? Or do we stay in SoCal and get things started; start building our future on the same continent together in a place we'll stay for a while?

Ye Olde Timing and Opportunity question strikes again.

Hmmm.

KVZI Roi Radio

2005-05-19T03:38:00.000-05:00

Tonight was the world premiere of Rockin' Rick's radio hour on KVZI Radio.
The reason this is news of any kind is that one, he did really well (it turns out he was an on-air personality in Ohio a few years ago.) And two, on his next show there are going to be guests. Sean Connery is going to stop by for an interview and Evan Matthews of the BBC will begin giving updates of world news.

*Further explanation: Rockin' Rick is a firefighter here on Roi and KVZI, while it is an FCC assigned radio station, is pumping out a whopping 5w. That's powerful enough to cover this tiny little island and that's about it.

**Even further explanation: I am both Evan Matthews, pompous BBC reporter, and Sean Connery, pompous Scotsman. It will be my first performance of any kind since... damn, since I was 18-19 years old. We're going to record the show on cassette so there will be proof of how good/horrible I do.

***Even further further explanation: I disguise my voice to sound like a pompous English BBC reporter and read fake news stories. I then disguise my voice in a different way and "become" Sean Connery for a fake interview. Hilarity ensues or... I crash and burn.

Scuba Club Party 05

2005-05-16T21:49:00.000-05:00

The scuba club party was this weekend and my camera didn't even come out of the bag. It poured for two hours and dripped for two hours after that. I'm going to try and get some photos from some other people, stay tuned.

It was fun. About thirty people, plenty of food, beer, liquor, jello shots(!?), sodas and everyone there left with something. I got a new mask and snorkel. I didn't win the grand prize (which was a $200 regulator), but it's better than a beach towel.

It was also good to put names with faces and find new potential diving buddies.

After the party, the drunken bicycle crashes started. Crashed at night are VERY common on Roi. More due to the roads being pitch black than the level of sobriety. Luckily the one crash we had was not serious enough to do any real damage. And another good thing... it wasn't me. Monday I felt like I had been in a bike wreck though. My first hangover in over 10 months was not fun. It wasn't the worst ever, but it reminded me of the college days.

I'll post again when I have a picture. That's all for now.

Scuba Club Party

2005-05-13T18:37:00.000-05:00

The days are still crawling. Still waiting for my first real call since returning from vacation. False alarms don't count. Tomorrow the 15th is the annual scuba club party, which should be fun. I'll do my best to snap some photos and put them online in a day or so.
--
stevePARK
fyrefyter75.blogspot.com

I can't believe I didn't mention this!

2005-05-12T01:39:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone. I can't believe I forgot to put this up in big bold letters last weekend.

Lisa passed the first of two licensing exams for her Marriage and Family Therapy License. She took the test last friday and breezed through 200 questions like nobody's business. Now she just has to wait for the state to process those results and register for the second test, which I'm sure she'll breeze as well.

Then it's on to private practice? Write a best seller? Both? Who knows...

Congrats Lisa!

The test results are in...

2005-05-11T19:11:00.000-05:00

Today I found out I passed the written portion of my Firefighter II class. The packet is all finished now, as I finished my practicals in March. All I have to do is wait for the cert to go through the system.

The next course I'm gong for is my Airport Rescue Firefighting (ARFF). Hopefully I can finish it before my contract expires and I head back to civilization.

As far as work goes, I am still waiting for my first call since returning from vacation. The other shift has only had one call (a 2 year old with seizures), and I have a feeling the calls are going to come in a group. They always do. In the meantime I'm trying to fill my days with working out, studying both ARFF and another HazMat course, reading, painting, and staying in touch with everyone back home.

Where in the world am I?

2005-05-10T04:21:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are curious as to where exactly Kwajalein atoll is, check out this page at WorldAtlas.com. Click here to see a map of Kwajalein Atoll, including Roi-Namur and some other geographical info.

As you will see, it's the middle of nowhere.
--
stevePARK

Little Girl - 24" x 12" acrylic on canvas

2005-05-10T02:45:00.000-05:00

Here is one of the paintings I've done in the past couple years. In the past
I've done painting that were larger scale, like 6' x 3', but recently I've
scaled it down a bit. I'm currently working on three paintings of this same
style.

This little girl was cropped out of a photo taken by a friend while in New
York. The girls brother didn't work for the painting, so I cut him out.
--
stevePARK
http://fyrefyter75.blogspot.com

Japanese Headquarters

2005-05-08T02:47:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of what remains of the Japanese commanders headquarters on
Roi-Namur.

The conquest of Roi-Namur had been a relatively easy operation when compared
to some of the other marine campaigns in the Pacific. At Tarawa, for
example, more than 3,300 men had been killed or wounded in 76 hours. the 4th
Division's victory came at a cost of 313 Marines and corpsmen killed and 502
wounded. By contrast, the defeated Japanese garrison numbered an estimated
3,563 - with all but a handful of them now dead. - taken from Breaking the
Outer Ring: Marine Landings in the Marshall Islands

--
stevePARK
http://fyrefyter75.blogspot.com

Kwajalein Atoll, World Class diving

2005-05-02T02:07:00.002-05:00

--
stevePARK

Plane Graveyard, off Roi-Namur, RMI

2005-05-02T02:07:00.001-05:00

--
stevePARK

17 September 2004

2005-05-02T02:07:00.000-05:00

There are about 20 planes dumped in a small area of the lagoon. You may be
able to notice the engines are removed and the props are sitting on top of
them, sometimes in the cockpits. They were junked after the war, stripped of
anything useful or dangerous to the environment and dumped off the back of a
barge. They are now at rest in a lined up group and make for a fun and kind
of spooky dive.
--
stevePARK

Kwajalein sunrise

2005-05-01T19:46:00.000-05:00

One of the really nice things about being in the middle of, well nowhere, is
the clean air and water. This picture is of a typical Kwaj sunrise and since
we rise at 6am everyday, we get to see them quite a bit.
--
stevePARK

Any camera buffs out there?

2005-05-01T03:20:00.000-05:00

Here's a call to anyone who is into digital photography.

I'm in the market for anywhere from a 5-6MP to a 8-10MP DSLR. Not sure which way I want to go yet and any advice, suggestions, etc. would be appreciated.

Thanks,
SS

back to the grind...

2005-04-30T02:00:00.000-05:00

Well, my vacation is now over and after going non-stop doing this and doing that and going here and going there, it is time for some rest and relaxation back at work on Roi. My girlfriend Lisa and I had a fantastic month, but honestly the relaxing part of the vacation never materialized. So now I'm back for three and a half months. 104 days. I'm grateful I had this opportunity and would have made the same decision if given another chance, but I'm ready to start life again in the real world.

For a little perspective into where I live and work, there were two times the number of people on my Continental flight as there are on this island.

I've always been a big city guy. I love New York, Atlanta, and San Diego, although I have not officially lived in any of them. Certain parts of Los Angeles appeal to me as well. Before moving out here, I lived in Venice for 4 years. I'm used to densely populated cities. I'm used to being able to find anything you could ever want within 10 miles of my home. I'm used to waking up in the morning and having a full day ahead of me, whether it be work or play or some mixture of both. I enjoy driving fast on freeways. I am big city...

So here we go. Lisa and Steve facing the last 104 days and 14 hours divided by 5,000 miles of Pacific Ocean...

Day one...

2005-04-21T21:26:00.000-05:00

So this is a blog, huh? I just signed up, got my picture on the front page or whatever, and wahlah! Here I am entering my very first entry.

It's kind of strange, I have no idea who is going to be reading this. whether it will be my friends and family... future friends... future family? Who knows, maybe it will be people I will come to really, really dislike. But here it is. My "Journal" of sorts.

Apparently it has become social acceptable for men to have journals.

My main reason for doing this blog is to try and stay in touch, not just with my friends and family back in the states, but civilization in general. You see, I live on and island of about 130 residents in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It's part of a US Army installation and I work here as a civilian contractor firefighter/EMT.

To say life is pretty slow here would be the understatment of the century. But to make matters even worse. I moved here from Venice Beach near Los Angeles. Going from the tourist mecca of Venice, where 100,000+ visit each week during the summer to a community of 130 takes some getting used to.

So a big Hello to all! My name is Steve, and I'm counting on you all to help me stay sane.

Thanks.

Peace. Out...

2005-04-21T21:24:00.000-05:00

This is me, warmly buzzed...