Fire Filled Fourth

Fireworks and the 4th of July.....

Art Wave Of The Day

Workin' in da pink now, and packed to the gills w/ the thunders from down unders. Maxing with the asian clientle from Japan as well. Clocking in the top 10 are the Euro's doing the damndest to spend, and entertain while wearing wayyyyyy to small male speedo's. (not a pretty picture) but to each their own, no matter how bizarre.

Back to the firecom 30th, and then a wondeful 4th of July as well. Fireworks and dry vegetation will not mix well I am sure. With the past being partially filled with the 40 days of rain, the mountains and valleys are choked with drying grasses and such. The crews will be humping, and we will be busy as shit. Wedding and Birthday Luau to attend on the 1st, so a day off will be in order. Lady C will probably work, which is just as well, as we are not on talking terms as of the recent time. Such is life, and I cant be perfect all the time. Last time I tried to walk on water, I sank. Thats how it goes tho' in any realtionship I imagine. You have a lot of give and take, but sometimes you tire of being the giver; when the takers drain you dry.

Gotta admit the Maimai is happy as a clam in summer school. She is taking only PE, but the school she will be attending for high school is an all girls Catholic Private one. If she survives, she'll come out unscathed by dogma, radical catholisim, and still be a believer in the faith of her own heart. For $7300 bucks,(which is due tomorrow, she better be)It is steep, and w/out the kindness and financial planning of MomandDadHawaiianmark, there is no way we could pull that off. My parents totally rock this planet. I hope they know how much they mean to us, not just me. The staff and teachers, as well as the students impress the hell out of me. They all seem to be so sincere, and Maimai is beaming with positive thoughts and actions about the school.

Where the hell was I going in this post?

Oh yeah, over there. >

Wednesday is such a hump day.

Aloha!

Treading Water In Neutral

"You're a dumb one, arent you?"

Not the most endearing comment to get from a 911 caller @ 110AM in the morning, eh? But then again, we dont get paid to be consoling souls to the mentally deranged. Maybe we should. After a long day - One guy crushed by a bus, A fully involved house fire, numerous demands by those 'upstairs' to get call taking to dispatching in under 1 minute, and assorted shitskis, that comment could make ya snap-ola.

But my partner through the night did not. And we got a real laugh outta listening to a moron go on and on about what fools we are; all the while listening to him go from full-on rage, to 'our bestest friend' mode in the conversation. Sometimes it is like that; you get a long day that instantly turns into a guffaw-fest. At least it was no real emergency (can you say tooooooooooooo many adult beverages? The caller should have) Anyhows, it led to more spirited conversation by me on the next call, a cell call from a 'concerned citizen'(idiot) which went like this -

What is the emergency?

"There is a branch burning in the middle of the road" (it is 120AM, mind you)

Where? (cells have no address varification)

"Um, I just passed, passed, you know the road that goes from Ko Olina to that place, um....by the.....um, old military thing?"

Where? What road are you on now?

"UM, On Fort Weaver"

That isnt by Ko Olina, where was the branch burning?

"On the road"

That much I gathered, but is it by where you are now, on Ft. Weaver Road?

"No, thats where my house is"

Ok, where were you NEAR when you saw the branch in the middle of the road burning?

"By Ko Olina, near the military ....thing"

Ok, How long ago?

" I dont know....10 minutes?"

How big was what was burning?

"Small"

Ok....thanks for calling

Then there was the lady who saw smoke billowing from the valley, who was seconded in a call from a gent who said there was 'a great deal of smoke' coming from the same valley....

Send a company there, and it was ...

Low lying .... ..... clouds.

I mean really. Put down the crack pipe, please. You'll feel so much more normal

But then we are open 24/7.

Just sayin'

No surf to-day, too spent.

Aloha.

Sunday Surf Session

Sunday Morning Coffee

It is not that I am complaining, but the damn hotel is packed. Surfire $$$$ for the hotel, and the waiters are happy. Most are, 'cept the ones that are getting stiffed, of course, they are bit P O'd. Nothing like paying tax on something you didnt earn.

On the flip-side, I dont see many of them quitting, either.


More

And then you gots working @ firecom, tomorrow, for 24.


Photos

But that is all good.


Of

All good? - Pshaw, I say!

Surf

Garrans the sun comes up tomorrow, tho' and I will strive to see that as a good sign.


Aloha

Aloha, and argggh!

(mostly, Aloha, 'tho)

It isnt denial - - - -

I just happen to be extremely selective about the reality I accept.


Day Pau

My Mountain

My bay


Usual Suspects



Blown tire - $147 clams

Lying problems - No abacus available

"Work" - The market is sustaining itself, for sure



Aloha


**priceless**

(apologies to Mastercard)

(please dont sue this ragged pup)

Friday Surf

Pau 24 hours firecom, I innaressing call about a "shark on the road" which turned out to be "stuck on the road"...

Go figure.

Good wishes for the weekend.


Surf
More
Work
Less


Aloha.

Politics Of Drying

1979 was a good year for dryers. Especially the Maytag DG410. So the dryer died, and I refused to go out and drop 3 to 400 on a new one, when the cloudless hawaiian sky beckons.

$150 From craigslist

So I searched the Costco store (899 for a primo top-o-da-line model) that would probably crap out in a year or 2's time. Then I hunted the appliance stores around town, and most were 400 +. Then the genius that I am, (pat, pat on me back, back) Decdied to look at the classifieds, and craigslist. The classified ads brought nada, but craigslist was a feast of opportunity. (if you never heard of it, it is like a local ebay/classifieds/yard sale)And I hooked up with the seller of the 1979 Maytag DG410.

Why go new, when you can go classic? Just listen to the sounds of Greg Brady running down those California Stairs. You can hear a faint "This is the big one, 'Lizbeth" from Fred Sanford, or even here Archie yelling "You Dingbat!" to Edith. This piece of art was / is a bargain at 150.

Why? -

She is solid. She is refurbished w/ a new motor in 2004. She carried little if any lint on her persona when looked at.

And damn, I like a bargain.



Banished to the Recycler

A moment of silence for the above.

Solar Power

Theraputic hangings, amongst the plants and such.

Yeah, here and Now.

It is the jobbo 2, looking decivingly inviting, aint it?

So you all be good, I got a shift here, and 24 on the way tomorrow.

Go hang some clothes.

Aloha!

Aohe ou hilahila?

There are times that I am.

Times when I feel that all done is not done well.

Times when what goes on around me, the world, and those in charge, is shameful.

I wonder what my Grandfather thinks.

What would his stoic, calm, Hawaiian face show, on the world today?

So much to see, and yet we walk with blinders on, wondering only of self, not of others.

Long days, longer nights, and yet brillance surrounds; if only for a moment.

Calm dedication to life, and joyous exclaims of love can reap rewards untold.

Damn dryer broke again.

Aloha.

Lint

The dryer went kaput yesterday.

I like to hang clothes, especially in the 80+ degree heat and tropical breezes. It is theraputic. Wet clothes, semi-dry from the wonderous spin cycle, wooden man shaped clothes pins. Sun bleached whites, and color drained clothings. You get a good rush from bending over; quickly rising to hang the linens.

But the dryer went south, taking the expense of electricity with it. It didnt stay broken for long.

Once you take a dryer apart, it is a simple operating machine.

A machine that produces alot of lint.

I wish I had a use for lint, as I collect alot of it. It seems that the other members of my tribe are allergic to the removing of lint. Seems that I am the only person capable of its removal. The lint gathers in the lint holding screen thingy. So after a load or 3000, it builds to herculean amounts. Which means the clothes dont dry right away.

(insert the fact that the sun would dry then even quicker, but i digress)

So the lint gets taken out. And the Hawaiian Electric Company loves me.

Old Dryer went fritz, and needed the dismantling of myself, and a socket wrench, a shop vac, and a lot of luck.

But you take it apart once, it gets easier the next time. I have changed its belt once, and clean the lint off the innards once or twice a year. So off with its skin, its head, and its guts. Clean, vacuum, and look at the damn thing and hope it turns on when plugged in. The last thing I wanted to do was have to buy a new one, cause thems expensive, Leroy!

After collecting the change in the massive amounts of about $5.68 and various other items, some unamed, and unknown. Sprayed the motor with electric motor cleaner, and wiped all the organs down. Bought a new vent for the lint to gather, that doesnt get caught in the lint gathering thing - a - ma- dooey. Put the whole thing back together, and voila!, more electricity to be consumed.

Yes, she fired right up, all cleaned up and raring to, well, DRY.

Because thats what they do,... they dry.

And this one, she is an abused Dryer.

Mai puts 95lbs of towels in her, and wonders why the thing ...whines.

Shit, I'd whine too.

Or the comforter, linens, and bathmats, rugs that get shoved into her gullet.

Damn Dryer abusers.

The thick arse jeans, jackets, and accoutriments(?) that K and company force feed her.

Amazing that it hasnt pulled its own plug and waddled off to the recycling bin.

She doesnt quit tho' just tumble here and tumble there. Keeps on rumbling through the abuse, only asking to be cleaned up every once-a-while. Asks by going off-line. Awaiting the Mr. Whirlpool of the home to bandage the wounds, and flush the lint away.

Wish I had use for all that lint.

Did I mention I really like to hang the clothes?

It is theraputic.

Aloha.

Pre-Fathers Day Surf (cause I gots to work)

Pre Fathers Day
Surf-O-Rama

Funnage in the sunnage before the hotel, and tomorrows 24 @ Firecom.

Aloha.

Sketched

So I was out at my favorite summer time spot, and enjoying the morning, the surf, the solitude of being. It is probably not the smartest thing to be surfing by ones self, but usually, another soul comes out, in time. The other morining I am by meself. This occurs fairly often, as either the time I go, or where I go prohibits much of a crowd following. Not always, but enough of the time that it doesnt make me feel uncomfortable.

Then there are those days when you just know something is amiss.

It is that "uji" (ooo-gee) feeling, or feeling of something is amiss, or wrong, or just spooked.

So I am cruising alone with the ocean, glad to be finished work, killing a few hours before kiddo pick-up from summer school. Waves were fine, and cooperating. Ocean was deep green, alot of sand moving about, obscuring the usual blue green hues and visiblity. Out on the horizon, I thought I spied a pod of dolphins breeching, flying or just jumping for their own joy. Looking harder, it was apparent that they were not dolphins, but Mahimahi, and many were flying up, over, out and about. "Cool" I thinks. Being not the brightest star in the sky, I enjoyed the nature bit, and fleetingly expected to enjoy the moment even more.

Then I kinda realized, that, why were they cavorting so? There was not a fishing boat in the immediate area, and it looked as though no large mass of rubbish (to feed on) was there either.

So I wondered -

Why?

Even tho' sometimes it is cool to be stupid, the fog of my ineptitude lifted long enough for me to put 2 + 2 together to see that -

Something BIGGER is creating panic and movement among the Mahimahi.

Uji feelings are like a 3rd eye, or 6th sense, telling you - "yo doofus! get the fuck outta here"

So I heeded, and bailed to the showering off of salt water goodness.

Found out today that a 10 foot Tiger Shark was cruising the area, and later that day, the lifeguards scattered everyone outta the water.

So listen to those voices in your head, I guess.

Aloha.

"Seventy-two"

It has been almost a year since I was promoted to my rank now. Working with the crew at Firecom, is a rewarding, educating experience. Our chief is a great guy, and backs us 110%. Getting by on 3 to 4 hours of sleep kinda sucks, but it is doable. I have a 24 hour shift every 4 days. A 'incentive' pay of 350 clams extra is ono as well. But - - - -

But I really miss fighting these -

Lab School Fire Today 6/13/2006

Lab School Fire




So after much debate in my fried brain and endless to and fro w/ MomandDadhawaiianmark, and the Nose pierced Lady C, I am gonna put my "72" in to transfer back out into the company.

Back to my beloved station 5.

Station 5 is a billion years old. It has a myriad of ghosts. It is 3 floors of work, play, excercise, stress, hassling, devotion and unbridled dedication. It is a typical firehouse. So if the bosses say yay, I will put my ass back on the back of the Ladder truck, driving the back end of a big yellow 50 ft long hunk of help. It still bothers me tho' cause I wonder if it is the right thing to do. So I'll go with whatever the bones throw at me. Either way is good - If I stay at Firecom, there are plus' Going back to the company and out in the field has satisfaction all over the dial, and helping the public is always a stoke.

Half dozen of 1, or 6 of the other, I guess.

On a wet note, I got a surf in again, and the crust factor in my eyes is building, along with the demarcation line between tanned and not (on my arse) Talk about your 'moon river'...

Hotel is packed to the gills and the vistors are behaving, even if I am not.

Aloha!

Outta Season North Swell

Neil Miyake Photos today -

Sweet


Country surf for the North Shore today. Way late, or way early for next winter. Some good shots by Neil on 808Surfer.com.

Hit my usual spot this AM. No country drive for me with the price of petrol, and PM work at the Hotel, so 5 minute drive for waves is OK by me.


Neil Miyake Photo

(nice big old full moon in the Left hand side of the pix)

No pix from me, as the Camera has gone AWOL. Not lost, but I was not up for hunting this morning. Surfed for a couple hours, surfed well enough to smile my own face, so that rocks. Off to the carnage of work.

Aloha.

Mirrors

CD in -

No song better than "Good Lovin'"


Daily, we all go through life. We meet, greet, and interact with all we contact. Sometimes I find contact fleeting; you just glance at someone, brush a shoulder. A firey glance could ignite a argument, perhaps in some circles even get you hurt or killed. On the flip-side of that 45, a caring, comfort filled expression might just make someones day. Maybe even stop them from something terrible. What a gift every day can be.

They present opportunities to associate with other humans/animals/nature. We can seemingly create beauty in each step. Each contact. I wonder if that kind of thought pattern reaches all?

Does the hatred of thousands of years stand a chance against a single warm touch?

Hmm.

Wonder if it does.

A single solitary star in the sky; that first glimmer as the sun sets. No way the most hate filled mongrel can not look at that sight an NOT feel awe. But they do. Why? That is because I truly believe they are not looking. Not looking because the minds they own are so polluted with hate, propaganda.

If they would only look.

I wonder if the Generals of all the wars combined see the death stare of those young sacrificed? The silent places they rest now, are filled with closed eyes that no longer see the beauty that was always there.

That beauty can save.

What if those Generals looked deeper? What if they saw the grace in this world? What if they let that guide the conflict?

Grace dont do war.

Looking into the oceans blue greens this morning, I saw a reflection.

It taunted me -

Maybe to taunt in a good way, maybe to awaken.

Maybe to shame.

Maybe to inspire, to fan a flame so to speak.

There is so much to do, so much to enjoy, so much to FEEL.

Just trying to do it better.

Aloha Sunday.

Wave 4 Today

Gristle. Back to grindage.

Stolen off Bagus surf

Weekend goodness 4 all.

Aloha.

Morning Session Surf

Ok. A few more. Almost the last, but at least there is some tale behind the pix. In the first following photo, the aging Lady C is fronting a mirror, adjusting her.....

NOSE PIERCING...

Yeah, thats what I said.

Now I didnt go buy a Porsche, nor did I trade her in for 2 20 y/o women (inside joke, having to do with the fact that we are both over 40) but she went and pierced her nose.

Yep.

So we go to the Orange County huge arse swap meet, and she drops her shades on her ...

Nose Stud. (not me)

She then has to adjust the damn thing, and for the life of me, we cant stop laughing long enough to help her. So she gets a passerby (who has a nose ring) to help her.

God we are maladjusted.



Mid Life Crisis

The Bubble Guy was at the Huntington Beach Pier, casting bubbles from a homemade contraption that he invented. Totally mellow soul, who launched, invited and shared good karma with the kids who of course surrounded him.

Neat stuff.


Bubble Man


In Huntington, "said feces will be removed by said owner"

I guess.


Clean Your Doggie

Small clean morning session.

Responsibility calls....

Darn.

Clean
But Small


Aloha

Almost Sane

Wahine Mailelauli'i


Mai & Surf


Back at de hotel chem de fark, and almost pau (finished). Another amazing night of buffonery from the visitors -

"What soups do you have?"

-French Onion, & New England Clam Chowder

"You dont have Broccoli? Or Tomato? Or a broth?"

-(if we did, I woulda SAID so) Nope.

"What Vitamin C Fruits do you have?"

-(what am I? - A chemist?) what type were you intrested in?

"How about a fruit mix? Do you have that?"

-(duh!) Yes, we do.

"Does the coffee come with cups, or just by itself?"

-(no for 13 dollars, we send an armed escort, in case you dont want to pay)-It comes in a carafe with 6-8 cups, that'd be IN the carafe.

"Where are the room service menus in this room?"

-(well, last time I checked, I didnt know the exact location for all 555 rooms...but) I will call house keeping and have one sent up

And on and on....

Gosh it is great to be back at the ol' grind.

Aloha.

Moron = Coulter

Back to the real world and I read this blurb from MSN.


(click da link title )


Really.

Words cant describe morons like this.

Well,

they can

but I dont want to offend females that actually have a heart/brain.

I mean....WTF?

Aloha.

Last Day Off

New Low Low Price,


You only gotta put up with a few more...

Beach'N Wahines

110% L O V E

Knott - a - sunset


Mini Mohawk-er

Aloha.

Biggest Word In The 'Dick & Jane' Books

Joy


It is 530AM and I awake to the terror of thinking I left the camera on the plane.

Lack of sleep does weird things to the brain.

Californy was nice. Like the sign said on the Fountain Valley PD car - "A nice place to live"

Fountain Valley has no fountains, and no valley.

Go figure.

Being stoopid like 'dat, I found myself driving at incredibly high speeds, (getting encouragement from the Grammy Lady C, (not) ) wondering when the sky was going to fall (its called FOG Mark)Seeing the beauty of a young love sprout wings, fall, and rise up to fly again. Driving the continent-dwellers crazy by saying Thank You waaaaaaaaayyyy more than they ever heard before.

Saw the incredible amount of love, dedication and fortitude it takes to raise a child with Cerebral Palsy, (you rock, bro, you absolutely, totally fricking' rock)

Drank waaayyy too many adult beverages.

and did alot of....

L O O K

'cause it is the biggest word in the Dick & Jane books.

Sometimes you look out,

Sometimes..


In.


Aloha.

Sand in the slippers

The whole crew, (grammie2 is working)

How Ya Doin'!!

Showing where lunch funds come from

Grammy spoiling


Back home and all are well. Soon to post as many as I can fit, blogger acting up for some reason now.

Big thanks to all the families.

'specially The Mora's , Scotty J and crew.

Kaleo James says lots of Aloha.

(us guys too)

Aloha.

Homeward bound

Soon back to the rock.


Flight time


Aloha, more than more photos to come