Tom Waits is my hero

Paddle for Clean Water

Check out this video from the 17th annual Surfrider Paddle for Clean Water on September 14, 2008 in Ocean Beach, CA. If you look really close, you might be able to spot me out in the water.

Polly Jean Harvey

My favorite Rocker Chick performing live…

The Chomel Boys (pic)

At the “Tiki Bar” in Metamora, IN

Pictured (L to R) Rick, Jeff, Jason

Powell Family Fireworks Display

At this year’s 4th of July family picnic, we all enjoyed the fireworks display. Here’s a clip of some of the nice ones.

Nat Young ripping it up back in the day

Check out this clip I found of Nat Young from “Morning of the Earth”. One of the early innovators in the “shortboard revolution”. He’s riding that thing almost as if it were a longboard…

Shaq’s Response

Found Shaq’s response to the Lakers performance in the NBA finals…

Dawn Patrol

There’s nothing quite like the calm feeling I have when leaving the water after a nice, relaxing surf session. The smell of the salt on my skin mixed with the unmistakable scent of surf wax is like a soothing balm that wipes away any tensions or worries.

After an absence of almost a year and a half, it was really nice to get back into the ocean this morning. That marathon last year, with all the training time and recovery period, seriously took a toll on my desire and ability to go out and get wet on a regular basis. Not quite sure what it was that clicked in my head, but I suddenly got the craving this week, so instead of sleeping in on a Saturday morning, I woke up with my alarm just as if it were a normal workday. After pulling on my shorts and filling a travel mug with fresh coffee, I was out the door. When I got to Tourmaline, it was going on 6:30, and the parking lot was already about half full (you just can’t beat some of those crusty old guys no matter how early you *think* you’re getting up). I saw a lot of familiar faces, and it was almost as if I hadn’t been absent for so long. The Saturday morning dawn patrol was in full swing.

I had a couple of nice wipe outs, as can be expected on my first time back out, but I also managed to catch a handful of really decent rides too. The surf was so-so, but for me at least, it never really matters. Don’t get me wrong, I love a perfectly formed wave as much as the next surfer, but just being out there is typically all it takes to put me in a better frame of mind.

Bicycle (pic)

Here’s my mean machine…

On the Paramount Studios tour (pic)

Pictured (L to R): Ben, Jane, Barbara, Jason