Happy halloween! Google has a good halloween party every year, good fun. The team I work with now decided to do a team theme costume, so we all dressed up as bugs...me: audio bug #738431. It was fun to have the whole team in bug outfits...but I was all ready to leverage my Woody Harrelson lookalikeness and be Billy Hoyle from White Men Can't Jump...oh well next year.
2 days til Kauai!!!!!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Ipod wins again
Nearly 10 months ago, I suffered my first defeat at the hands of the Apple Ipod/Itunes juggernaut. Last night, I settled in for round 2...and was defeated yet again. Last time I was trying to upload all my mp3 files into Itunes and it became an organizational nightmare, which took me a long long time to fix. Last night it was a different issue that prompted me to a new discovery, ITunes default file format is AAC format, something I had never heard of before last night (but apparently it's newer and better...), and also something the MP3 disc compatible stereo in my new car had never heard of either and doesn't recognize or play. So...in order to burn an MP3 CD compatible on my car stereo, I have to convert the ITunes files to MP3 format, which 1) takes a long time, and 2) creates duplicates of all the songs I try to convert!!! (one in AAC format, one in MP3 format). OYE! What a mess. I've learned now that when I upload I think I'll set it to upload music discs in MP3 format instead of AAC and I won't have to deal with this mess...but for the 15 GB of music already uploaded it's going to get a little messy. Boooooo.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Steamer Lane
This I thought was a pretty good write-up of the different peaks at Steamer Lane, Santa Cruz's most famous wave. I get out there occasionally but not too often as it's ultra competitive, but it can be really fun at the same time, especially when a good swell is in and the wave machine is cranking em out at full tilt, enough for everybody to get some and be happy. I surfed out there last weekend and as the write up mentions, I caught a wave all the way from middle peak to well past Indicators on my 8'10 Vernor. Kept waiting for that wave to end, but it just kept going and going, and I was going in anyways so I milked that one for every last drop. Wave of the day!
http://www.hotlineonline.com/steamerlane/index.shtml
(A lot of people really like Hotline wetsuits, a local SC company. I will look into one next time I'm getting a new wetsuit)
http://www.hotlineonline.com/steamerlane/index.shtml
(A lot of people really like Hotline wetsuits, a local SC company. I will look into one next time I'm getting a new wetsuit)
weekend recap part deux
SUNDAY OCT 28: On Sunday Selin and I started w/ some shopping at our favorite upscale boutiques (Ross & Mervyns) and then headed north again. We stopped and walked in to 3 Mile, which was the first time I've explored that particular beach. It's a beautiful little spot! Especially on a fall day w/ the sun out and wind down like it was on Sunday. There were a total of 3 people on the beach, you've got a nice brief walk to get there, it's protected behind this rock cliff, this weekend really was a fantastic weekend to be outside. As expected there was no surf at all at 3 Mile, but I just wanted to see it. We kept on cruising to Wadell Creek, where there were some small waves coming through. I decided to surf and hike down a spot I've never been to before, parking up the hill south from the main Wadell parking lot, and hiking down. I've checked this spot from the bluff before but never surfed it. So we packed our beach blanket, magazines, my board and wetsuit and walked on down. What a discovery! The beach wraps around the little inlet of Wadell and goes on for miles of nice sandy beach. It was practically an Oregon coastish beach but with abundant sunshine. So we set up camp and I surfed the fish again on the tiny waves that were coming through, waist high. But as stated before there was no wind, glassy conditions, really fun, plus the water was as clear as I've ever seen around here, Nice day. Shared a peak with 2 other guys (and one dolphin taking a nap just a little ways outside). The younger guy was also on a fish, surfing it really well (with no leash -- I contemplated going leashless but decided against it, I can have more carefree fun w/ the leash) and the other older dude on a longboard who wasn't that great. Good stuff. Was out for an hour or so and then wind picked up and glass turned to chop and I was done. Glad I got it when I did, saw some others head out right after me, not so fortunate.
Other than beach exploration and surfing, we watched two movies: Michael Clayton (good) and Gone Baby Gone (good). (I'm not much of a movie critic). We also read books and cooked hot dogs and watched reality TV and hung out downtown. Selin also got a Halloween costume for $16 a really cute Snow White dress. :)
Hope you had a good weekend as well. Back to work!
Other than beach exploration and surfing, we watched two movies: Michael Clayton (good) and Gone Baby Gone (good). (I'm not much of a movie critic). We also read books and cooked hot dogs and watched reality TV and hung out downtown. Selin also got a Halloween costume for $16 a really cute Snow White dress. :)
Hope you had a good weekend as well. Back to work!
Weekend recap
Hello Reader(s)! I hope you had a lovely weekend. I did. The weather was beautiful in Santa Cruz, sun shining, no wind, temperature just the right blend between fall/winter briskness and summertime warmth...it was a great weekend to be at the beach. Surf was pretty tiny, so nothing going out front at Pleasure Point, but it provided a fantastic excuse for Selin and I to explore the beautiful northern coastline.
SATURDAY OCT 27: I dropped Selin off downtown to hang w/ her friend Theresa, and I went solo all the way to Montara -- maiden voyage for the new Yaris on HW 1!!! That is quite a stretch of HW to drive from SC to Montara. So many little beaches and coves and fields and pumpkin patches and rolling hills and pretty scenery, and all of it such a short jump away from such densely populated SF, San Jose, peninsula, SC...refreshing. I checked a few spots on the way and contemplated Waddel Creek, which was breaking OK, but decided to just keep on driving as I was enjoying it. I pulled into a lot of beaches, there was NO wind so it was really pretty good conditions, but all were at best waist high or so. I was hoping for a little bigger so kept on cruising. Montara, to my knowledge, is usually one of the bigger places around, so that's where I went...it was bigger but not by much. I forbade myself from further driving and went out near the middle of the beach. There were about 10 or so guys there, and another 10 or so further north. I was surfing the 6'2 fish...really a lot of fun to surf as I'm getting more used to it. I did a lot better than last time. Waves were fun, sun was out, crowd was light and a lot of em weren't very good, so that's always a plus for my wave count (and my ego). One of em asked how I liked my fish. It's fun to get questions like that, fun to surf a board that is 'en vogue' and trendy amongst the general bandwagon surf populace, so hot right now, people are interested in it. And it really is a lot of fun in conditions like this weekends. Will it replace a good old fashioned longboard for me out at pleasure point? Probably not any time soon, but it's an intriguing option to have. And it's another surfing skill I'm trying to add, getting quicker on it and surfing it more in the style it is intended to be used. Anyways it was a fun 2 hour or so session out there, got a lot of waves, some I surfed good and others not so good. As the tide really came up and wind picked up later in the afternoon, I called it a session and hit the road. Plugged in the IPod and was on my way. Soundtrack (as best I can remember now that it's Monday): Matisyahu (Youth) on the way up, Outkast (Aquemini) on the way down. Aquemini is a really good Outkast CD.
LUNCHTIME!
SATURDAY OCT 27: I dropped Selin off downtown to hang w/ her friend Theresa, and I went solo all the way to Montara -- maiden voyage for the new Yaris on HW 1!!! That is quite a stretch of HW to drive from SC to Montara. So many little beaches and coves and fields and pumpkin patches and rolling hills and pretty scenery, and all of it such a short jump away from such densely populated SF, San Jose, peninsula, SC...refreshing. I checked a few spots on the way and contemplated Waddel Creek, which was breaking OK, but decided to just keep on driving as I was enjoying it. I pulled into a lot of beaches, there was NO wind so it was really pretty good conditions, but all were at best waist high or so. I was hoping for a little bigger so kept on cruising. Montara, to my knowledge, is usually one of the bigger places around, so that's where I went...it was bigger but not by much. I forbade myself from further driving and went out near the middle of the beach. There were about 10 or so guys there, and another 10 or so further north. I was surfing the 6'2 fish...really a lot of fun to surf as I'm getting more used to it. I did a lot better than last time. Waves were fun, sun was out, crowd was light and a lot of em weren't very good, so that's always a plus for my wave count (and my ego). One of em asked how I liked my fish. It's fun to get questions like that, fun to surf a board that is 'en vogue' and trendy amongst the general bandwagon surf populace, so hot right now, people are interested in it. And it really is a lot of fun in conditions like this weekends. Will it replace a good old fashioned longboard for me out at pleasure point? Probably not any time soon, but it's an intriguing option to have. And it's another surfing skill I'm trying to add, getting quicker on it and surfing it more in the style it is intended to be used. Anyways it was a fun 2 hour or so session out there, got a lot of waves, some I surfed good and others not so good. As the tide really came up and wind picked up later in the afternoon, I called it a session and hit the road. Plugged in the IPod and was on my way. Soundtrack (as best I can remember now that it's Monday): Matisyahu (Youth) on the way up, Outkast (Aquemini) on the way down. Aquemini is a really good Outkast CD.
LUNCHTIME!
Friday, October 26, 2007
wiiiiipeout
In many ways, watching surfing wipeouts is more interesting and entertaining than watching people surf really well. I've seen lots of people surf really well -- the talent level of surfers in Santa Cruz is ridiculous. So I see guys doing crazy insane stuff both live and on videos and clips all the time, what I don't see much of is people wiping out. Here's a montage of surf wipeouts through the years that was posted previously on the Stokemaster site. It's kind of long, but it's well done and pretty fun to watch.
Oh and, no, I don't intend to make my blog nothing more than a linkdump of YouTube clips. There's just a lot of ones saved up that I think are worth sharing on here. Plus, I can post a YouTube clip really really fast while I'm at work. Laziness wins!
Oh and, no, I don't intend to make my blog nothing more than a linkdump of YouTube clips. There's just a lot of ones saved up that I think are worth sharing on here. Plus, I can post a YouTube clip really really fast while I'm at work. Laziness wins!
Plinko
In one of the weekly team meetings I attend here at work, they do a "fun Youtube clip of the week" segment...a minute or two long YouTube clip that they project at the beginning of the meeting just to lighten the mood. Here is last week's edition:
Friday
I am very glad it is Friday, this week has been hectic. Got a lot to get through today but at least it's almost over. Whew!
Note to self: I need to make sure I always have a wetsuit and surfboard kept at Selin's in Mt View. I took them all to Santa Cruz last weekend and didn't bring any back -- mistake -- I think a surf or two midweek keeps my sanity in check.
Happy Friday!
Note to self: I need to make sure I always have a wetsuit and surfboard kept at Selin's in Mt View. I took them all to Santa Cruz last weekend and didn't bring any back -- mistake -- I think a surf or two midweek keeps my sanity in check.
Happy Friday!
Kalihiwai
Selin and I head to Kauai in a week (Wow that came fast!). We'll be staying on the north shore...HERE. I'm pretty excited. The house is on Kalihiwai Beach, across the street from a good surf spot, has a full kitchen, BBQ, outdoor shower, lanai...what else could you need? Oh and Ben Stiller is our neighbor. If I see him, I'll ask him why 'The Heartbreak Kid' sucked so much...poor performance Ben.
Hawaii here we come...4 year anniversary!!!
Hawaii here we come...4 year anniversary!!!
Pitted...so pitted
On a long day at work, this guy is always good for a laugh. At least I don't talk like this. Yet.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Meet Horace the Pig
Horace the Pig lives in Santa Cruz, California. He likes to hang out in the sunshine, entertain weekend guests, eat leftovers, protect the board shed, and most of all: hold open the screen door. He really is a very polite, considerate pig.
Hello
Hello, welcome to the new blog. We'll see how this one goes...
I had a good time blogging during my 6 month worktrip to India: you can read about it at www.paneerbelly.blogspot.com. Things might be a little bit less exciting this time around...no weekly exotic India travel destination to post about...but I'll put up whatever I feel like whenever I feel like it. Enjoy.
I had a good time blogging during my 6 month worktrip to India: you can read about it at www.paneerbelly.blogspot.com. Things might be a little bit less exciting this time around...no weekly exotic India travel destination to post about...but I'll put up whatever I feel like whenever I feel like it. Enjoy.
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