Attended my first Pro Bowl in Hawaii. This was a real fun experience with tailgating, football, Navy Seals, cheerleaders, and an all around enjoyable day watching some football.
Pro Bowl
North Shore Oahu
I heard the surf is still up on the north shore so I took a drive out to the country to check it out again. I just can’t get enough of the big surf.
Banzai Pipeline Surf
I heard there was going to be some nice waves up on the north shore of Oahu, so I decided to take a drive and snap some photos of the surf at the Banzai Pipeline.
Drive Around Oahu
Took a drive around Oahu to see what things are going on. Along the way I stopped at the North Shore to see the surfing competition. I also stopped along the Pali lookout to soak in that great view. Then I stopped at the Kahala Hotel and Resort to check out the dolphins they have.
Halloween 2002
Typically I’m not very good at carving pumpkins, but this year I decided to give it a try. As you can see I am clearly no artist, but I think it came out decent.
Lake Tahoe
I was in Reno, Nevada for an event and since I’ve never been here I figure it would be nice to take a drive up to Lake Tahoe to see what it was like. Here are some of the photos I took along the way. As you can see there wasn’t much to look at until I got to the lake.
Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana
I went to visit a friend who was stationed at Barksdale Air Force base in Louisiana, here are the photos from that visit.
Thailand Stop Sign
Photo of a Thai stop sign, so if you were ever curious as to what they looked like, well here it is.
Korat, Thailand – Wing 1 Military Exercise Complex
Today I went by the Korat Royal Thai Air Force military exercise complex. Here are a couple photos from that.
Thailand Countryside Between Korat and Bangkok
I took a bus from Nakhonratsima, otherwise known as Korat, to Bangkok, Thailand. Here are some photos I took of the countryside while I was riding the bus.
Ratchapruk Hotel in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
In Nakhon Ratchasima Thailand, or Korat for short, there is the Ratchapruk hotel. Â You can see the Main Street the hotel is on and the front of the hotel. Â Below are photos of the view out of the back of the hotel. Â It shows the what the surrounding area looks like in this spread out city in the north eastern province of Thailand.
Fishing Charter Boat – Oahu, Hawaii
Took a fishing charter boat out and when I wasn’t fishing I took some photos. Here are those photos. One neat thing about this fishing trip was that there was a mother whale and 2 calves. The mother showed the calves how to breach 1 time and then after that those calves kept breaching. It was really neat to see.
Eskan Village Bazaar
Periodically there would be a bazaar at Eskan Village in Saudi Arabia where some local vendors would be able to come onto the military installation and sell their products. Here are some photos from one of those events.
Thanksgiving at Eskan Village
Have you ever contemplated the experience of U.S. service members deployed abroad during the holiday season? Such contemplation brings to light the Thanksgiving observance at Eskan Village, situated 22 miles outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Ironically, the sole genuine turkey present was a mere display piece, with the remaining fare being the standard processed turkey provided to the military. Against the backdrop of the events that transpired just two months prior, the atmosphere understandably bore a weighty and somber tone.
Sights Around Eskan Village
Here are some different things that can be seen around Eskan Village, Saudi Arabia.
Welcome to Eskan Village Saudi Arabia
I was sent on temporary duty to Eskan Village in Saudi Arabia. Eskan is located 22 miles southeast of Riyadh and it was originally built for the bedouin in 1983, however when the Saudi government built the village they did not accommodate the livestock so the bedouin’s turned down the use of the buildings. In 1990 where Iraq invaded Kuwait General Norman Schwarzkopf commanded Operation Desert Storm from Eskan Village. Here are some photos of the accommodations and where I lived during my stay here. You will notice that to stay busy and make the accommodations a little nicer people built a fishpond at the entrance to the building. Quite the nice touch.
Hale’iwa Beach North Shore Hawaii
Hanging out on the north shore of Oahu at the Hale’iwa beach park. This photo is taken looking back at the harbor.
Waimea Bay Beach Park
Driving around the north shore of Oahu in Hawaii I drove past the Waimea Bay beach park. This is where they have the Eddie Aikao surfing competition when the waves are consistently over 50 feet tall.
Ten Rules for Dating My Daughter: A Guide to Surviving Her Dad’s Standards
Some thoughtful information for those who are daughters, were daughters, have daughters, intend to have daughters, or intend to date a daughter.
Rule One: If you pull into my driveway and honk you’d better be delivering a package, because you’re sure not picking anything up.
Rule Two: You do not touch my daughter in front of me. You may glance at her, so long as you do not peer at anything below her neck. If you cannot keep your eyes or hands off of my daughter’s body, I will remove them.
Rule Three: I am aware that it is considered fashionable for boys of your age to wear their trousers so loosely that they appear to be falling off their hips. Please don’t take this as an insult, but you and all of your friends are complete idiots. Still, I want to be fair and open minded about this issue, so I propose this compromise: You may come to the door with your underwear showing and your pants ten sizes too big, and I will not object. However, In order to ensure that your clothes do not, in fact, come off during the course of your date with my daughter, I will take my electric nail gun and fasten your trousers securely in place to your waist.
Rule Four: I’m sure you’ve been told that in today’s world, sex without utilizing a “barrier method” of some kind can kill you. Let me elaborate: when it comes to sex, I am the barrier, and I will kill you.
Rule Five: In order for us to get to know each other, we should talk about sports, politics, and other issues of the day. Please do not do this. The only information I require from you is an indication of when you expect to have my daughter safely back at my house, and the only word I need from you on this subject is “early.”
Rule Six: I have no doubt you are a popular fellow, with many opportunities to date other girls. This is fine with me as long as it is okay with my daughter. Otherwise, once you have gone out with my little girl, you will continue to date no one but her until she is finished with you. If you make her cry, I will make you cry.
Rule Seven: As you stand in my front hallway, waiting for my daughter to appear, and more than an hour goes by, do not sigh and fidget. If you want to be on time for the movie, you should not be dating. My daughter is putting on her makeup, a process that can take longer than painting the Golden Gate Bridge. Instead of just standing there, why don’t you do something useful, like change the oil in my car?
Rule Eight: The following places are not appropriate for a date with my daughter: Places where there are beds, sofas, or anything softer than a wooden stool. Places where there are no parents, policemen, or nuns within eyesight. Places where there is darkness. Places where there is dancing, holding hands, or happiness. Places where the ambient temperature is warm enough to induce my daughter to wear shorts, tank tops, midriff T-shirts, or anything other than overalls, a sweater, and a goose down parka zipped up to her throat. Movies with a strong romantic or sexual theme are to be avoided; movies which feature chainsaws are okay. Hockey games are okay. Old folks homes are better.
Rule Nine: Do not lie to me. I may appear to be a pot-bellied, balding, middle-aged, dim-witted has-been. But on issues relating to my daughter, I am the all-knowing, merciless god of your universe. If I ask you where you are going and with whom, you have one chance to tell me the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have a shotgun, a shovel, and five acres behind the house. Do not trifle with me.
Rule Ten: Be afraid. Be very afraid. It takes very little for me to mistake the sound of your car in the driveway for a chopper coming in over a sand dune outside of Iraq. When my Anthrax starts acting up, the voices in my head frequently tell me to clean the guns as I wait for you to bring my daughter home. As soon as you pull into the driveway you should exit your car with both hands in plain sight. speak the perimeter password, announce in a clear voice that you have brought my daughter home safely and early, then return to your car. There is no need for you to come inside. The camouflaged face at the window is mine.
Good to be a Man
– Your last name stays put.
– The garage is all yours.
– Wedding plans take care of themselves.
– Chocolate is just another snack.
– You can be president.
– You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
– Car mechanics tell you the truth.
– You don’t give a rat’s ass if someone notices your new haircut.
– The world is your urinal.
– You never have to drive to another gas station because this one’s just too icky.
– Same work… more pay.
– Wrinkles add character.
– Wedding Dress $5000; Tux rental $100.
– People never stare at your chest when you’re talking to them.
– The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
– New shoes don’t cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
– Your pals can be trusted never to trap you with: “So, notice anything different?”
– One mood, ALL the damn time.
– Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
– You know stuff about tanks.
– A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
– You can open all your own jars
– Dry cleaners and hair stylists don’t rob you blind.
– You can leave the motel bed unmade.
– You can kill your own food.
– You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
– If someone forgets to invite you to something, he or she can still be your friend.
– Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
– If you are 34 and single, nobody notices.
– Everything on your face stays its original color.
– You can quietly enjoy a car ride from the passenger’s seat.
– Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
– You don’t have to clean your apartment if the maid is coming.
– You can quietly watch a game with a buddy for hours without thinking: “He must be mad at me.”
– You don’t mooch off other’s desserts.
– You can drop by to see a friend without having to bring a little gift.
– You are not expected to know the names of more than five colors.
– You don’t have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
– You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
– The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
– You don’t have to shave below your neck.
– Your belly usually hides your big hips.
– One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color, all seasons.
– You can “do” your nails with a pocketknife.
– You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustac-he.
– You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives, on December 24th, in 45 minutes.
Typhoon Saomoi
While stationed in Okinawa I had the privilege to sit through a many of typhoons. Here was one of the typhoons that I got to endure. These images were downloaded from the Japanese national weather service.
Sunset View From Kadena-cho Seawall
Walked down to the seawall in Kadena-cho to watch the sunset. It was quite a beautiful evening.
Waiting Out a Typhoon in Okinawa
Typhoons are a rather common occurrence in Okinawa, Japan during the months of April through November. Usually when there are typhoons you just wait it out by staying indoors as most businesses will be closed. This can be a very long and boring time. Sometimes the typhoons can even last up to a week or more. This is where people start to feel like they get cabin fever. Here are a couple of photos to show what it looks like when it is very windy and sheets of rain come through.
After this typhoon I happened to catch a couple of photos of the sunset.
Cook Your Own Food Restaurant
I went to a “Yakiniku” restaurant in Yomitan city in Okinawa, Japan where you literally grill your own food. “Yaki” means to grill and “niku” means meat. So you go to this restaurant and choose which kinds of meat and vegetables you want and then they put some coals in the grill and bring you what you’ve ordered. Typically they will bring a bowl of rice too. Then you cook your food and enjoy your dinner. These are great restaurants to have a beer while you cook. What man doesn’t like to grill and drink a beer?
Okinawa Route 58
Driving up route 58 in Okinawa near the East China Sea and Kadena marina.
Kadena Circuit Actions
Kadena circuit actions airman hard at work.