Educator's Day at the Ballpark with the USCG and USCG Auxiliary

National Safe Boating Week runs from 16May to 22 May. In Rochester, we got started a little early with our participation in the Educator's Day at the Red Wings game at Frontier Field. The USCG and USCG Auxiliary worked together to bring our 25' Response Boat - Small (RB-S), COASTIE and our usual Public Affairs materials including coloring books and stickers for all the kids.

The day began with us arriving at 0930 and setting up our RB-S at the main gates to the ballpark. As all the buses arrived with the kids they had to move past our boat and booth to enter the game. We found ourselves engaged in many ways with all the kids and their teachers. Some of the personnel spent time getting all the kids on and off our boat so they could see what it looked like inside. The new Cadets assigned to our station spent the morning engaging the classes with COASTIE and answered all their questions about boating safety. The rest of us tried to keep up with all the people at our PA table and providing them with information on a range of topics relating to safe boating and the use of Life jackets.

The kids loved COASTIE and spent lots of time around him asking questions and talking about safe boating. When they weren't with COASTIE or climbing on our boat they were trying on all the life jackets and safety equipment we brought for our static displays. The teachers even got into it checking out the boat and trying on the life jackets.

The day ended with all the USCG and USCG Auxiliary personnel finally able to take in the baseball game. We got on the Jumbo-tron and they had a special message on the board about Always Wearing Your Life jacket along with the dates for the upcoming National Safe Boating Week. I can only hope that our Water Safety Expo and Open House this Saturday are as well received as our time at the ballpark.

Remember, WEAR IT NEW YORK!!

The Island

In 3 weeks I have experienced many things on Oahu. I have worked with the USCG and Auxliary, done my job and spent plenty of time exploring. Living and working in Hawaii is most enjoyable. The drive to and from work in a convertible rental car is like taking an hour a day to sit at the beach and sunbathe. Only caveat, if you are already sunburned from the weekend, the daily commute may hurt if you don't have the 50SPF sunblock in the car.

As someone from the mainland, I have found the following to be true...
PROs:
It is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful and the opportunities to observe wildlife in their natural habitat are around you each and every day.

The natural resources, outdoor activities and wildlife are AWESOME!!

The commute to work may be long but it is always fun as you are in paradise and most times you have a water view while driving on Oahu. Well at least where I work.

• Drections are based on landmarks you can see from almost everywhere like turn right when you are even with the Pink Hospital on the hill.
• Law and order is very good considering half the population is military and under Federal Government control and the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice).
• There is a never ending number of activities both tourist and local you can become absorbed in on any given day.
• The Hawaiian culture is fascinating and great to experience. After all, this is the only part of the United States to actually have a Royal Family (King and Queen and a Palace). even a Queen Emma like my niece. All worth visiting and learning about.
• 2009 is the 50th Anniversary of Hawaii becoming the last state on 21-Aug-1959.
  
• LOST is filmed here and you can visit many of the sites.
  
• CONs:
  
• The 6 hour time difference between Hawaii and the East coast and family can be very challenging, especially when you travel back and forth each month or want to talk.
  


• The TV schedule is totally weird for me - some channels are on Pacific Coast Time (TBS/TNT/USA/DISC), broadcast channels start prime time at 7 PM like Central time at home and then you have to find the ABC/CBS/NBC channel not in Japanese. It makes me soo confused ;-)
  
• Its 6 hours different from EDT until October as Hawaii doesn't do daylight savings time.
  
• While the island appears safe because of all the local and military people following rules, like every big city they have crime and drug problems and in some cases they are more pronounced because of the lack of physical space.


• Truman can't come live with me because of the animal 30 day quarintine rule for Hawaii. However; he has learned that there are plenty of things to do at Mom and Uncle Jeremy's house like "Let's checkout the new flowers. I dumped the last ones and you would think they have learned better than to give me new ones!!"


• Tuman pulled down the ceiling at Mom and Uncle Jeremy's house so now we have to buy a new one. Baad kitty...

Overall Opinion 9May09

• All in all the community in Honolulu and all the people I meet, work and socialize with day to day are great and a welcome source of strength away from home.
• Can't wait for my friends and family to come over the next few months to visit and hang with me. This will be most fun!! I can't wait
• Truman likes living with Mom and Uncle Jeremy but he still remembers his real house and the monthly moves should not be a problem. Uncle Jeremy however should learn to endure longer lick sessions from Truman.
• Truman now has his own email account, so I hope to hear more from him beyond the usual phone and web cam sessions!