Friday, October 31, 2008

Mr Glass?

AKA Greg Oden?


Henry Abbott, who writes the TrueHoop blog, is a longtime Blazer fan. I'm a longtime fan of his blog, which got scooped up by ESPN a year or two ago. Fellow Blogger makin' it big!

I'm still working out the details on my Surfline.com contract.

(Although I will say this: I checked the TrueHoop blog more often in the pre-ESPN days. Something about selling out and going corporate? I really can't say the style has changed all that much, his posting has always been quite professional, but maybe just a little bit different in the spirit and essence of a true blog? Maybe?)

Thursday, October 30, 2008

FREEDOM!

Quick visit to Hahhhhvahd to see the little sis, starring role in some extremely avant-garde theater: MNEMONIC. They give everybody an eye mask and a leaf upon entrance...Beauty and the Beast it is most certainly not.

But with an open mind it was a well-done performance, thanks in no small part by the female (or is it male?) lead: "played wonderfully by Madeliene Bennett, '11." (So says the Harvard Voice) (I couldn't agree more)

Below are a few snaps from the Freedom Trail, which is a fun tourist activity for a nice Boston day -- which we were fortunate to enjoy on our late Oct. visit. The best is Selin (pretending to) proclaim the Declaration of Independence at the Old State House...the same spot it was first proclaimed at 1:00 PM back in 1776. (To jubilant crowds, nonetheless!)





We've since moved on to a much more tropical, much more beachy, and much more intermittently internet-connected locale...more to come at some point, when I feel like waiting 15 minutes for 5 pictures to upload. 

Goodnight from paradise*!

*Just one of many.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Session 156 - Oct 22 - LM

Wed Oct 22, 7-8:45, 6'8 Taylor

Snuck out of a work training for 30 minutes to get this one in...was in all day trainings Tuesday and Wednesday. Had a good to real good surf forecast for this morning so...made it a surf training instead of 'selling beyond the click.' OK, in my defense, I did have a call at 9:30 so I was going to have to be late for training anyways. It was good to get in the water, refreshing, revitalizing, and...the call went well -- even without the 30 extra minutes of additional KQC preparation. (Thats Key Questions and Concerns, for those of you not in the know)


Session 155 - Oct 19 - 38th

Sunday Oct 19, evening, 9'8 Junod

Again this one is way overdue, but it was a pretty forgetable, pretty uninspiring session...took out the bargeboard and caught everything in sight, but surf was pretty junky crumbly sectiony...good to get wet. Joel paddled over to the Hook and reported that he dominated over there, but I think he is just maintaining a positive attitude. 

This session report coming to you live, from Boston Massachusetts! one more day til Puerto Rico!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

jewels

Session 154 - Oct 13 - I'd tell you but then I'd have to erase your memory (would really rather not kill you, you probably are a nice person and all)

Monday Oct 13, daytime hours, 6'8 Taylor

Well it was a heck of an adventure and a serious voyage to score this particular session, and sadly (so sadly) we had to leave one day early really, so missed out on the best of it, but the experience was pretty sweet. So, it was all worth it.

I also learned a lot about camping this particular weekend. I'll recycle some of what I emailed to the camping crew after the trip here. Things I learned about camping/hiking/surfing/roughing it in the wilderness for 3 days:

Water > beer
backpacking pack > computer laptop bag
belongings strapped to/packed in backpacking pack > belongings stuffed in a makeshift sleeping bag pack which is then carried/dragged/schlepped 8+ miles
thermarest pad > queen size air mattress (with pump)
flashlight > lantern
B**F*** 4 day trip > B**F*** 3 day trip
no poison oak > poison oak
car camping > real camping

(Just kidding on that last one.)

Thanks to our fearless leaders, who are some true mountain men at that, it was a good way to spend a 3 day weekend...I'll be back. (But maybe on a boat.)

Session 151, 152, 153 - Oct 6 - places where waves are breaking

Sun Oct 6, daytime, 6'8 Taylor, 7'6 kingfish, 6'2 KG

3 sessions -- one post!! I've been pretty regimented on blogging each and every session individually up to this point...but, now that 150 is out of the way...all conventions and consistencies and established practices are OUT the DOOR! Every blogger for himself! The wild wild west! There's a whole ocean of oil under there and only I can get it! (2nd time for that (rough) quote on this blog, I guess I like that quote)

Followed up #150 with 3 more sessions on Sunday -- surf mania. Woke up early while Joel was a lazy bum and scored some mackers early, some bombdrops to racing out in front of the shoulder too much, gotta learn that cutback again, but some real juice. Followed that up with more waves and more surf and more bombdrops midday, and then one more time for good measure to make it a tripledip Sun night. Surf surf surf SURF!

Monday, October 20, 2008

SESSION 150 - OCT 5 - 38th

SAT OCT 5 - 5:30-7:30 - KINGFISH

AS I STATED A FEW POSTS AGO, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF WAY TO COMMEMORATE THIS MOMENTOUS SESSION. WHAT YOU ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS THE BEST I COULD COME UP WITH. CAN YOU FEEL THE EXCITEMENT???

LONG TIME READERS WILL KNOW THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST STIMULUS IN KEEPING THIS HORACE BLOG GOING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR HAS BEEN MY 2008 NEW YEAR RESOLUTION: 150 SURF SESSIONS IN 2008. TO KEEP TRACK, I STARTED LOGGING EVERY SESSION RIGHT HERE ON THE INTRAWEB IN ALL ITS GLORY FOR ALL TO SEE FOR EVER AND EVER. OF COURSE OF COURSE I RESPECT THE SURF BLOGGER CODE OF ETHICS, AM CONSIDERATE OF THE SPOTS I NAME, IN FACT IN SOME CASES I DID NOT EVEN NAME THE COUNTRY I WAS IN, HOWS THAT FOR ULTRA SECRETIVE. PLUS, MY PICTURE/WORD RATIO IS QUITE LOW, SO IT'S NOT LIKE ANYONE ACTUALLY READS ALL THIS STUFF ANYWAYS -- "WHAT, NO PICTURES?? I'M OUTTA HERE, I MEAN WHAT KIND OF KOOK NAMES HIS BLOG AFTER A CERAMIC PIG DOORSTOP??? BARNEY!!!" ANYWAYS POINT BEING I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY HATEFUL COMMENTS YET SO THAT IS A GOOD THING. (I HAVEN'T GOTTEN MANY COMMENTS AT ALL, ACTUALLY, MAYBE THE HATERS ARE JUST WAITING FOR THAT OPPORTUNE MOMENT TO POUNCE, ALL AT ONCE..)

SORRY GOT A LITTLE DERAILED THERE. BACK TO THE SURF: SESSION 150! IT WAS A GOOD ONE, A CULMINATION OF ALL MY SURF PROGRESS AND EVOLUTION THAT HAS (I HOPE) TAKEN PLACE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. FOR AS OFTEN AS I SURF, I REALLY SHOULD BE BETTER, NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT. I MEAN, 150 SESSIONS IN 9 MONTHS AND I CAN STILL HARDLY DO A DECENT CUTBACK???!! WHAT THE HELL, THIS BLOWS!! SORRY, CALM DOWN, ALL THESE CAPS ARE MESSING WITH MY CHI. LIKE I'VE SAID MANY A TIME, NOBODY EVER SAID THIS SURFING THING WAS EASY. AND IT'S NOT LIKE THERE HASN'T BEEN SOME DEFINITE IMPROVEMENT. CASE IN POINT, THE OTHER DAY I LOOKED BACK AT MY FIRST EVER SURF BLOG FROM A FEW YEARS AGO, AND ONE OF THE GOALS OUTLINED ON THAT BLOG WAS: DON'T ALWAYS BE THE WORST SURFER AT THE BREAK. IT'S TAKEN A WHILE, BUT I AM NOW CONSISTENTLY ONLY THE SECOND WORST. JUST KIDDING. ACTUALLY, I SURF HALFWAY DECENT IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF. THIS SESSION #150 WAS AN EXAMPLE...I WAS ABLE TO GO OUT AND CATCH A BUNCH OF GOOD WAVES, CROWD AND ALL. AS NORMAL THE LEFTS GOT THE FOCUS OF MOST OF MY ATTENTION, AND THEY DEFINITELY DESERVED IT, SURF WAS FIRING ON THIS EVENING, GOT SOME GOOD RIDES THAT I CAN STILL REMEMBER NOW NEARLY 3 WEEKS AFTER THE FACT. YOU KNOW IT IS A GOOD SESSION WHEN 3 WEEKS HAVE PASSED AND YOU STILL REMEMBER INDIVIDUAL WAVES. KINGFISH WAS WORKING ITS MAGIC OUT THERE, FUN BOARD FOR THAT SPOT WHEN IT IS WORKING, FUN WAVE PERIOD WHEN IT IS WORKING.

WOW ALL THIS YELLING I THINK REALLY IS STARTING TO GIVE ME A HEADACHE. IT'S ALSO WEIRD TO NEVER HIT THE SHIFT KEY (TO CAPITALIZE). INTERESTING HOW DOING THAT HAS BECOME SORT OF AN AUTOMATIC INGRAINED SELF-EDITING SYSTEM FOR ME...SLOWS ME DOWN JUST ENOUGH TO GIVE A MOMENT'S CONSIDERATION TO THE SENTENCE I JUST TYPED AND WHETHER IT IS COHERENT AND MAKES ANY SENSE OR NOT. NOT HITTING THAT SHIFT KEY MEANS NO SLOWING DOWN MEANS NO THINKING! I THINK I'VE FOUND A NEW FORMAT FOR UBER-SPEED BLOGGING!!!!

(IT ALSO EVIDENTLY MEANS LOTS OF OFF-TOPIC NONSENSICAL TANGENTS!!)

(AND LOTS OF EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!)

SO WITH ALMOST 3 MONTHS TO SPARE, I ACCOMPLISHED MY 2008 NEW YEAR RESOLUTION. 150 SURF SESSIONS IN '08. SANDBAGGING AT ITS FINEST, I'LL NOW BE ABLE TO BLOW OUT MY GOAL! SUCH AN OVER-ACHIEVER -- CONSISTENTLY EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS! IF ONLY ALL MY GOALS (AT WORK) COULD BE SO EASY (AND FUN) TO ACCOMPLISH...I'D BE GOING PLACES.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

Session 149 - Oct 4 - somewhere walking distance from home

Sat Oct 4, morningish, 6'2 KS fish

Warm up the time machine we're goin' back in time!!! Way behind on these but I had jotted down the pertinent details and just now found the post it note buried in the mess that is my work-desk, so, gonna lay em out here. (Finally). I actually got two comments for inspiration, including one ridiculously long poem (somebody needs a blog of his own I think)...thanks for the kick in the pants.

Anyways as these sessions are nearly ancient history, I don't remember much. Joel was with me. I think we watched Iron Man the night before on the home theater. Good movie but it was better the first time I saw it. I am Iron Man. As predicted the surf was pumping this weekend which is always nice, if I recall correctly I might've even been able to hear the waves from my bed...you know it's some of that Aleutian juice when I can hear the sets from my pillow. Sweet dreams.

Friday, October 17, 2008

killing me softly

Loyal reader(s),

Are you witnessing the slow death of Horacethepig? I'm 2 weeks behind on session reports. All I have lately is a Circus Animal post. Has Horace come to an end? 

To be honest, I don't know for sure...but...no, I don't think so. I've been busy, yes, but more so just have not found the motivation to post. Vacation planning, vacation, hiking, work...lots of stuff going on. But, Horace deserves better so, bear with me, I'll get to it. This weekend, or, maybe even NOW, as soon as I finish the rest of my work. We'll see.  

Leave me a comment, or something crazy like that, maybe it'll inspire me.  

Friday, October 10, 2008

What Gives?


It's been a long work week. I'm sitting here on the couch, unwinding, and enjoying some of my favorite cookies...delicious...when what do I see as my friend Bryan's GChat status message?

R.I.P. Mother's Cookies http://consumerist.com/5061209/mothers-cookies-goes-out-of-business-kills-off-circus-animals


Wow. Those once cheerful, innocent, sugar speckled circus animals now look so sad and mournful, I can practically see the tears in their eyes...It's almost hard to eat them...(hmmm, wait -- I take that back -- <crunch>)

As a few of the commenters put it...this financial crisis is getting out of hand. Sad day.

In other news...

I've been lagging on blog posting this week. Pretty inexcusable, especially when you consider the momentous events that transpired over this past weekend.

You ever had that experience where, you set a goal for yourself, you really dedicate a significant chunk of yourself, your time, your energy, your life, to the pursuit of that goal...you even create specific tasks that are all oriented around that goal...it becomes a big focus...and then, you actually achieve that goal, and...suddenly, you just don't really know what to do? What do you do now? How do you mark the accomplishment of said goal? Well, that's where I'm at right now. Over the weekend -- which, by the way, was pretty epic surfwise (as predicted) -- I hit session #150 (and then some). And now I don't know what to do. I feel like I need to do something special to mark the moment...

So if you have any suggestions, let me know. Otherwise, I'll just be logging it just like all the other 149 that preceded it.

But probably not until next week, as we're heading off on a camping/surfing ADVENTURE in just, what...9 short hours? Heading off to the great unknown, 8 mile hike, set up camp, surfboards, and get to it. It should be fun. I'm excited. But, there will certainly be no internet on THIS trip, so the posts will have to wait.

Have a great weekend everyone. Stock up on those Circus Animals.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Surfer archives: Santa Cruz

I can't get the video to embed in the blog for some reason, so the link is gonna have to suffice:

http://surfermag.com/av/flash/santa-cruz-surfer-classics/


What I wanna know is...

Where can I get me one of those neon wetsuits?

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Session 148 - Oct 1 - MT + LM

Wednesday Oct 1, 7-9:30 AM, 6'2 KG

 me:  firing
 Sent at 10:54 AM on Wednesday
 Joel:  fo'real
 me:  yes we have a good run ahead of us
surf surf surf surf surf
 me:  this morning was good we started at MT and I got pretty whomped, it was good though 
 me:  but i was kind of getting worked a bit and Brian went in, so I went in too and we went to LM
 me:  and it was a lot of fun
MT was firing
 Joel:  i bet it was
 me:  tide a bit low when we were on it so it was firing some pretty solid closeout drainers
makeable definitely some of em, but
took some drubbings
i was on the KG
 Joel:  did it hold on the bottom turns
 me:  there werent any bottom turns
waves were really jacking up
 Joel:  well then, LM musta been a nicer spot to surf
 me:  LM was fun
WAY smaller like going to a different ocean
 Joel:  PP looks like whoa
 me:  this weekend, firing
 me:  this weekend we're surfing all the time
double overhead in Santa Cruz
 Joel:  OK