Visit my blog HERE!
about me:
I understand how THINGS work a little better than most people do, but I understand how PEOPLE work much worse than almost everybody . . . . .
Born in Washington DC, Went to school mostly in Moberly Missouri, USA. Graduated from Paint Branch High in Silver Spring Maryland, USA in 1978.
Joined the US Navy, went to boot camp and Electronics Technician School at NTC Great Lakes. Was stationed in Pearl Harbor Hawaii on board the USS Somers DDG 34 and then the USS Brewton FF 1086. Learned to scuba dive in 1981 and became a divemaster in 1984.
Got out of the Navy and lived in Chesapeake Virginia, USA. Became a scuba instructor. Worked in electronics for Milcom Systems Corp. for 11 years and taught scuba Lynnhaven Dive Center and Aqua Safaris in Virginia Beach. Lots of wreck diving.
Moved to Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands in 1997 and worked as the Broadcast Engineer at Radio Cayman until 2010. Started my own company, CayTronics and did that for awhile and now I work full time at the Cayman Islands Airports Authority as a Technical Operations Analyst.
I have an Inspiration Rebreather and dive all I can.
Live in Grand Cayman and scuba dive…What the heck do you do for vacation? That sounds awesome.
On vacation I go to the US and take care of business, or stay here and scuba dive with tourists.
Would love to chat with you about ex pat life and scuba- I just got certified this past summer and ready to line up trips. All the best.
Angie
Good to hear from you Angie! Send an email!
Awesome! So, you actually DO work! :0)
It seems to me that I’ve always worked, in Missouri I delivered newspapers for 6 years and I was a lifeguard and taught swimming lessons at the Rothwell Park pool and the country club. Also I worked in a tire warehouse one summer for $3 an hour, which was good money for a 16 year old in 1976!
In Maryland I worked at Sears almost the whole time. My last day at Sears was the day before I went in the Navy!
I hope you dont call that stint with the US Navy a job
When did you work at the Moberly public pool? I was a lifeguard there 76 & 77. I helped with lessons in 77.
I helped teach swim lessons there and lifeguarded at the country club
Mark never knew you were a Electronic Engineer. …you had to know of my dad’s work no ?
He as well was a radio engineer and trained seals in Nam.
So you’re on vacation 24/7 ….nice
It’s good to work what you love to do or passion of .
Mark in answer to your question:
Stew has been in meetings with another company with a view to leaving his current company and taking up with the new one.
It is still in negotiations over the salary amount, and the longer it drags on the less likely it is to happen.
We are feeling very let down by his present company and now with the ‘new’ company too.
We still hope the new company will come to the party with the ‘right’ amount so Stew can afford to leave where he is right now.
My husband and I met Mark and his lovely wife on the beach in the Caymans and I can say We enjoyed them both! Mark took me snorkeling because my husband Tony suggested I go with an experienced swimmer ! Mark did not hesitate to share his time, expertise and camera to enhance my memories! I shall never forget meeting such a beautiful individual,,, thanks for the memories and until we meet again!!! Debbie and Tony from Memphis!!!
What exactly was your rate in the Navy? I was an over-educated snipe in an engine room on a sub tender glued to a dock in Norfolk, Virginia. Apparently you like tropical environments. I hate them. Yuck! Nebraska is bad enough. If one could cut the humidity in half, I’d be happy. Moberly, Missouri on the Wabash Railroad where the trains bound for Omaha separated from the ones going to Kansas City.
I was an ET on a DDG in Pearl Harbor. When I got out of the Navy, I lived in the Tidewater area for many years.
I took a little digging to find this. ‘DDG: Destroyer, Guided Missile’
After that I was on a FF.
I wasn’t sure where to leave this.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1513905588/hot-dive-the-powerful-smart-diving-smartphone-case
I bit on a Kickstarter project. Still haven’t seen any product yet but I’m being patient.
Hope your plants snd trees make it.
You just became my hero, what a career, sort of envy you. Being in the forces, I just became a mechanical technician working for Oxford Instruments building superconducting magnets, (we developed the scanner). Before seeing out my time to retirement with Diamond Light source working on an amazing project. That did not stop me helping out on a racing Mini around circuits for a few years before having a go at scuba diving till I bought a house which put the mockers on that and by the time I thought of taking it up again I burst my eardrums so I would not go diving again. It sounds like you live an idyllic life living in an amazing place. Rock on
Hello Mark,
You and I were ET’s together on the Brewton. I was just googling that stuff and remembered your name. Sounds like you are living a great one! My wife and I live in the desert (Next to Zion NP) which is quite the opposite of your water life! I remember the dives the group of us went on in Sri Lanka and the Maldives (Bandos). We are retired and enjoying life! Cheers!
Darryl! I remember you well!
I am glad you made it to our class reunion. Great to see you. Now, we need you to construct 50 Tiki huts for our 50th class reunion, 5 years from now. Let me know if you need help with that. 😉