Sunday, May 25, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The rumors are true... I am engaged to be married.
Colleen and I will be married Friday, August 1, 2008 at the
Lacey Community Center. For more details, visit our wedding website at: www.davecolleen.com
Well... My shiny red work van somehow spontaneously combusted in my driveway last month. No explanation... just flames and smoke. Thought I would share a picture.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
We have just returned from a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii. We did lots of diving, exploring, and had an awsome dive with some Manta Rays. We also dodged a hurricane (Flossie) survived a 5.4 earthquake, a tsunami warning, and a wildfire! All this in 8 days! Oh, and the most interesting phenomenon... Colleen are now officially engaged. Stay tuned for more details as they unfold.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Colleen and I have just returned from Yucatan, Mexico with a group from Capital Divers. We had 11 days of Cenote, Cave, Open Water, and Tropical Diving. We had a great time with a great group of friends. Looks like we picked a good couple of weeks to be gone, too.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Just a cool 'Flash' movie I made. 'bout time I posted sumthin' huh?
I took another trip to Ocean Shores, WA today, to see the remains of the S.S. Catala that washed aground and sat derelict for many years. It was cut up for scrap in the early 80's and disappeared until erosion exposed what was once hidden beneath the sand. More recently, a larger portion has been revealed by a powerful storm in early February. There has been quite a media buzz about it, so I had to get out there for an update. Check out my
new photo gallery of the ship. More to come!
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Monday, February 6, 2006
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Thursday, December 8, 2005
Colleen and I have just started dance classes with the Lacey Parks and Recreation. We are taking ballroom dancing and swing dance on thursday nights back-to-back. It is fun... and a workout. I think I am starting to get the hang of it. She is a pro already. Colleen is taking belly-dancing on Tuesdays, as well.
GO SEAHAWKS!!!
Friday, July 22, 2005
Monday, July 4, 2005
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Monday, April 25, 2005
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Tuesday, April 5, 2005
Monday, February 28, 2005
Last night I met a group of friends, including two neighbors, for a kayak trip in Puget Sound. We put in at Woodard Bay North of Olympia. It was a serenely beautiful trip, where we encountered a Blue Herron rookerie, hundreds of harbor seals, eagles, cormorants, and other critters. Out in the bay we all (9) rafted together and shared some dinner. It was a memorable communion with nature. I will be doing this again.
Click here to view all the pictures by Meri
It's Independance Day and I am about to head to Barney's for their annual party. A lot has happened since my last entry. I have had more than one friend in the hospital. I have lost touch with my son. And, I am a single man again, as Annette and I have parted ways. She is pursuing her dreams and goals which, she felt, were lying in a different direction than we were headed. I support her and wish nothing but happiness and success for her future. In our time together, I was inspired to reach farther... and I am thankful for that. We aspire to remain friends. Live your dreams!
Annette and I just returned from a week in sunny Cancun, Mexico. We had a blast with six other friends along. We saw and did a lot of stuff, including SCUBA diving at Cozumel, and Cenote cavern dives on the Yucatan.
WooHoo! I just completed my "open-water"
SCUBA diver certification through
Capital Divers of Olympia, WA. I did four dives this weekend in Puget sound. It was thrilling, scarey, and peacefull, all-in-one. I am going again at Hood Canal on May 7... and then Mexico the next week. I can't wait to dive in tropical waters.
Annette and I drove to
Deception Pass, at Whidbey Island, WA today. It is a beautiful state park on Puget Sound. There is a historic bridge, and tons of wildlife on the beaches. I especially enjoyed looking for tidepools, with anenomes, tubeworms, and such. It was a long drive... we went over 300 miles today... including driving to the opposite end of the island (40 mi.) and turning back because the wait for the ferry was two hours.
Tonight was my second night of SCUBA training at
Capital Divers of Olympia, WA. It was a blast, and I can't wait for more. In four weeks I will be a certified diver. Just in time for my trip to Cancun in May. I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Last night, Annette
and I went to 'Teatro Zinzanni'
. A dinner theater experience in Seattle. It was a fun and entertaining evening full of surprises. It is a sort of "Moulin Rouge" meets "Circus Vargas" meets "Carnival Cruises"! The food was great! Check 'em out!
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Tuesday, February 1, 2005
Friday, January 21, 2005
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Well, it's official! The new URL (web address) for this site is
www.ocularoasis.com.
If you got here via dave.middleagecrazy.net you were automatically redirected. Please bookmark this site to your favorites. You may notice the 'middleagecrazy' name in the upper left corner when viewing some pages or galleries. That is because some material is stored there and referenced for your viewing.
I have rediesigned most of the pages with new backgrounds, etc. Most are made by me with "PhotoImpact", and derived from my own photographs. I hope you like the look. Let me know if you experience any problems with being redirected, or graphics and pages not loading.
Thanks for visiting... and don't forget to sign my guestbook!
Unbelievable weather today! It is mid-January, and the sun was shining and probably 65 to 70 degrees. That must be some kind of record! Too bad for the skiers, though. This "pineapple express" weather has brought flooding and melted the snow pack on the mountains. I took the opportunity to work outside at my job today. Even though I have bronchitis again, and feel like crap. I don't imagine I will be doing much this weekend.
I took a trip to the U.S. National Figure Skating Championship in Portland's Rose Garden. It was a great show, with the likes of Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen and Johnny Weir putting on performances after the competition. Overall, an enjoyable trip... except for the fact that the tour bus we rode down in had no heat for most of the drive!
Saturday, January 1, 2005
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Friday, July 30, 2004
Look who's on the home page of
The Olympian website. It is our local paper from Olympia, Wa. Bryan is featured on the website and on the front page of the "South Sound" section of the paper.
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Well, I have been practicing with 'the band' for several months preparing for three shows we have lined up. The first was last night at a 40th birthday party in a neighborhood in Auburn. All in all it went pretty well. We still have some work to do to prepare for the next one in two weeks. That is going to be for the Brown's Point Salmon Bake at Lighthouse Park on Commencement Bay in Tacoma. August 7, 2004 2:00-4:00 PM. It is a public event, so everyone is welcome.
Sunday, June 13, 2004
Last night, Bryan's band played at Traditions Cafe in Olympia. This is the second year they have been featured, and they sounded great.
Click Here to see the pictures.
Friday, June 11, 2004
Hooray for Hollywood!
I have just returned from Hollywood, CA where I attended the American Film Institute Life Achievment Awards at the Kodak Theater. I went with my good friend Myla, and we had a blast! The award was presented to Meryl Streep, for her contributions in filmaking. I had the honor of meeting her, and being in the company of some other personalities most have heard of. Click Here to see the pictures.
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Saturday, May 15, 2004
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Sunday, February 29, 2004
Thought for the day:
Intuition and insightfulness can be wonderful and useful gifts to have. The problem is: Those who have it, may begin to rely too much on it. If you develope an arrogant overconfidence in your instinct, you tend to to trust it over all else. That can cause you to overlook other important and useful gifts... like... FACTS!
So... it has been two months since I made an entry here. I have been receiving complaints about the lack of prolifery, so I had better redeem myself.
Spring has sprung, and I have broken out the shorts and sandals in anticipation of good weather. It has been unusually dry and mild, so I can't complain. I tore out the old wood fence around my house, and cleared out some vegatation. I put down crushed rock where the grass used to be, and installed a chain link fence. "Low Maintenance" is my middle name. I am still working in Chehalis, and my crew is up to 10 electricians, so they keep me runnin'. Bryan has made major improvements in school, and is joining the football team this year. He is still playing sax, and will have another gig with his band next month. I have been doing some recording with Barney, and we have a gig scheduled in August, as well. I will be going with
Myla to Hollywood in June to see the American Film Institute Lifetime Achievment Awards at the Kodak Theater. It is a "red carpet" affair, with all the Hollywood notables in attendance. We'll see how I look in a tux these days.
What do ya think...?? I changed my homepage look. I have been doing this a little over a year now, and I thought it was time for an upgrade. I have too much other stuff going on right now to change the style of the rest of the pages, so they are gonna stay the same for a while. Please sign my guestbook with your thoughts or suggestions. Special thanks to
Myla for her creative input and inspiration.
Well, it's "Leap Day" today. The date that only occurs once every four years. We get an extra day before our bills are due. It helps to make up for being screwed out of three days whenever February comes around. This is the month that the deadlines sneak up on you.
Friday, February 19, 2004
Friday, February 6, 2004
Today marks one year since my daughter,
Rhiannon, lost her life in a skiing accident at Mission Ridge, by Wenatchee Washington. As I wrote to her sensei today:
"It has been one year since the accident, and I have just returned from visiting the mountain at Mission Ridge. I have felt her spirit through the kindness and love of friends, family, and strangers who’s lives have been affected by her… And I felt it even more in the majesty of the place where she spent her last moments on earth. What grander exit could one aspire to, than to leave from such a place and journey into the hearts of thousands."
I wrote this to her in her
guestbook
2/24/03:
"When I am lost in the dark, I know that the brightness of your smile will help me find my way.
When I am cold and alone... The warmth of your embrace, a kiss on my cheek, your head resting on my shoulder, saying "I love you, daddy" is all that I will need.
And, when the weight of the world is on my shoulders, I know that you will be standing behind my chair, massaging the pain away... like you used to do for the ones you loved in this world.
I Love You, Sweety"
I went on a trip last weekend to Harrison Hot Springs in B.C. Canada. I went along with my friend Katie, and the Olympia Master Builders Association. They are a great group, and alot of fun to hang with. There was a bluegrass band that was supposed to play at our cocktail party Friday night, but most of the group didn't make it due to road conditions. So I ended up jamming for most of the night on guitar with Eric, the mandolin player. It was a blast.I also forgot my proof of citizenship, so I was afraid I might be spending some time in Canada...eh..?
Click Here to see the pictures.
Saturday, January 17, 2004
My mother was sorting through some old pictures and came across a few that were taken in approximately February 1972, when we went to Ocean Shores, WA with my folks and my Uncle, Aunt, and cousins. We were checking out the old wreck of the S.S. Catala, that ran aground in 1966 and sat on the beach ever since. I added these three pictures to my gallery of pictures that I took of the same ship this year.
Click Here to see the collection.
Thursday, January 01, 2004
Sunday, December 21, 2003
Saturday, December 13, 2003
Sunday, November 16, 2003
Sunday, November 02, 2003
Friday, October 03, 2003
Monday, September 01, 2003
Sunday, August 24, 2003
I would like to wish everyone in the world a happy and prosperous New Year. May 2004 bring nothing but blessings to all. I have looked forward to the passing of 2003. It certainly has been a tragic year for many families, including my own. I have never seen and felt so much loss in one year before. I had originally planned to celebrate the coming of the new year (and kicking the old year's ass out the door) in some grand fashion. But, as the day grew nye, I found complacency setting in... I don't have a huge vision of success for 2004... I don't expect the market to hit 15k... I don't expect world peace... I don't expect to win the lotto. The maximum I would ask of '04 is to be uneventful. My wish for the year is not for wonderful, magical things to occur... but for tragedy (and bad luck) to take a holiday. So, I observed the transition of the annum from the comfort of my bed. No hoopla... No fanfare... No mishaps. Exactly what I expect of the coming year.
I haven't been able to work on the computer much in the last few weeks, because I have been getting headaches and feeling nauscious when I do it. I figured that I either had eye problems... or a brain tumor. So, instead of going straight to the neurosurgeon and paying him to tell me to go have my eyes checked; I took the "end/around" and went to an optometrist.The result being: I am the last one in the fam to finally become "four-eyed". I had always had good vision in the past, but apparently I am getting eye-strain up close now. So... it's reading glasses for me... for now. I picked 'em up yesterday. We'll see how it works.
It's Christmas time again... Mom & Don are basking in the sun in Hawaii. They will be back on the 20th, so that means the tree... and the dinner are at my house this year.
This month I have been on The Spirit of Washington Dinner Train with a group from the
Olympia Master Builders. There are some pictures (surprised?) on the Gallery Page. And, of course, there is the gambit of Christmas parties... including the one for O.M.B. last night. Pictures for that are on my new website. I have started a little side business doing some graphics and web design. It's a good way to deduct all the 'puter stuff I buy! The name is "Tribute Graphics Ltd." And you can find the site (under construction) at: www.tributegl.com
This month the "Concorde" supersonic jet arrived in Seattle on it's final flight. Her new home will be the Boeing Mueum of flight. I was there to see it land, along with Bryan and his Grampa. Check out the pictures.
It was Rhiannon's Birthday on Friday, 11/14/03. Her 14th. I meant to enter a birthday wish for her on here that day, but I got sick and didn't do "skwatt". Sooo... A Happy Birthday for the sweetest girl in heaven, who we miss sooo much! Myla and I completely redid her website in honor of her birthday. And Myla is building a beautiful "digital quilt" of photographs sent from people all over the world. Click on the link on the right of this page to view it, or contribute.
It was an amazingly beautiful summer here, with a lot of hot, sunny weather, and not much rain for these parts. The fall has brought some weird extremes. Severe flooding followed by record warm tempratures. Last week it was 80 degrees out. And now... I woke up this morning to snow on the ground! Jeez... If you don't like the weather here, just wait a minute. It will change!
Well, it looks like my entries are just about one-a-month. Pretty pathetic blogging. Anyway, this month Bryan started school (junior) and is taking auto-tech classes at the New Market Skill Center. He also took gun-safety classes to get his hunting license, He will be on the hunt with his grandpa. I am teaching electrical apprenticeship school with The Independent Electrical Contractors of WA thru Clover Park Technical College. I'm teaching 4th year.... But I only have one student, so far (yikes!).... Last weekend, Bryan and I went to Ocean Shores again. We got some pics of the old shipwreck. Happy Birthday to Dad 9/5; Myla 9/12; Kirsten 9/30; and Molly 10/2.
The band that I play in had it's first paying "gig" this weekend. We played for our friend's wedding at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel on the 35th floor. What a fiasco that place was!! It was a nightmare loading in... weaving a gauntlet through the kitchen and hallways between the two elevators needed to reach the top. Then we found the room to be much more cramped than anticipated, so we had way too much equipment for the space. Because of the tedious load-in we were behind schedule, and had to skip the sound check. Then, later when we were performing, hotel security shut us down after only an hour because of noise complaints. Chris and Nancy's wedding was very beautiful, though, and the guests were fantastic people. We were happy to be a part of it. If you want to see pictures and hear more gory details, go to our band website at: band.middleagecrazy.net
This weekend was an annual campout for a group of friends at Kalaloch Campground on the Washington coast. It is a very beautiful spot, and we had a great time. To see the pictures, go to the Gallery Page (of course).
All you lifelong Olympia people probably remember the Timberland Library "Bookmobile" that used to travel around the area in the early 70's. It would come to your school or the YMCA and let you check out books, or join their reading club. Well, on my way to the campout on the coast, I found the original "bookmobile" parked on the roadside by Lake Quinalt. About 35 miles NW of Aberdeen. It was sure a blast from the past to see it!
Friday, August 01, 2003
So... Bryan made it home in one piece from Mexico City. He had a successful trip, and enjoyed the people he met.
I spent last weekend at Ocean Shores, WA. There was a Harley Davidson rally in town. Lots of nice bikes... and those folks know how to party. As evidence, Click Here to see the pictures. or got to the Gallery Page
Friday, July 18, 2003
Saturday, July 12, 2003
Wednesday July 09, 2003
Saturday July 05, 2003
Friday July 04, 2003
Tomorrow morning Bryan flies to Mexico City with his church group on a mission for ten days. They are going to be bringing youth ministries to kids in that area. It should be a great experience for him. I told him to be careful, because "Mexico City ain't Cancun". If you would like, a prayer for his safe return is always appreciated.
Bryan and Rhiannon have been participating in a summer music program at St. Martin's College in Lacey for several years now. They practice with a number of kids for about ten days, and then give a concert. Bryan participated this year, and they had the concert last night. He did a great job on an improvised (sax) solo. His position was "first sax". This will be his last year doing this, since they will not offer a class for his age group next year.
So... I've had bronchitis for a week now. I spent most of the 4th of July weekend in bed... I missed most of 2 days work, and I feel like the living dead by 9:00.
On Monday I made some really great (I think...) spaghetti sauce, with all of the amenities. It may as well have been a bowl of worms! ...I couldn't taste a thing! Lovely texture, though... ;-)
How old do you feel, knowing that the theme song for Cadillac is by Led Zeppelin?
A thought for today.... "Affluent" and "Effluent" sound remarkably similar, don't you think?