Sunday, May 21, 2006

S-PAP

Friends, howdy from Kwaj.

OK I'm sorry it has been a long time since I have posted. However, the good news is I have finalized mylong awaited (S-PAP) South Pacific Action Plan. Yes, in true engineer fashion I couldn't just "Do It". I had to plan it. In addition, since Im saturated in this military world, I gave it a pretty neat acronym. The plan is divided into two parts; personal task and professional task.

Personal task
Marshallese culture emersion. Get boat access and tour the Atoll islands. Learn Marshallese, visit Majuro the capital and hopefully get to other atolls. Basically get to know the Marshallese ppl and escape the USA influence. This place has 2000 Americans and 1500 Marshallese that come over from Ebeye everyday to work. I think, but Im not sure, the wages are substantially lower for them than USA folks, sharecropping comes to mind. I got a Marshallese CD from the liaison officer. This should be good cause, I stink at languages. I'll post for sure the trip(s) to Ebeye separately.

Fishing, deep sea, and saltwater fly fishing. A few Tuna, Ahi, Ono, and Mahi-Mahi. The locals catch some other reef fishes with hand nets. I dont know what those are and some of them have ciguatera toxins. The authorities say dont get reef fish??? Ok so far I have take the two written test to get your B-boat license. They have these really hot 22" Twin-Vees with 115 hp Yamahas for rent 40 buck for four hours plus gas. Get this gas is $1.80/gallon.

I am also on task to shake of my water phobia and perhaps do some snorkeling and/or scuba. I have never been a water person. I think it is the whole fire sign thing, plus always wearing glasses. Not a big priority until I get the underwater vision issue solved. Bi-focal goggles if you please. Being cheap here, insurance covers eye exams, but insurance isnt active until the first of June. Imagine living on an island and you can't see in the water, Christ sakes. So I need to wait, get some prescription goggles, and then attempt snorkel and scuba. Hell that shit is big out here. Sorry, surf-daddy aint happin.

Paint ten 9x12 watercolors and perhaps write some short stories or something. I joined the KAG (Kwajalein Artist Guild) met some cool ppl. This is working on the next career. Whatever moves me in the direction of royalties? This is the last engineering job I hope. Yeah I said that about the last engineering job Christ. This job is heavy suckage personified. I know, I know, I said I wont complain about work arrrgh.

Professional Task
Regain my past AutoCAD proficiency. This is the only real professional goal I can think of. Perhaps get my PMP certificate but hey if Im looking at royalties in the future who needs it. No hot keys, no layer keys, no templates. I have a draftsman that cant do xrefs. ha ha I mentioned Tri-Services layering standards once lol. That gives you a glimpse of the work/job situation. Beyond AutoCAD there is no engineering software here, none of any type period. I mention the lack of load analysis software in a meeting and was told to use a slide rule, they thought it was funny??? Oops was I complaining?

That is all for now G-Daddy Tropicus


P.S. I have a data cable issue to solve. As soon as I fix it hopefully, pictures will follow.