The Drake Report

Útila - Day 6

2011-05-13T19:22:00.001-07:00

Ah, the last day of diving!

Today started a little later than usual so I got an extra 15 mins of much needed sleep. After breakfast we loaded up the Miss U and headed to our first dive site called "Halliburton" which was an old cargo ship that was sunk in 1995. The wreck was in about 100 feet of water which meant we would only have about 30 mins of bottom time. Unfortunately there were already two other dive boats there which meant it was going to be crowded. We descended as a group and reached the wheel house at about 80 feet. We were greeted with a good sized lion fish guarding the door. We then headed to the captains quarters directly below the wheel house where we saw a huge snapper. We took the staircase down into the cargo hold which by now was full of silt kicked up by the close to 30 other divers in the water. After that we took a trip around the outside of the boat and found a huge moray eel under the starboard bow. By this then it was time to head back to the surface.

Since we were so close to town we headed to the dock and took a walk up the street to a place called the Jade Seahorse. What we found was something unbelievable. The "backyard" of this place was FULL of pathways, bridges and sculptures created with recycled material. Everything you can think of. Glass bottles, wine bottles, shells, driftwood, tile, glass, plates...it was amazing. And of course I didn't have my camera. a couple of the other folks in our group had cameras and I'm hoping to be able to share some of their images. We spent about 45 mins walking around the grounds and then headed back to the boat.

Once on board we headed to our final dive spot called "Ted's Point". There were other boats on the mooring so we had to use another buoy a little ways away. We geared up and jumped into the 85 degree water and headed for our submerged destination for the last time.

The initial part of the dive had me wondering if this was how it would end. There were some fish and coral, but it was the same old stuff we had seen all week. I really wanted to see the elusive spotted eagle ray and this was my last chance. It wasn't looking good. After a long kick we finally reached and area where things started to pick up. We spotted a file fish (which looks kind of like a halibut), a barracuda and another large tarpon. But I had a problem. Because it took us so long to get there I only had about 500 psi of air left in my tank. Normally at that point I would head to the surface. Through hand signals I let my guy Reuben know that I was low on air. He was kind enough to offer his extra regulator to me to extend the dive and allow me to still have some emergency air. And good thing he did. After about 5 mins we heard someone banging on their tank. Sound travels very well underwater so the 30 or so divers all headed toward one of our group that was kicking pretty hard toward the deep.

At first I didn't see anything, then there they were. Three spotted eagle rays had graced us with their presence. The divers all lined up and and jockeyed for position to see the show. I tried to get a video but divers underneath me were sending bubbles in front of my camera. Then I noticed one of the rays was doing a fly by in front of the crowd, I quickly took off in the same direction behind the crowd. My hope was that once she passed the grandstand she would hang a right back toward the reef. I was right. She came in right underneath me and I held the shutter lever on the camera down. The best of the few images I got is below. After chasing down the ray I took glance at my gauge and saw a whopping 200 psi of precious air remaining. I quickly headed back the boat extremely happy with the dive that started out so poorly.

We climbed aboard the Miss U for the last time and headed back toward Utopia for a well deserved beer and a delicious lunch of fish tacos. As we've done every day we are hanging out in the Dive Bar and sharing stories and pictures of the day. Tonight is party night, however I have a feeling that most of the group will be in bed before 9:30. We get to sleep in tomorrow till 8, woohoo! A bittersweet end to diving but by the end of tomorrow I will be very ready to get home, sleep in my own bed and be with those I love.

The Miss U

The lion fish guarding the wheel house

Huge snapper

The wreck

My gauge at 95 feet

5-6 foot moray surrounded by kicked up sand from the cluster of divers

File fish

Spotted eagle ray

Útila - Day 5

2011-05-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a day!

I'd love to show you some pictures of our night dive from last night, but alas I had camera problems again. My strobe wouldn't fire and on a night dive that just won't do. Silver lining though: since every dive I've been on without my camera has been great I knew we were in for a treat.

With 20 divers in pitch black water, things can become a cluster. Everywhere you look light beams cut through the water. Flashing lights and glow sticks marked the divers. We immediately spotted tons of lobster and lots of sleeping parrot fish. Some of the group saw some huge crabs and even tarpon. The highlight for me was seeing 4/5 hermit crabs fighting for one damn nice looking shell. After close to an hour we headed back to where we thought the boat was and were very lucky to see an octopus. I'd show you a picture, but, yeah. I did reach another milestone, a new longest dive: 101 minutes!

Got back for dinner late and had another GIANT piece of tuna that was delicious. Had a couple nightcaps and headed to bed hoping my camera issues would be resolved in the morning.

After breakfast I switched out the batteries in everything, we loaded up into shuttle and headed to the Miss U. Since the wind had really died down we headed toward the east side of the island for the first time. Our first site was "Little Bight". The main draw of this site was a sea horse about 5" long. After the seas horse we headed across a large sandy area that was full of Garden Eels. These little guys look like grass but when you get close they zip into the sand. About halfway through across the sandy area we ran into a bunch of squid. This encounter was one of the coolest experiences I've had diving to date. These things were so interested in us, as much as we were in them. There was two lines of creatures, one of squid, one of human, staring at each other. Very cool.

After about 10 minutes with the squid we continued on and found a good size eel having lunch. We turned around and made the trek back to the boat for some water, fruit and muffins and a bit of a rest before our 2nd dive, "Madeline's".

The first part of the dive was pretty non-eventful which made sense because my camera was working. Bit as soon as we made our turn things changed rapidly. So many fish about 30 feet. Cow fish, giant angel fish, ocean trigger fish and needlefish. About halfway back to the boat my dive buddy Ted and guide Reuben got my attention. They were swimming fast so I quickly caught up. What I saw was the tail of a large fish that looked a lot like a shark. I couldn't tell as it was moving fast and effortlessly away from us. Reuben cut him off and the fish headed right toward me. At this point I think a 5' shark is headed right toward me. He made a turn right in front of me and I instantly recognized it as a tarpon who apparently was posing for a great shot! After that excitement we kicked back to the boat and completed the dive.

For lunch we headed to a small island called "Parrot Key". The restaurant is owned by our boat captains family. I had barracuda fish and chips which was pretty good. After lunch we took a stroll down main street which was actually a path way. The island has 400-700 locals (depending on the season). It's amazing to me that people actually live here for their whole lives. Everyone was very nice and welcomed us to see where and how they live. Definitely put some perspective on how different things can be.

After our tour we jumped on the Miss U and headed back to Utopia where we cleaned up and headed to the bar for an afternoon of showing pictures and reliving the days awesome dives. Our trip is half over and tomorrow will be our last day of diving. It will be sad to leave the this place but I am missing the kiddos and loved ones back home.

Enjoy the photos!

Sunset on the way to the night dive

Sea horsey!

Squid

Squid looking at us looking at them

Jim the squid whisperer

Green eel having lunch

Cow fish

My new desktop

Ocean trigger fish

Flamingo tongue

Tarpon! (not a shark)

Trunk fish

Útila - Day 4

2011-05-11T16:05:00.000-07:00

Hola para Utopia Resort.

Closed down the "Dive Bar" again last night and had my first full night of sleep. The boat just needed a battery and the rain never came so after breakfast we headed out to our first dive site of the day called "Duppy Waters" (Duppy means ghost apparently). Neat site that was another wall but it had tons of little chutes and canyons. We quickly descended to 80 feet and were on our way.

About 5 mins into the dive I noticed two large angel fish were hovering above our dive guide Reuben. As I watched them i realized that one of them was "eating" his exhaust bubbles as they floated to the surface. Reuben said he has never seen that before. After about 30 mins along the wall we cruised up a chute to shallower waters where Reuben and I spotted a sea slug (or maybe a worm) that was rolling and contorting across a sandy patch or ocean floor. It was so weird to see this thing scoot along. It got to the other side and did a few more barrel rolls before finally stopping at the base of a small rock formation. Since I am still new to diving and i use way toomkuch air by this time I had to head back to the boat.

We then motored to our next dive site called "West End" (where we were headed yesterday before the boat died). After an hour on the surface we geared up and got back in the water. This site had much better visibility than the last. We only went down to about 60 feet for this dive which was another wall that bottomed out about 90 feet. We quickly found a couple lobster under some rocks and and tons of brightly colored fish were everywhere. After grabbing a few pictures of coral and the little fish we see everywhere Reuben grabbed my attention to point out a baby turtle. I grabbed my camera and was greeted with a "change battery pack" message. We followed the turtle for at least 15 mins. I could've snapped some amazing photos as I was less than 5 feet from the little bugger. Oh well, im sure that will happen many kore times before we leave. Shortly after the turtle we headed to shallower water and finished off a great 57 minute dive, My longest dive to date!

We loaded up and headed back to the resort for lunch. I'm writing this from a hammock and plan on doing a bunch of nothing until tonight's nighttime boat dive. I'm hoping to get some awesome pictures tonight, as long as my battery holds up that is. Until tomorrow...

Bubble-eating fishies

More fan coral

Don't know what this is, but I'm calling it the venus flytrap sponge

Purty colors

These little fish are EVERYWHERE. And not afraid to get all up in your face.

Last photo before my battery died. Meh.

Útila - Day 3

2011-05-10T12:19:00.001-07:00

Another beautiful day here in paradise!

Dinner last night was amazing again. Afterward, almost the entire group went to sleep. Debbie, one of the owners, Chef Peter and the bartender Matt joined me at the bar for a few night caps. They are all really great people. It was really interesting to find out how this place was started and built. They actually floated all the wood over from Honduras, stacked it in piles and let it dry for two weeks before building. Also heard some great stories about the three years the resort has been here, like how the first week they opened the U.S. put out a travel warning for Honduras. We shut the bar down around 10 and turned in.

Day 3 started with banana pancakes, eggs and bacon. It was too windy again for the resort dock so we motored through the jungle to the Miss U.

Our first dive was at a place called Blackish Point. There was no mooring at this spot so I got to experience my first "drift" dive. Since the boat isn't stationary when you are done with the dive you surface and the boat comes and picks you up. The site was interesting with a deck of about 30 feet with a wall that went down to 70 feet. The wall had multiple caves and overhangs where fish were hanging out. The dive was pretty uneventful but we did see a friendly turtle and a midnight parrot fish that was about 3 feet long.

We got back on the boat and headed to our next destination. Along the way I started to get a little queasy from the massive amount of diesel fumes spewing off the back of the boat. After a 25 minute motor we stopped at the next site where we were planning on drift diving again. One of our group decided to check the prop and was immediately swept away by the current. It's amazing how fast she got about 50 yards away. The captain went to start the boat to go get her and it wouldn't start. After a few minutes Reuben grabbed a life ring and headed out to get the prop checker who was now at least 100 yards away. We were now dead in the water and drifting toward shore. Luckily for the swimmers another nearby dive boat went and picked them up. Our captain Sydney was able to get his Dad to come out and tow us back to the dock before we ran aground. They think it is a battery issue, hopefully it will be up and running again soon.

In the afternoon a couple people went on a shore dive while the rest of us lounged and napped. We have a night dive planned for 6pm then dinner. There is talk of a large storm coming in tonight into tomorrow so that in combo with the boat situation may mean an evening of drinks and a morning of sleeping in. Both sound good to me.

Turtle friend

Getting towed in

Lots of fan coral

Útila Day 2

2011-05-08T14:33:00.001-07:00

After a somewhat restless night of sleep, I woke up about 7am local time and headed down for a breakfast of French toast, eggs and bacon expertly prepared by Chef Paul. The wind had kicked up quite a bit since last night so we couldn't use the resort dock. Instead we loaded into the resort shuttle (another pickup truck) and drove about 10 mins through the jungle to a protected dock. All 20 of us loaded onto our dive boat for the week, the Miss U.

Our first dive spot was calm led "The Maze". A wall started about 40 ft and dropped off from there. I haven't been on a real dive with my own gear since September of 2009, but after getting in the water it all came back pretty quick. I had my new underwater camera with me but the battery ran out in about 5 mins. Turned out to be a pretty uneventful dive though so I didn't mind. We did see a pretty good sized turtle but he wanted nothing to do with us.

After that quick 30 min refresher we headed to our next spot "Ragged Cay (Key)" which was a similar wall but it was located off a small island. This dive was MUCH BETTER, which made me miss my camera. We saw a couple huge crab, a large green eel, 3 lionfish (on of which was gigantic) and a dead shark of some kind. The shark was about 2-3 feet long and not hard to spot since it was upside-down in about 20 ft of water. I wasn't sure it was dead but the guys behind us saw a wound in its chest. Another couple saw a spotted eagle ray right before we got back to the boat but I missed it.

We then headed back to the resort for lunch. Some of the group are planning a couple shore dives but since it is still pretty windy I've opted for diving into a few cocktails. For dinner tonight I've chosen the red snapper in a coconut dill sauce (I think that is what she said). Here a decouple pictures from our first dive before my camera croaked:

My dive buddy and roommate Ted

Dive guide Reuben and the wall

Utila - Day 1 (travel)

2011-05-07T19:57:00.001-07:00

Welcome to another edition of Drake goes SCUBA diving. This time I'm traveling to an island off the coast of Honduras called Útila. A very small island located north of the more well-known Roatan.

My day started at home at 3:15am. I met up with a few of our group and car pooled down to LAX. Our first flight was 3.5 hours to
Houston where we literally walked from one plane to another and then flew 2 hours into Roatan. There we went through customs (where the only thing the customs agent said to me was "next") grabbed our gear and then boarded a 20 seat double-prop puddle jumper for the 20 min flight to Útila. Once we arrived at the VERY small airport we jumped in the back of a pickup truck and headed to the town's main dock.

Once there we realized 4 bags were missing (guess who had a missing bag?). So the plane FLEW BACK TO ROATAN AND GOT THEM. One of our new dive masters Frederico was nice enough to show us to a local bar where we had a few beers while we waited for our bags. One of the guys from our group who stayed at the boat was apparently asked by a local female if he was in need of a friend. He politely declined.

Once we got all of our bags we finally headed to the resort, which is pretty amazing. It is owned by 7 girlfriends from the U.S., two of which live onsite and run the place. The staff is very friendly and I think we will have a great time. We got our room assignments, had a quick dive orientation and then were offered a choice of seared ahi tuna or chicken parm for dinner from
Chef Paul (also from the U.S.). I went with the tuna which was amazing. I was told the chicken was delicious as well.

As I write this it is POURING down rain outside. Hoping that subsides for our 8am boat dive tomorrow! Pictures to come...

Our plane to Útila

Airport shuttle

The bar we waited at. This is the main road in town.

Dive briefing

Shot from the dock downtown

MONSTER JAM!

2011-01-16T17:56:00.000-08:00

I've never been to a monster truck raly, but around Christmas I heard the Monster Jam was going to be at Anaheim Stadium in January. I jumped at the chance to take my son cause he loves big trucks and loud noises.

Neither one of us were dissapointed. He had a blast and I had an even better time watching him love it. The big air was great. The racing was fun. It's a little like pro wrestling without the bad guys.

Here are a couple photos and a short video:

It gets good around 00:40

View more photos

Left turns.

2011-01-10T13:19:00.001-08:00

In 1996 I got a speeding ticket. I was going 56 mph in a 45 mph zone. The issuing officer was a familiar face to those in the SCV, Officer Banks. Instead of taking a point on my DMV record and almost guaranteeing a raise in my auto insurance I chose to go to traffic school. During that grueling 8 hour class I learned two things:

1) A ton of people get pulled over by cops on bicycles.

2) People have no damn clue who has the right of way when turning left

Although I still ponder the mechanics of the first lesson from time to time, the second seams to rear its ugly head almost daily. Just this morning I saw no less than 6 cars turn left while a vehicle waiting to turn right sat and waited for them to clear the intersection. These cars did not have a protected green left turn arrow. The car turning right did not have a red light. It was a regular, non-protected intersection.

Now, if the cross section of people reading this blog is anything like that traffic school class I was in, more than half of you assume that the cars turning left had the right of way...and you would be WRONG!

Remember that little test you had to take to allow you to hurl thousands of pounds of metal at high speeds across the streets and highways of this great nation? Here's what is says:

When you turn left, give the right of way to all vehicles approaching that are close enough to be dangerous. Also, look for motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. When you turn right, be sure to check for pedestrians crossing the street and bicyclists coming up behind you on the right.

If that isn't clear, here is another explanation from the website Driving in the USA and Canada:

If the left turn signal is a green circle, or if there is no separate left turn signal, then traffic in the opposite direction is not stopped. This is known as permissive mode in US highway traffic engineering terminology since vehicles turning left have to wait until a break in the flow of traffic in the opposite direction permits them to turn.

If the left turn signal is a green arrow then traffic in the opposite direction is stopped by red lights. This is known as protected mode in US highway traffic engineering terminology, since turning vehicles are protected from traffic in the opposing direction by red lights. In this mode pedestrians are also presented with "Don't Walk" signs across the relevant crosswalks while traffic is turning left.

What did we learn here today? Don't turn left if there is opposing traffic and you don't have a protected green (arrow) light.

Bonaire Day 7

2009-09-25T19:55:00.001-07:00

Internet is up...w00t!

Today was a non dive day which meant we got to sleep in...kind of. Shannon and I had arranged to take the truck for the day sight seeing. My roommate decided he needed the truck from 7:30am-12 noon so we hung around the resort until then. Once he returned we headed into town to do some souvenir shopping. We encountered a problem though as most of the shops close from 12-2pm for siesta. We did what little shopping we could and headed to the southern part of the island.

Our first stop was the donkey sanctuary. Donkeys are wild on the island from the days when the salt traders used them for labor (more on that later). The islanders were not very nice to these wild donkeys so one of the residents bought some land to "rescue" them. When she started the sanctuary she had about 20 donkeys. Today there are more than 400 donkeys that call the sanctuary home. Since the refuge is run solely on donations, we paid our $12 entry fee, grabbed a bag of donkey feed and headed out on the one way dirt road (the wrong way I might add) to say hi to the donkeys (please note that it is impossible for me to say donkey without envoking the Shrek version of DON-KAY!).

As we entered donkey land we were greeted with a plethora of donkeys who knew why we were there. They have no worries about sticking their long noses into the car and begging for a treat. At one point we had about six donkeys, three in each window, looking for some grub. And these little buggers are smart. As you stop to feed they come RUNNING from everywhere. You feed a few and when you decide to move along one or two will dart in front of your vehicle to try and get some more meal time. They will move but it feels wrong to push them out of the way with a truck. Once you do break free of the group, two or three will GALOP (at about 20 kms) with you until you stop again. Once we completed our donkey safari we stopped to see the "orphaned" donkeys and even a baby donkey about a month old.

With the truck full of donkey slobber we continued south toward the salt "mines" near our dive site from Monday, Invisibles. The salt mines consist of large pools of sea water that are allowed to evaporate leaving acres of salt which are then scraped up an put into large piles. The interesting thing is these "crystallizer" ponds are as pink as flamingos due to the sun refracting through the salt. Quite a sight.

As we drove along the one lane road we eventually came to an area known as the slave huts. Way back when the Dutch had slaves who tended to the salt pools. Ships would moore offshore and the slaves would carry the salt to dingys on make-shift docks. The dingys would then take the salt to the ships. There were four areas where ships could moore and they were marked by large pyrimid pillars that still stand (orange, white, red and blue - the colors of the Dutch flag) which designating the quality of the salt they would buy. The slaves who worked the pools were housed in small huts near the pillars. When I say small, I mean SMALL. The huts are MAYBE 5 feet by 7 feet long and the top of which are about eye level. To enter the hut I almost had to crawl through the door. I can't imagine myself living in one of these huts let alone raising a family in one of them. It is amazing what human beings are capable of inflicting on other human beings.

After that sobering experience we continued to the southern most tip of the island where an old lighthouse still stands. Now equipped with state of the art technology, the lighthouse sits among driftwood, volcanic rock and dead coral while large wind swept waves pound the shore nearby. After a few pictures we ventured along the east coast until we made it back to the center of town.

By now the shops were open again and we were able to pick up shirts and other trinkets to bring back to our family and loved ones back home. We ate at a small place called the Buenos Ares Cafe with a great view of sailboats passing by (the cheapest meal we had to date at only $30 for two cheeseburgers, two beers and a coke).

Everyone had done their own thing today so dinner plans were a little confusing. After I went down to view my last sunset, complete with dive bombing pelicans and viewing the Tarpon feed from above water, I found that everyone had left the condo. I didn't have to get the truck back until 10pm so I took it down to a restaurant along the main drag called ZEEZICHT. After a few beers, some firecracker rolls (which were white fish egg rolls in some VERY hot sauce) and watching most of the Yankees/Red Sox game, I headed back to check out and return the truck. I was able to get the $40 back I paid for internet access since it sucks and headed over to the pool bar to try and connect one more time.

As I was writing this the resort next door had an impromptu fireworks show. Luckily I had my camera with me and was able to get a picture of the action. Since I was in Vegas for 4th of July and they don't shoot fireworks on the strip I feel like I finally got my show.

Our flight leaves at 7:30am from the pink-painted Flamingo Airport which means we have to get up at at 4am to catch our shuttle. I'm hoping to get a couple hours of sleep and then a few more during our 9+ hours of travel (that's right, feel sorry for me as I return from paradise). At the end of the day the trip was one I will NEVER forget. I will have all of my pictures up on Flickr after I sleep for a day and a half and help our softball team the Diablo JETigers get to 3-0.

The Now Internationally Known Buddy Dive Pool Bar

2009-09-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

Bonaire Day 6 - Last Day of Diving

Note: I was unable to post this last night as the resorts internet connection was down. I know you were all waiting for this post. ;o) Sorry for the delay

THE EAR IS BETTER! Since our boat dives weren't until 1:30 we slept in til about 9:30 (woo hoo). Shannon and I had breakfast and just lounged around the condo for a while. We had talked about renting scooters for sight seeing tomorrow but after going into town and actually looking at the scooters she seemed a little leary. I found out that only two-wheeled vehicle she has ridden is a bike, except for the one time she rode a scooter and crashed into trash cans. Needless to say we are not renting scooters tomorrow.

As the departure for our boat dives drew near, we ate a quick lunch and geared up. Our first dive site was called Something Special. It was named for all the rum bottles that used to be found on the bottom, rum from Venezuela called Something Special. The site was what we have come to expect except this time the current was really pushing against us on the way out. A 15 minute kick on the way out took about 2 mins on the way back, with little kicking at all. We did see quite a few eels and a few of the group saw the elusive frog fish. We got back on the boat and had a rest while we motored to the next site called Joanna's Kiss.

As soon as we got into the water Daneilo showed us a tiny black sea horse at only 12 feet deep. We then followed him along seeing massive schools of fish all around us. About halfway into the dive Shannon spotted a sea turtle (yay!) and we turned into paparazzi all crowding around snapping pictures while he went about his daily routine. Soon after that we saw two orange sea horses at about 60 feet deep.

These things are pretty cool and while Danilo is quick to make sure we all got pictures and got to see them, he is also watches us very closely to ensure we do not disturb the little guys.

As is usually the case Shannon and I have to turn back sooner than the rest of the group since we use air like its going out of style. On the way back we somehow swam past the boat about 100 yards. On the way back to the boat we did see a flounder that Shannon got a great picture of and what I think is a barracuda (although others say it wasn't they can't tell me what it is...so it was a barracuda damn it). All in all our last boat dives were pretty entertaining. We got back on the boat and headed back to the resort making sure to thank our dive guides for some amazing creatures that we may never experience again.

Although our dives in the daylight hours were over, there was still time for one more night dive among the giant Tarpon right in front of our resort. Five of us geared up and got into the black water. Shannon's tank had issues and she had to get out of the water and switch tanks. The other three divers went on without us while I waited for her. The second tank didn't have issues and we were on our way.

Since I had the camera with me on this dive I had to rely on on Shannon's light. Almost immediately after descending Shannon motioned to motioned with her light that she saw something by a small outcropping of rocks. I came over and was greeted by a lobster than must have been at least 2 feet long. Easily the largest lobster I have EVER seen in or out of the water. Instead of going to the right as we had in our previous two night dives we decided to go left this time. The tarpon were back again but after a couple minutes they had gone. Apparently the fishing was better to the right. Even though we didn't see many Tarpon we did see lots of eels, crabs and lots of other creatures that come out to hunt at night. We ended up seeing the other three divers and stayed at about 30 feet for the duration of the dive. It was a great 45 minuets underwater and a bittersweet end to a great week of diving.

We got out of the water for the last time, rinsed our gear and got ready to head into town for dinner. A group of six of us found a nice little Italian restaurant (of course along the ocean front) and had another great dinner with wine and conversation. We relived dives of the week and got to hear stories from the other divers of trips to locales like Fiji, Palau, Cozumel and Cocos. As great as the diving was here the stories we heard have made me anxious for the next dive trip I am fortunate enough to attend.

Tomorrow should be a fun filled day of touring the island, souvenir shopping and relaxing before getting ready for our flight home EARLY on Saturday. Our flight leaves at 7:30am local time which means we will have to leave the resort about 5:30am (2:30am PST). Not looking forward to a long day of travel but definitely looking forward to seeing loved ones when I get back!

I hope to have more images of the island for you tomorrow!

More Pictures

Ready to Descend For a Night Dive

4-5' Tarpon

Female Parrot Fish

Lots of Fishies

The Town of Rincon

Dive Site: Tolo

Lizard Friend

DONKAY!

Flamingo

2009-09-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

Bonaire Day 5

Got to sleep in until 9am this morning. When I woke the constant pain in my ear was gone but it felt like I had a wad of cotton shoved in there. I decided not to push it and fore go today's dive. I accompanied some of the group on their dive as they decided on only one dive today. We loaded up the tanks and headed to a dive site just north of 1,000 steps (can't remember the name right now). The beach was full of dead coral which looks like white petrified pieces of dog poo (no other way to describe them). They said the entry was much easier than Invisibles. While the 6 divers ventured out I hung out with 4 non-divers for about an hour working on my tan and taking a few pictures (which I'm too lazy to upload right now). After the dive we took a drive around the north side of the island. It turned out to be a mini safari.

We first ventured through the flamingo reserve. Now when I heard flamingo reserve I pictured hundreds of flamingos with turquoise water and white sandy beaches. Instead it resembled a Southern California lake with about 50 flamingos spread out over 20-30 acres. Got some good shots and continued on through the hilly, windy road. Along the way we encountered wild pigs, wild donkey and even a goat. There are also wild parrots EVERYWHERE. Those little buggers are loud!

We stopped in a little town called Rincon (next to another town called Santa Barbara, go figure) and had an Amstel light. We continued down the road and stopped at a place along the east shore where there are inscriptions from indians in the volcanic rock that date to 300 B.C. Although it was pretty neat to see the carvings in the rock, the local lizards stole the show. Someone in our group had a granola bar and fed on of the nearby lizards. All of a sudden what seemed like HUNDREDS of lizards came RUNNING from up to 30 yards away for their change at a snack. One of the group commented it felt like the movie the birds but with lizards.

After we ran out of food, we got back in our trusty four door Mazda rental truck (that I am driving because no0 one else in my room can drive stick) and headed back to our resort, Buddy Dive. Naps were of course in order before dinner.

We showered and had a couple beers on the patio before heading to an Argentinian restaurant just down the road in the harbor called Patagonia. I ordered the fillet (first non-fish dinner I've had) and it did not disappoint! Argentinians definitely know their beef. One guy in our group had to wait for his dinner and the chef came out personally to apologize. My sister and I shared a bottle of Argentinian Cabernet-Malbeck blend from the Mendoza region of Argentina and we enjoyed great dinner conversation with 5 others from our group. A fudge brownie with ice cream capped a great dinner.

I'm here in my favorite place the "Pool Bar" writing this post and winding down. Tomorrow we have a scheduled two tank boat dive to the little island Klien Bonaire and there is talk of one last night dive as tomorrow is our last day of diving (you must wait 24 hours to fly after your last dive). I'm hoping my day off from the water has healed my ear and that I am able to go on all 3 dives tomorrow. If I can that will be 11 dive in 5 days! On Friday Shannon and I plan on renting scooters and touring the south part of the island.

Although I am truly enjoying my time here, I am looking forward to returning home to my friends, loved ones and most of all my kiddos. Until tomorrow...

2009-09-22T20:27:00.000-07:00

Bonaire Day 4 (Now with pictures)

Day 4 began as usual about 7am. I had been borrowing an underwater camera for the first couple dives I decided to rent a camera and underwater strobe and am hoping to get some gre3at shots on the rest of our dives. After tank analyzing, getting our gear ready, picking up the new camera and breakfast we boarded the Sport Diver II and headed to the northern part of the island. Our first stop was "Country Garden".

This spot is on the main island but not accessible from shore. The water was fairly choppy and made our giant stride into the water a little challenging. Once in the water we descended to about 60' and the group headed north along the drop off. Shannon tried to show me a little worm like creature that had what can only be described as rows of wavy tissue paper along the top. As she moved out of the way for me to take a picture, her fin kicks dislodged the creature. Being the animal lover she is she tried to put the little guy back where he was. Danielo quickly moved in and let her know this was not allowed. We continued on and didn't see a whole lot more...although the rest of the group saw a barracuda, a turtle and a Wahoo (yes like the fish taco joint). This happens a lot on dives actually. Even thought we were in a group of 10 not everyone sees everything. If you aren't looking in the right place at the right time it's not like someone can just yell over to you "hey check this out", although that's not entirely true.

Yesterday one of the guys in our group brought a tiny shark hand puppet. HE came along side of one of the female divers in our group and set the puppet right next to her hand. Although I didn't see what happened I definitely heard the screams and the profanities that followed. I was able to clearly make out the word "Bastard". But I digress...

After a 1 hour and 20 minute surface interval we moored the boat at a spot called 1,000 steps. This site is accessible from land but as the name implies it's not the easiest to get to. When you have close to 50lbs of gear 100 steps seems like 500 on the way down and 1,000 on the way up.

For this dive my sister and I decided to go the opposite way of the group (unkown to ourselves and the group). We decided to stay around 30' for this dive and we were not disappointed with TONS of schooling fish. Although they were mostly the fish we have been seeing they were in some cases 2 to 3 times larger and in groups of up to 15 or 20. This was our longest dive at 45 mins and we still got back to the boat about 10 minutes before everyone else.

When we got back to the boat Scott the dive master said we had just missed a baby turtle. When the group got back we heard about one of the divers playing with an eel and some squids they had seen just prior to boarding the boat. We stowed our gear and headed back to the resort for so me pool time and and a nap before our planned night dive.

The night dive was amazing. There was about 8 of us and we stayed above 30 feet the whole time. The Tarpon were back and happy to use our lights to hunt. This time however there was a feeding frenzy as at time there were up to 6 of the large fish darting this way and that eating the small bait fish that were all around us. We also saw some crab and what appeared to be an octopus although we could only see one tentacle. Another cool part of the dive was the bio luminescents. If you shut off your lights and waved your hands around it looked as if sparks were flying around in the water. The dive lasted about 45 minutes.

After the dive we all headed to a restaurant called the blue cactus. I ordered the seared ahi tuna which was AMAZING. Shannon had the jerk chicken which was also very good. I topped off my meal with a piece of key lime pie and the night was complete.

A bit of bad news however. During the night dive I noticed a tingle in my ear. That tingle has turned into full blown pain in my right ear. I'm hoping and praying I don't have an infection. Luckily one of the divers in our group in a physician so I will have him take a look in the morning. Either way it looks like I won't be diving tomorrow. Hopefully I will be ready to go for our final day of diving on Thursday (as you cannot dive 24 hours prior to flying). I will keep you posted...

2009-09-22T15:20:00.000-07:00

Bonaire Pictures

Resort Signs

The Sea Horse

Spotted Eagle Ray

Me

My Sister Shannon

Nitrox Fill Station

A Perfect Day

Bonaire Sunset

2009-09-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

Bonaire Day 3

Hangin out in the "Pool Bar" having a beer, watching Monday Night Football and updating you all on another amazing day here in the Netherlands Antilles.

After our daily resort breakfast we loaded up our rental trucks with Nitrox tanks and headed to the south part of the island near the salt factory. Our dive site was a place called Invisibles which would be the location of my first shore dive. We gingerly entered the water and surface swam about 100 yards offshore. The reef again started about 30' and descended to about 100'. The fish and coral were pretty much the same as the other dives we've made but did not disappoint.

The first dive was nice and fairly uneventful. After our first dive we decided to stay at the site so we all hung out at our trucks and talked and joked around for about an hour. We then suited up and headed out for dive two.

As we descended above the reef we were immediately greeted by a large eagle ray with what must have been a 6' wing span. We followed and took pictures of the ray for about 10 minutes and then discovered a second reef. We began to explore and then realized we were at 100' (a no-no since our first dive was only about 60'). There was some confusion with a few of us, hand signals got mixed up and a couple of us aborted the dive. We really only lost about 5 mins of bottom time.

After the dive we headed back to the resort, had lunch and took naps. We then decided to head out for a night dive (also another first for me) right out in front of the resort. It was amazing! Large fish (about 3 to 4 feet long) called Tarpon darted in and out of our light beams as we provided them with light for their dinner. During the dive we saw snowflake eels, Tarpon, crab and lobster. A few times I turned off my light and just floated at about 60'. I imagine it is what it's like to be in deep space. No light, no sound other than your breathing and bubbles. Eerie but peaceful. My sister was a bit freaked out at first but enjoyed the dive.

Tomorrow is another 2 tank boat dive, this time to the North of the island, possibly in search of turtles. Unfortunately the internet connection here sucks so uploading pictures takes about 2 hours. I will keep trying though!

Talk to you soon!

2009-09-20T19:05:00.000-07:00

Bonaire Day 2

After close to 9 hours of sleep I felt great this morning. Got up about 7am put on our swimsuits and headed down to the diveshop. We analyzed our Nitrox tanks for our two tank boat dive, got all our gear ready and headed over to breakfast. Everyone else in the group had the same idea and after we filled up on pancakes, omelet es and pastries it was time to board the Sport Diver II for a couple dives on the little island known as Klien Bonaire.

Our Divemasters (Scott from Toronto and Daniela from Columbia) took us to the first spot called "Bon Adventure". We were anxious to get in the turquoise water (about 84 degrees) and see some fishies.

The site started at about 15ft and sloped to a drop off at about 30ft. Visibility was probably 100' or more. We stayed in a spread-out group of about 12 divers. The colors are amazing. Purple and orange sponges, brain coral and plenty different varieties of tropical fish greeted us as we descended to about 60ft. The dive lasted about 30 mins.

After some much needed re hydrating and about a 45 minute surface interval we had moved to the next dive site, "Keepsake". This site was much like the first, however this time just after entering the water our guide showed us a sea horse that looked to be about 6" tall. Also saw a puffer fish that must have been about 2' long that swam right at me. Unfortunately my camera ran out of batteries at that very moment. Again the dive lasted about 30 mins with a max depth of 70'.

After our dive we pulled anchor and headed back to the resort. We rinsed our gear and headed to a grocery store recommended by Daniela that was supposed to be 5 mins from the hotel. After a scenic 15 minute drive without seeing the store (but seeing plenty of dive sites we hope to visit in the next 4 days) we decided to turn back. We eventually found the market (about 1/4 miles from our resort), not sure how all four of us missed it!?!

We hung out by the pool for the rest of the afternoon and enjoyed the local beer Polar Beer which is imported from Venezuela.

For dinner a group of 5 of us headed to a place called Richard's which has been around for about 20 years. We had amazing food and wine right on the water and chatted with the owner...Richard. Nice guy who is originally from Boston.

We rushed back to the hotel (and got lost on the way) to try and video chat with the kiddos. Unfortunately the internet connection here SUCKS and I wasn't able to stay connected long enough for it to work. So I'm sitting in the pool bar writing this post and winding down with a large Heineken.

Tomorrow we plan on doing a few shore dives from the south side of the island. Hope to post again tomorrow (this time with pictures)!

2009-09-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

Hello from Bonaire!

So we're finally here. After close to 9 hours of red-eye travel we got in at 5:45 a.m. local time. Got about 40 minutes of sleep on the plane (don't sit in the row in front of the emergency exit, the seats don't recline).

Upon check in we got our rooms and watched the sunrise, had breakfast and tried to get some sleep. The humidity is at about 60% and the temp is about 86 degrees. Since the a/c was a tiny wall unit (in the bedroom only) that wasn't happening. I decided to walk around the resort a bit while waiting for my luggage to be delivered to the room.

After two hours and no bag I started to get worried! After some begging and pleading with the staff I fianlly found my bag (it had been delivered to the wrong room) and was able to relax and get some sleep knowing I had clothes for the rest of the trip.

We were also lucky enough to swith rooms to a much bigger, much more air conditioned room...upgrade!

We had a mandatory island orientation and got in the water right in front of our resort (Buddy Dive) about 5pm. It was amazing! Beautiful colors and so many fish. I've been told that what I saw today is merely the tip of the iceberg.

After our dive we took showers and headed to "Steak Saturdays" for dinner. After a couple draft Heinekens I'm writing to you now and soooo ready for a good night's sleep. Getting some really good pics. Hope to share some tomorrow.

Night all!

2009-09-15T09:22:00.000-07:00

Hey there everybody! I'm still alive and am getting ready for a week-long trip to an Island located in the Netherlands Antilles called Bonaire (next to the better known Aruba).

THe island is a top 5 SCUBA destination and I am going on the trip with my sister and 14 others. MY goal is to blog about my experience. I'm also taking my Mino Flip HD and a small arsenal of camera equipment.

Check back starting September 19th for a week of Bonaire fun!

2008-12-30T16:52:00.000-08:00

2008-12-23T08:32:00.000-08:00

Hey there! Thought I'd actually write something today instead of post a video of how crappy the economy is or of grown men throwing hay makers at each whilst keeping there balance on a large sheet of ice.

So what to write about? I could write about my amazing poker streak of late where I've placed in the last 4 tournaments I've played in (home games and the "real" stuff in Vegas):

Or I could talk about how much fun I had at the bi-annual Ed Newhart (and now Lockheed) Primm Golf trip at the CA/NV state line:

I could also tell you it snowed in the high desert (about 12" of snow) stranding ~~hundreds~~ thousands of motorists in the SCV for over 24 hours:

Instead I'll talk about the Metallica concert I went to at the Fabulous Forum on 12/18. 8 friends piled into an Excursion limo stocked with Crown, Kettle, Corona & various mixers and headed off to the show. Our first stop was the Cabo Cantina somewhere off Sunset Blvd. I say somewhere because I wasn't driving and was sipping on whiskey during the trip down.

We enjoyed our 2-for-1 drink specials along with some DAMN SPICY hot wings to compliment our DAMN SPICY waitress (actually, I don't know if she was literally spicy but she did go well with the wings). After most of us were thoroughly intoxicated we made our way to the concert. Blasting Sad But True from the windows while we all sang along had ~~everything~~ nothing to do with the fact that we were polishing off the crown by taking shot directly from the bottle.

We arrived and drove ALL THE WAY AROUND the Forum since apparently the driver didn't know where the limo drop-off was, but that gave us time to finish our beers before stepping out into the frigid night. We made it inside just as the band began to play. I made a quick stop at the horse troughs (those who have had the pleasure of visiting the men's rooms at the Forum know what I'm talking about) grabbed a $10 beer and headed off to our seats. I was relieved that after climbing every single step to reach our seats there was a wall to lean against (see cause we were in the very last row).

The concert was pretty good. I enjoy Metallica but am not a huge fan so I wasn't dissapointed that they didn't play more songs from Kill'em All or Ride the Lightning.

After about 30 mins I decided to get a little closer to the action. From my days watching Kings games at the Forum I knew about little door along the concourse with a sign that reads The Whistle Stop. The door takes you down to the tunnels under the seats which is also floor level. Unfortunately for me the Whistle Stop was closed.

I was able to get in the door by being all slick and spy like and waiting for someone to come out and grabbing the door right before it locked (how cool am I?) but was stopped 3/4 of the way down by a yellow-jacket-wearing-event-staff-dude who wouldn't let me pass without a wristband. All was not lost as I went back up and walked around the concourse until I found a section where an usher was not and made it down to about the 4th row.

After about five songs in the good seats ~~my beer was empty~~ I decided to go back to my real seats. When I got back I was greeted with an agitated group, apparently some words were exchanged with another member of the audience. As one of my friends put it "this guy want to suck all of our [male genitalia]'s", which was really funny since the gentleman in question could totally hear what was said. Later the same guy got his ass kicked by his girlfriend so everything worked out.

When the concert ended we picked up a couple people off the floor and walked ALL THE WAY AROUND the Forum to find the limo (cause apparently the driver couldn't get back to where he dropped us off) and headed home. For some reason the ride home was much more quiet than the ride down.

All in all a good night...

On another note I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and here's to 2009 (cause 2008 SUCKED)!

2008-12-18T09:25:00.001-08:00

2008-12-11T09:59:00.000-08:00

Hockey fights are cool....

2008-11-14T16:24:00.001-08:00

Just finished watching this video and all I can say is WOW. I need to find out how I can give this guy every penny I own to invest. A little long but worth it...

2008-11-05T16:50:00.000-08:00

Worth 1,000 words...

2008-11-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

On Saturday November 1st I attended the 2nd Annual "Help'm not Hassel'm" charity poker tournament. I helped with last year's event (giving secrets on how I've run my own charity tournament for the past 4 years). This year there were a few celebs in attendance. One of those celebrities was Tiffany Michelle, a professional poker player and Santa Clarita native (well maybe not native but home town anyway). Tiffany placed 17th at the 2008 World Series of Poker, placing higher than 6,827 other players and was the last woman standing. Her nickname is "Hot Chips" because, well, she's kinda hot....

During a break in the action I introduced myself to her and asked to take a picture. She was very approachable and just plain nice to chat with. Unfortunately I didn't get to play with her at the tables, guess I'll have to wait until I make it to the WSOP myself.

Anyway, thanks for the pic Tiff!

2008-11-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

Normally I wouldn't interject my political views in this space, but in this case I feel the need...

On the way in to work this morning I saw some signs for Yes on Prop 8. One says "Yes on Prop 8 = Free Speech". The other said "Yes on 8 = Less Government".

To quote Tim the Tool-Man Taylor..."Uuuuuugggggghhh?!"

Let's look at the first sign. "Yes on 8 = Free Speech"....for who? How does not allowing a group of people legal rights (I'm not going to get into a religious debate) equate free speech? Free speech to me would be allowing any two humans who want to express their love by creating a legal union in the state of California the ability and legal right to do so. Telling anyone they can not do so is the EXACT OPPOSITE of free speech. I could go on and on but I'd just be repeating that same argument in various forms.

Now let's take a look at sign #2. "Yes on 8 = Less Government"....ummm....WTF? So let's have less government involvement by having the government tell a group of people that they can't do something that other people can?? I don't care who you are or what you're beliefs are if by carrying out those beliefs you:

a) do not cause physical or emotional harm on those you come in contact with (obligatory murderer/crazy-ass compound leader argument)

&

b) those beliefs do not keep you from being a productive member of society (obligatory crack-head argument)

Please, feel free to do what ever the hell you want...especially if I'm entitled to legal rights for doing the exact same thing. That would be less government.

Again, I'm not talking about religious issues here because there is SUPPOSED to be a separation of Church and State in this country. What I am talking about here are legal rights for legal citizens of the State of California.

I've heard all the B.S. arguments about kids being taught gay marriage in school (just plain untrue) or that Churches MAY lose their charitable status for choosing not to perform same-sex marriages (CA law states "no religion will be required to change its religious policies or practices with regard to same-sex couples, and no religious officiant will be required to solemnize a marriage in contravention of his or her religious beliefs"). And they are just that...B.S. scare tactics.

So tomorrow, November 4th, 2008 (since I live in the great state of California) I will be voting no on prop 8 to NOT "change the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California."

Next up on the Drake Report? Meeting the highest placing female poker player ever in the WSOP (who just so happens to be hot, super nice and who also complimented my attire).

2008-10-30T15:50:00.000-07:00

Christmas and my Birthday are both coming up soon, so....

Hook up one of these for the tasty beverage connoisseur in your household at UniqueDaily.com.

2008-10-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I Can't Believe It's Been a Whole Year!

One year ago today, the Buckweed fire raced through the Santa Clarita area. I began the day watching football with friends and ended it taking pictures like the one below:

If memory serves the fire was started by a 10 year old boy playing with matches on a very windy day. Those matches ended up burning close to 40,000 acres, 15 homes, 17 outbuildings and 40 vehicles. A total of 15,000 residents were evacuated over the course of two days (myself included - although I didn't actually leave but did send the family on their way once open flames were visible directly across the street).

See more images here.

2008-10-15T15:39:00.000-07:00

Hey there. Yeah I know it's been a while....whatever.

Anyway I'm excited today. And I probably shouldn't be this excited about this, but I am. Last night, on the side of a box of graham crackers, I saw a thing of beauty. A product a long time coming. What is this miraculous product? Why, it's cream cheese in a can...and not just any can, an EASY CHEESE CAN!!! No more knives, no more messy fingers at the office. Simply crack open one of these babys and let the easy-cheesin' begin!

Note: I have no idea what this stuff tastes like, but I intend to...

UPDATE: They also have Easy "Cheese" Penut Butter!!! What will they think of next?!?!?

2008-09-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

A friend sent me a link to some amazing pictures. They were taken at the Singapore Grand Prix in..well...Singapore which happened to be the first Formula One race held at night. Here are a couple to peak your interest:

The rest are here

2008-09-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday on the way back from Thai food for lunch, a Land Cruiser on the road in front of us was acting strangely. She stopped at a red light...half way into the intersection. After a pause she begin to back up and almost ran into the car I was riding in. Once the light turned green she took WAY too long to take off again....something was clearly wrong.

Over the next 1/4 mile her vehicle swerved from side to side. We were thinking she was either drunk or having some other medical issues. When it was safe to pass we did so and all turned around to see what her deal was. As we proceeded through the next intersection we watched her slowly veer to the right and run smack into an very large tree, pop a wheelie (quite a feat in a Land Cruiser) and come to rest on the driver's side.

We immediately turned around and went back to help (with quite a few other witnesses). The SCV Sheriffs arrived extremely fast (within 2 minutes) and informed us they had been looking for her. When they pulled her out of the car we noticed that she had what appeared to be a hospital bracelet on her wrist. wtf? comes to mind.

At any rate, she seemed to be OK...

2008-09-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

My favorite photo of the day:

He Pingping from Inner Mongolia, China's autonomous region, the world's smallest man sits underneath Svetlana Pankratova from Russia, the Queen of Longest Legs, as they pose at Trafalgar Square in London, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008.

2008-09-15T15:52:00.001-07:00

Holly crap, two posts in one day!?!? Yup, I couldn't let this one slip through the cracks.

For all of you Santa Clarita residents, it's time to help out one of your own. Tara Rice of Valencia (a former Miss Teen California All American, is an actress and model who has appeared in magazines such as Maxim and films including "Austin Powers in Goldmember.") is currently engaged in ~~an epic battle to the death~~, ~~an extremely important national security matter~~, ~~a promising experiment that may reverse the effects of global warming~~ a truly historic event - the first online search for the iconic St. Paulie Girl!

St. Paulie Girl beer has partnered with Maxim Magazine to let you (yes you!) vote on the 2009 St. Pauli Girl, um, girl.

So make Valencia proud and go to maxim.com/stpauligirl and vote for Tara!

2008-09-15T12:58:00.001-07:00

It's been a while...again...

Well, here we are again. It's been a couple weeks since I've updated this bad boy so I guess I should write something.

Things are a little better after Fez being gone for two weeks. I can finally fall asleep at night even though he isn't by my side, and my last memories of him are fading to those of happier times. Although, I still expect him to bark when someone knocks on the front door or when people walk by outside. I think that is just going to take some time.

The kids are doing great. J.T. is really starting to communicate now. Seems like every time I'm with him he's picked up a new word or a series of grunts that constitute words. And of course Taylor is just ridiculous with her ability to carry on conversations.

In other news, I will be traveling to fabulous Las Vegas this week for two days of gambling and libations. Seems everyone is getting away to Vegas these days. We will be staying in a great suite at the Venetian.

2008-09-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

Fez "Pie Pie" Drake
March 30, 2000 - August 30, 2008
Good bye my friend, we will miss you.

2008-08-13T15:15:00.000-07:00

Not too much to talk about today, except 8 DAYS TIL VEGAS...can't get here soon enough.

2008-08-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Dear 36-38 Kenneth Cole Reversible Belt,

I hate to do this this way, but I just can't pretend any longer.

We've been together for a long time. You always supported me when I needed you the most. You've been there for me when I was wearing black shoes, and you were there when I wore brown shoes. No matter how much pressure I put on you, you've always strong. You've even been there when I forgot a less dressy belt for a change of clothes the next day, after a wedding maybe, and when that happened you didn't mind hiding under a baggy t-shirt. We've had some good times, you and I. When we first met, I really enjoyed how you looked and fit. It felt good knowing that I had some wiggle room, not needing that last notch.

But now I've lost some weight, I'm feeling pretty good about myself, and don't get me wrong, I still wish we could be together, but you and I...we just... we're not a good fit anymore.

I didn't want to have to do this, but I wanted you to hear it from me...there is another belt. I met it last week at Macy's. It's a 32-34 and it fits really good, looks nice too, and I think we will be really happy. I hope that you don't take this the wrong way. I'm sure that you will make someone at the Goodwill very happy someday.

If only I wasn't lazy, and had the tools to make another notch so that we could continue on...but that would just be delaying the inevitable.

Take care my friend...and good luck, I will miss you.

2008-08-11T10:32:00.000-07:00

It's Monday!

I had a nice weekend with the kids....actually I watched them pretty much exclusively since last Thursday night. Taylor really enjoyed the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. "Ohhhh, that's sooooo beautiful" was heard a few times as was "I love the Olympics...there is swimming, and gymanstics and....swimming", and "China!".

On Saturday I took J.T. to Gymboree again. He really enjoys it, too bad it's $70/mo. We don't have time to take him every week, but if they offered a per-per-class option we would totally go for it.

Mowed the lawn and even managed to ~~work in~~ enjoy a few beers by the pool on Sunday (Thanks Dean & Denise).

This week should be pretty busy. I have two softball games slated for the week (which will both likely be followed by happy hours), my buddy who is currently living in North Carolina is in town (will also require a happy hour), I have a business lunch on Wednesday and will be watching the kids on Friday.

AND the count down to vegas begins...10 days and counting!

2008-08-07T09:26:00.001-07:00

Katsuya = F'n good.

We had an amazing dinner at Katsuya last night. First of all the decor was amazing. Very stark, very linear and open. The bar had 20 clear lighted acrylic columns about 12" square with chef knives etched inside the tops, perfectly spaced throughout the bar.

The music was at a good level to enjoy but still have a nice conversation. Ironically, we sat exactly where the picture in my previous post was taken which had a great view of the entrance of the restaurant so we could ~~make fun of~~ look at everyone that came in.

Another interesting aspect of the evening was the fact that there were Paparazzi milling about outside the entire time we were there, didn't see any fabulous people other than ourselves though.

Here is what we ordered:

Halibut wrapped in Crab and Avocado
Spicy Yellow tail Roll
Salmon Sushi (my first time and I liked it)
"Crack" Roll (Baked crab hand roll in rice paper)
Baked Miso Marinated Black Cod in Hoba Leaf (holy crap this was good!)

I believe the dish below is the Spicy Grilled Prawns, which we did not have but it gives you an idea of the presentation of the rest of the dishes.

I also found a new favorite drink called the Burning Mandarin. It's made with Madarin Absolut, a hand crushed Serrano Chili and hand squeezed lemon and orange juice with a splash of cranberry. Sweet with a spicy bite with no hint of alcohol. Could have easily consumed a pitcher.

All this (and a ~~couple~~ few drinks) and the bill was under $150

So, next time you are in Hollywood (or Brentwood or Glendale) stop in to Katsuya.

2008-08-06T16:09:00.001-07:00

Danger.

There are things in this world that are dangerous. Traversing the 405 on foot, poking a cougar with a short stick and listening to Coldplay are all dangerous activities, goes without saying really. But what about the dangers you don't know about? Here is a list of some I was unaware of until today:

Huashan Trail in China
Stealing from Batman
Chinese Snackbars
Messing with Circuit City

That's all for today...Japanese fusion awaits, Katsuya here I come!

2008-08-05T09:25:00.000-07:00

I know I know, I'm being lazy and not updating this. And if I expect people to actually read this I need to provide you all with some content. These things I know, but I'm still lazy.

Anyway, had a nice couple days with the kids on Friday and Saturday. They are both getting so big and are just way too smart. Taylor's newest phrase is "In fact..." e.g. "Daddy, I think I need a snack. In fact....I'm going to eat these Dora snacks right here!" She's not even 3 yet...

Saturday night I went out to dinner with some friends at the ever popular Le Chene. If you've never been and you live in the area you should go. French Cuisine with a nice atmosphere. It is kind of out there, located on Sierra Highway about 5 minutes from Agua Dulce. It was a little weird being the "7th wheel" but the food was excellent, the conversation was nice and the company, as always, did not disappoint. After that we closed down All Corked Up, my favorite local wine bar (and there are at least three that I know of) and then it was off to "sleepy".

Sunday was spent helping my Dad move furniture and install base boards for their new carpet installation. After that it was home to see the kiddies and then off to the gym. The night was capped off with a 2-pack in the spa to relax my achin' bones.

As for my plans this week, I'm excited for dinner plans on Wednesday night with the wife. We will be going to Katsuya in Hollywood. Supposed to be a pretty cool place and the menu looks great.

I'll be sure to let you know how it is...

2008-07-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

The tournament was a success!

We had 79 players (two short of being full) and it took ~5 hours to get to one player standing. We grossed about $17,000 so our net will be around $11,000. About $6,000 short of last year but not too bad considering the economy is in ~~a recession~~ the shitter. It was a good turnout and people had fun, can't ask for much more than that.

In other news, we had a 5.8 earthquake in So. Cal. today. It felt like two separate quakes, one right after the other. Both were "rollers", the fun kind where nothing actually breaks or falls off the walls. No pictures for you today, sorry.

2008-07-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

It's Poker Time!

Tomorrow is the 4th Annual Debbie Templeton Charity Poker Tournament. This year was the first year that I did not produce the entire tournament myself. In previous years I have planned and executed the entire event. Don't get me wrong, I've had help from friends and family, but for the most part I ran the show.

I scoured the earth for prizes; I went door-to-door to businesses to get sponsorships; I set up the Dealers & Tables; I researched and applied for the CA DOJ gaming license; I secured the location; I set up the caterer. I did it all.

So this year, the Santa Clarita Valley Jaycees formed a committee to help out. After all they are receiving 10% of the proceeds. And after all that is going on in my personal life right now, what better time to have a committee help out? Heck, I'm not even listed as the Event Chairperson this year. So let's see what I did this year:

I scoured the earth for prizes; I set up the Dealers & Tables; I researched and applied for the CA DOJ gaming license; I secured the location.

Sweet! I didn't have to go door-to-door for sponsorships and I didn't have to get the caterer. Problem is, I still had to get all the sponsors and we are having to pay for a caterer (which has been free or included in the location costs previously).

I think this will be the last year of the tournament as it stands. Next year, if we do it, it will be much smaller and have a different format. We will donate the proceeds straight to the charity we want without having to give up anything to other organizations.

If you'd like to play, visit www.bmcf.net/poker.

2008-07-16T13:49:00.001-07:00

Do Not Use 1800Flowers.com.

I used to love 1800flowers.com. Their flowers were fresh, always arrived on time and the price was comparable to going to a local florist, maybe a little less.

No More. I ordered some Martha Stewart roses for someone's birthday on Tuesday. I have ordered flowers on many different occasions through 1800flowers and never had an issue. This is what I ordered:

On Tuesday, they were not delivered. I checked the status and found a UPS tracking number. Yup. U-P-S was delivering my wife's birthday flowers. In July. In Southern California. Problem is they didn't deliver them. Something about needing more info for the address, which is bull shit. So they sat in the truck to be delivered today.

Guess what? Not delivered today. "They will be delivered tomorrow". After sitting in the back of a 100+ degree UPS truck for THREE DAYS? Really?!?

Actually, no they wont. They've been canceled, give me my money back, customer lost. F-U.

2008-07-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

What busy weekend!

Friday night was my monthly poker league. Had a horrible turnout, only 13 players. Kinda makes me wonder if it's still worth it for all the work it takes for me to put it on. Maybe I'll start taking a rake for lugging all that crap back and forth each week. And I was doing OK but got busted by a bad beat, on the river, again. Arrgghh.

Then Saturday I hung out with the kiddies. It's neat to watch them becoming friends and playing together. Saturday night I went to a concert in the park by "No Duh" an No Doubt tribute band. They were great, except in between songs when they really tried just way too hard to be funny. Although, it was a 1:30 long set so I know they were just trying to kill time, but using the same joke 10 times gets old fast. As always, a couple pics below and more on my flickr account...

2008-07-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

Time to catch up....

It's been a busy couple weeks. We had J.T.'s (and Aiden's) birthday and the 4th of July. First time in my life I think I didn't go to a BBQ or something on the 4th, but I did get to see fireworks for the first time in about 4 years. Enough of that. Here are some pictures, as always, visit my Flickr for more!

2008-07-01T15:24:00.001-07:00

Had a nice morning with J.T. on Monday. It was his 1st birthday (I know, already?!) and I took the little guy to Gymboree. He loved it. Crawling all over the place, interacting with the other kids, it was really nice to see him enjoy it. We may need to look into having go to some more classes.

The rest of the day was a disaster for various reasons (including the lightning speed of the employees at the local Sprint store and a Sam's Club trip from hell) but the time we got to spend with him and seeing him so happy made the day.

J.T. also had his first taste of cake. I think he likes it.

More of both at Flickr

2008-06-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

Let's talk about crickets, bugs in general actually.

Over the last week I've killed 7 crickets. I've actually come in contact with more of them, but some I let live. Along with the crickets, our house has become a mecca for all kinds of bugs. And they are staring to get inside.

Cockroaches, crickets and ants have all invaded our humble home, and I'm sick of it. So today I will call the Orkin man. Although I have thoroughly enjoyed administering the death penalty to these crickets with my snazzy electric fly-swatter (thanks Bracken) I do believe it's time to call in a professional.

2008-06-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the kids Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. I must say they are truly amazing. Apparently J.T. can walk just fine, he just favors crawling since he has turbo speed. Add to that a nice grunt and an occasional ear piercing scream and I might start crawling too. Oh, and he can now scale chairs and couches.

Taylor is just too smart for her own good. She continuously amazes me with the words that come out of her mouth. The fact that I can carry on a conversation with a two year that some 30 year olds would have problems with blows my mind.

And now a gratuitous picture of them both (about a month old):

2008-06-19T08:01:00.001-07:00

The cyst continues to be a pain in my leg. I guess the doctor didn't get it all the first time, so I got to enjoy some more mid evil style punishment last night. Hopefully it is gone now and I can start to heal. Enough about that.

I haven't had much to write about lately, so I decided I would start posting old photos. Today's photo isn't that old (a couple weeks) but is too darn cute to to share. My Parents went to Hawaii to visit "Auntie Karen" and brought back a little hula outfit for Taylor. She loved it.

2008-06-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

Infected Cyst. Sounds gross right? Well it is. I've had a pea sized cyst on the inside of my thigh for about 5 years. Doctor said it wasn't big deal, unless it got infected, which it probably wont. It did.

Thursday it was a little sore and tender. I noticed it was a little bigger on Friday, then on Saturday it started to change colors. Went to urgent care and they gave me some antibiotics and said come back if it doesn't get better.

I woke up this morning to a bump the size of a grape just under the skin that looked like it wanted out.

I went back to urgent care this morning (after taking a vicodin; thank God I did) and they opened it up and got rid of all the unpleasantness. Man does this hurt, and it's just plain nasty.

On a happier note, had a great father's day yesterday. Spent the day with family at a local park and had dinner with the wife and kids and my parents & sister. Hope to have pictures later.

And if you really want to see what that thing looked like, email me and I'll send you the picture.

2008-06-07T15:25:00.001-07:00

I had the kids for two days straight. It was exhausting but fun. They are were both asleep, at the same time, on Friday which meant I was bored. Found these videos on Digg. The first one is a little freaky but cool. It's about mini robots that can link up and connect to form larger objects and do simple tasks. It was cool at first but then I started thinking about them attacking me and it stopped being neat.

These two links take you to two videos of the same incident. They show some guy in an office completely lose his mind. Like seriously lose his shit. The best part though is that someone actually had a taser, although I think they had to run out to the car to get it:

Surveillance version
Co-Worker Cell Phone version (with sound)

2008-06-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

Went to the park over the weekend. Pretty cool park. It's called O'Melveny Park and is located on Sesnon (off Balboa) in the SFV. Huge park, lots of hiking trail and signs that warn of Mountain Lions and Snakes. Couple pictures of the kiddies below.

View more pictures on my Flickr account.

2008-05-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

My guess is that ALL of these people lost bets...

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20202195,00.html

2008-05-21T09:03:00.001-07:00

Insomnia: inability to sleep or to remain asleep throughout the night.

I haven't been able to sleep for the last two nights. Not really sure why. I'm freaking tired, seems like I could fall asleep at any minute. But when it's time to "hit the hay" I'm wide awake. And I really enjoy sleeping.

Anyway, enjoy this video of Taylor running circles around J.T. from about a month ago...

2008-05-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

After interviewing for three weeks straight, with 13 different people, and not getting the job, I needed a project. I needed to feel a sense of accomplishment. Not that there was nothing good to come out of the interview process, but it was pretty anti-climatic.

So, I decided to work on the front yard. There were a few things I've been wanting to do, so I thought yesterday would be the perfect day to get it done. In 105 degree heat. It's a dry heat though...

Below are the before and after pics. Enjoy...

2008-05-16T21:03:00.001-07:00

Since it was 100 degrees outside today, and this made me laugh out loud (I'm no longer using lol), I thought I'd share.

WARNING: The following clip contains graphic violence and adult language. Viewer discretion is advised...

2008-05-16T16:29:00.000-07:00

Didn't get the job. They gave it to someone who has been working at the City for 11 years, I've been here for 18 months. She has way more project experience but I was told that I interviewed well, no doubt I could have done the job and that my time will come.

Guess I need to listen to some NOFX on the way home....

2008-05-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

Been two days since my 3rd round interview and we still don't know who got the job. HOPEFULLY we will find out today cause I can't take weekend of not knowing.

And now for something completely different...

I love NOFX. Every time I hear one of their songs it puts me in a good mood. Take this morning. I had a little too much to drink last night (whilst my wife and I caught up with a couple of high school friends) and I was dragging ass this morning. On comes NOFX's Johnny Appleseed, and viola, I'm ready to face the day. It was either that or my warm white-cake-sprinkled doughnut.

2008-05-13T14:04:00.000-07:00

Guess I need to update this.

Got a third round interview for the ITBA tomorrow with my current boss, his boss and the director of public works for the city. The four of us in a room with things like, "Why do you want this job?" and "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" I think I'll do pretty well. I know I can do the job, hopefully they do too.

2008-05-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

Got a second round interview for the new IT Business Analyst position. It's down to me and one other coworker. Not to be too cocky but I think I've got a really goos shot at the position. 2nd round is this Thursday. Should know by Friday. w00t!

Speaking of Friday, I will be playing 36 holes of golf followed by my monthly poker tournament. Then I have a 9:30am meeting on Saturday. Then Mother's day on Sunday. Weekends no longer exist for me.

Oh, one more thing. For some reason I've created a twitter account. Twitter, for those of you who don't know, is like a mini blog that can be updated from cell phones and IM clients. In other words, instant access so I can tell the whole world what I'm doing right now? The more I think about it, the more conceded it sounds. Why the hell would anyone care what I'm doing all the time? Me thinks I won't use it that much, if at all.

Until next time...

2008-04-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

So, I didn't get the Econ Dev A.A. job. I actually didn't even get a second round interview. There were other "highly qualified candidates from other local municipalities" that were passed on to the next round. And one of those candidates received the nomination and will take (my) office on this coming Monday.

Good. Now I can focus on the IT Analyst position that pays about 13% more than I'm making now. I enjoy the work and will receive a sizable increase if I do get the job. I think I have an excellent shot at it, but I'm not taking anything for granted.

By the way, I don't think I've shared this picture of my beautiful family, I am a lucky man...

2008-04-08T08:54:00.001-07:00

“I’m an experienced professional with an extensive background in marketing and technology. I’ve developed and implemented business and marketing plans for companies that range from 2 – over 1,000 employees, as well as major public events. I’ve written press releases and articles that have been published in both the Daily News and the Magazine of Santa Clarita. I am always eager to learn new methods and procedures and have implemented improvement techniques in my past positions that have saved time and money. I like working with people and enjoy group projects, but am also a self starter who doesn’t mind working on my own. I’m the Templeton Memorial manager for the Brenda Mehling Cancer Fund and a card carrying member of the Santa Clarita Jaycees. My short term goals are to complete my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of La Verne and broaden my experience with the City.”

That's what I'm going to say when they ask "tell us about yourself" at my interview today. I'm interviewing for an Admin Analyst position in the Economic Development division here at the City. The only issue is that there will be an internal recruitment for an IT Analyst opeing in the next three days. There is a sizable difference in salary between the two (the IT position being much higher) and I'm very confident I would get that position. So what to do?

Today I will interview for the Econ Dev position, but in the back of my mind I hope the three person panel (Andree, Kristi and someone from the Chamber) make the decision ~~for me~~ easy for me.

2008-03-24T17:01:00.001-07:00

From the Onion:

JPMorgan Chase Acquires Bear Stearns In Tedious-To-Read News Article

NEW YORK—As a volatile market reacts to news of the Bear Stearns fire-sale deal with a surge in stock prices but reduced bond yield, officers from JPMorgan Chase announced Monday that they were close to finalizing plans to purchase the securities giant in an incredibly complex series of financial maneuvers and obscure legal jargon that can only be described in the most mind-numbingly dense and unreadable way. Successfully adding yet another infuriating block of text to an already indecipherable paragraph, some investors said they hoped to stave off bankruptcy for Bear Stearns, which, during last year's impossible-to-write-about mortgage crisis, saw its value depreciate almost as quickly as readers' interest in this story. "Critics on the equity side have no economic standing because the deal valuation is based on intrinsic pricing models," said analyst Jack Pinard, only further bogging down the news for anyone who might be remotely interested in grasping what the fuck is going on. While speculation spread on Wall Street that shareholders might angle to boost the selling price beyond JP Morgan's very low but federally guaranteed bid, others claimed to be absolutely amazed that you even made it to the end of this sentence.

2008-03-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

Do you play World of Warcraft? Are you a Male Virgin?

2008-03-13T09:15:00.000-07:00

This is so cool. It's called Mapjack and it is a hi-res version of Google's Street view. It's only available in two cities (one of which is my old stomping grounds of S.F.). Here are some of my favorite views:

PacBell Park
NBCi Office Building
XOOM.com Office Building
Lombard St.
My Alameda Apartment
Best Cheese Steaks Ever
Site of the S.F. X Games

2008-02-12T08:57:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a really long time since I've posted anything, almost a year. I guess it goes without saying that a lot has happened since then. INstead of try and recap it all, I'm making a pledge to do at least two posts a week. Maybe they won't always be very exciting. Sometimes they might just be links to cool stuff I find.

I am going to try and post more about the family and what's going on im my life. Why? Because some day I'm going to want to know what was going in our lives right about now. I guess I could say it will be a diary, but that makes me sound like a 10 year old girl. I could say it is a journal, but that sounds to artsy to me. So I guess I'll call it what it is, web log, a blog if you will.

See you next post...

2007-05-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while since my last post and a lot has happened.

My little sister just graduated from San Diego State with a B.S. in Biology. I'm very proud of her, and it makes me want to finish my degree even more.

The little guy will be here in 32 days, give or take ten, it'll be here before we know it.

My 3rd annual charity poker tournament is coming up fast, August 25th, and I haven't even started to plan. I've done it by myself the past two years and it has been really successful. I really need to get sponsors though. Here is more info: www.bmcf.net/poker

I'll try and update this blog more often, so keep checking in!

2007-04-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

The boy is almost here. In 60 days my own personal mini-me will be here. Not that my daughter isn't just like me, but she is lacking essential parts that make her not a mini-me. Anyway, we did the 4D thing yesterday with almost the whole family, 15 people I think. Here is what the little guy will look like:

2007-04-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

So I've been busy the last few days and haven't been able to post.

On Friday we had our monthly Poker game and I had a horrible night. Lost with trips twice to flushes. Then in a cash game I get pocket Kings, go all in after a flop of 10, 7, 2 and a guy calls me with A, 7. And wouldn't you know it, ace on the turn. Just a bad night.

Saturday started out with my 7 month pregnant wife breaking her middle toe on her right foot. It's fun to watch peoples' expressions when they see a pregnant woman on crutches.

That night I went to the Dodger game with my Dad, father-in-law and his brother, my wife's uncle. Good seats, bad game. They played the Padres, or actually, the Padres played them. 5 runs in the 2nd inning for the Padres made it a short night. Still fun though.

Saw this poster in the men's room, above the "trough". It says "This is simply a photo of a woman eating an ice cream cone". At any rate, better than reading a two day old sports section whilst relieving ones self.

Sunday was a laid back day, went bowling with some people from work for a fund raiser. Some awesome pics of the action can be found here.

Monday, yesterday, work was broken up by a fire alarm. Here we are enjoying the nice day while the firemen cleared the building.

After a quick happy hour (with Cadillacs and Carrrrne Asada tacos) we had our weekly poker game. I did OK, ran into good cards in the end. I'm third overall, only 7 more games to go.

That's all for now.

2007-04-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

So some guys from work play in a weekly poker league from time to time. It's a 10 game season, once the season is over they wait a few weeks and then do it again. This is my second time in the league and last night was the second game. About 4-5 hands in I get pocket 3's. I bet about three times the big blind and get called. I jokingly say "all threes" for the flop, and wouldn't you know it, A, 3, Q comes out.

I make a fairly sizable bet, and the new guy raises. I figure he's got an ace so I go all in. He quickly calls and turns over A, Q. I felt bad for him, his first game with us and all, but then I started stacking chips and I felt better.

On another note, can you believe that the grocery workers are going to go on strike again? Didn't they learn anything from the last time? At least the markets wont be crowded for a while, that was nice. Personally, I think unions should be resrved for skilled workers, not for a job that is traditionally done by teenagers or college students. Their slogan should be "Live better, Work FOR the Union".

2007-04-09T14:38:00.000-07:00

So our friends moved to Washington adn were visiting a couple weekends ago. One of them took this picture of my daughter and I love it. Not just because beer is involved, but because I think it captures her perfectly.

Enjoy.

2007-04-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

So everyone does it. Well, not everyone, but a lot of people do. So why not me? I have interesting things to say, right? I can be witty and entertaining, at least that's what my wife tells me from time to time. And my 18 month old daughter laughs with me a lot. Or maybe she's laughing at me.

Anyway, here it is, my blog, Drakeland. I'll post things from time to time. Most of the time it'll probably be a rant, but hopefully I'll post some worth-wile text that no one will ever read, save my family and some people I work with who accidentally find this.

At any rate, enjoy.