You know you're an Old School Skater when

You know you're an Old School Skater when your baby's diaper smells like the Brooklyn Banks.

Surf Wisdom: How to fit in a rad surf session on your family day without your wife getting pissed at you.

So much goes on during the day that I want to write about in my blog, but then I come home too tired to turn on the computer. I haven't posted much the past few days, maybe because I've been insecure and been having negative and pitiful thoughts about myself, when the truth is that I am privileged and am being a spoiled brat wussy.

Every day of life I should be stoked on.
I was lazy and tired the other day and the waves came up then all of a sudden I had all this burst of energy- a weird phenomena I have been noticing lately.

So much goes on in my head and I'm trying to turn it into something worth reading.

Maybe write something about how hard it is to live a creative life... so you can feel not alone, or can feel like, "damn this guy is a pretty cool, but I like my life better."
Or maybe I should write about what a rad day I had so you can either be inspired or wish you were living a life like mine playing into the "the Jones" game... but that's lame.
Maybe you never worry about what the Jones are doing or what they have, if so great for you.

However it is nice to know what the rest of the world is doing sometimes... to inspire yourself or so you don't go parading what a great thing you've done, when someone else in the world has done it ten times better.

My wife wants a big house with a yard. Me too. But I'm not gonna get depressed everyday that I don't have that, or anything for that matter.

Being alive is great foundation for me.
But I suppose having a good and worthy source of income to take care of my child for the next 20 years is in order. This might very well be my midlife crisis. I read somewhere, I think maybe in a book about Mr. Rogers. It said something like, getting to know oneself is a life long journey. What I don't want is having my source of income be a life long journey.

Balancing making art and making money at the same time is the puzzle that I will work on. But what if I don't work it out by the time rent has to be paid, which is in a few days. Let me worry about that.  In the mean time....

What do I really want to get off my chest.  Oh yeah,

How to fit in a rad surf session on your family day without your wife getting pissed at you.
Do something she likes to do with your child. Something preferably extremely strenuous so it makes both wife and child pass out while you drive to your favorite surf break, which you're friend lives right in front of, and who just happens to be having a rad BBQ with awesome family and friends
The only problem is you have to get that second wind (that magic burst of energy I mentioned earlier) which should be no prob because the waves are overhead and perfect. If the waves aren't any good, better off gaining more family time points for the epic waves soon to come.

I'm sure you get the point by now. But you might be thinking yeah but how can this all happen all together. The gist of the How to is in the beginning.

To repeat in other words, Do some family time first then go surf. The more epic family time, the higher the chances of getting to surf. But don't do this every family day or you'll abuse it.
One father I met today doesn't surf on Family Sundays.This is very impressive and disciplined. Maybe I'll get there someday...  (and not that every family does Family Sundays, I however find it works well to keep the family healthy)

I have to record what I actually did today.

I'm stoked I picked an awesome hike to go on first thing in the morning which ended with an amazing view of both the south and east sides of the island, the Kuliouou Ridge Trail, which was up the street from the house we are watching for our friends. It is supposed to be beginner intermediate, but put a twenty something pound baby on your back and it turns strenuous. What is supposed to take 2.5 to 3 hours took us 4.
-Home to shower
-Pick up our friends baby so they could go on a date.
-drive to West Side to Mathias' house for a BBQ. He lives directly in front of one of the best waves on the island. I've caught the biggest and longest waves there. It holds big waves and peels perfect often and long.

-Mathias is rad. Super Kind. His nickname is Scratch. He just had a baby named Kirin. His wife, family and friends are the same- super kind.
-There is a pathway from his house that leads directly to the spot where you paddle out. It happened to be overhead and pretty close to perfect. Other dads either had too much to drink, or weren't gonna be selfish and ruin family day with Dad gone out in the ocean. But thank God I had the ol' Family hike already done in the form of a "Surf Ticket" in my back pocket. I of course spent some time at the party briefly then told Marisa I wanted to paddle out. I didn't have to ask,  just run to the car to get the sunscreen for the kids.
Mathias couldn't surf because he was playing host.
He let me use one of his favorite boards which was perfect for the spot.

The surf realization I learned out there today was:
When the waves start getting over head, they can shift around a lot-break over here, then over there.
Sometimes when you're paddling for a wave, there is no time to look back. You are either in the right spot or not. The only way you are going to catch that wave is to paddle hard for it. You're either going to be to far inside and have the wave crash on you. Or  you're gonna be in the right spot and catch the wave, or be in the wrong spot and totally miss the wave. 2 out of the 3 you're going to be just fine if not totally stoked.  3 out of 3 you're probably going to be fine as well....

Moral of the story, Paddle hard and go for it because you have nothing to lose.


-Then I paddled in for sunset, a beer and dinner back at Mathias's with his family.
Then drove back home to the south side and waited for our friends to pick up there son Koa  at midnight.
Epic Lucky day

-Time for bed.
P.S. Thank You Lesley-Anne Loon the hiker for taking photos of us and emailing them.

Ala Moana Bowls

I asked this guy Mike Akima, "Did you get shacked yet?"
His response, "What you think? I'm gonna paddle out here and not get shacked.
I think everybody is getting shacked today. Did you get shacked yet."

I replied, "I didn't think so but this guy paddled up to me and said, 'Nice barrel.',

And Mike replies, "Close enough"

Then I paddled over to Rockpiles and caught a good one.
As I paddled back dude says, "Sick Wave you got"

Today was rad at Ala Moana Bowls.
Peeling Head High Waves.

Weekend Revelations

1)Plan your future or someone or something else will.
Stay focused. Breathe Deep. Keep your blood flowing. Sweat.
My goal is to see the world with my family.

2) Life is about being or learning to be a great friend.

3)I don't want to forget this past saturday hanging out in the backyard with my son painting
listening to Jack Johnson.

Side note:
A bonzai tree master told me once (and I tell this to most people), "Everyone must have a passion to guide their soul. if not the soul will drift in the wind."

Thursday

HMMM?

How to Wax a Surfboard

Weekend wrap up

Last night I went out to Chinatown with Ethan and Cole.
We were supposed to check out a show at Next Door "Free the Robots"
Before hand we skate the best Parking Garage I ever skated yet.
It started on the 10th floor and there were two platforms per floor
if I am not mistaken. All I remember was Floor 5, Floor 4.5, Floor 4, etc.
We then skated around to our favorite curbs.

We get to the venue and we didn't feel like paying the $20 cover.
So we went to Liliha Bakery for some pancakes. I got a Loco Moco.

Today, Sunday was rad. Sundays are family day. We had a day at the beach til sunset.
On the way we went to a sale at Surf Garage and we go a tie die shirt, a Surf Line short sleeve button down and board shorts, and the above surfboard... all for $85 bucks. The surfboard was $50 and unused. It is a 6'5" and was unused. I tried it and it works good.  It is gonna be my fun board for 15 ft faces (4-5 feet Hawaiian). I always end up buying misfit boards. As opposed to brand new popular brands.

Saturday

Day with son Hayden.
Gonna take him surfing at Waikiki

Ala Moana Bowls

Surfed last night and this afternoon.
Got it good both times.

There's nothing better than catching a good wave while your friends are paddling back to the line-up .
Apparently Ethan said he didn't see me go into a barrel. Just saw me come out. I was stoked on that.
I got pitted a couple of times today. Feels good when your board does what you want.

Creative Essentials and Haydens Largest Painting yet

The Easiest Avocado Smoothie/Shake/Drink

Ingredients: Avocado, Milk, Sugar,  Ice.

Directions: Throw it all in glass, and stir.  Drink  and eat chunks with a spoon.

As I get older I realize more and more things I learned from my father, now that it has been over 15 years since I blamed him for all the negative things in my life. (I think its natural for a any youth to go through that stage). If you ever read this Dad I hope you know that I love you very much and appreciate all the things you've given me (a skateboard, camera, car, another camera).  

Most importantly thank you for teaching me how to work hard, be creative, and enjoy the finer quality things in life, like fitted Italian made shirts,  Singapore Rice Noodles, and all the gangster Chinese restaurants in Chinatown.

 I tell you meeting your dad in front of his office in downtown Manhattan, jumping in a cab to  chinatown, not talking much while stuffing your face, then saying see you later and going back to your business is straight good times. 

But back to the Avocado Drink. Lets call it the Manny Aloha, because I'm self centered like that and its better than calling it the plain Avocado Shake.

I remember in the summers my dad would cut open an Avocado, break it up with a spoon, throw it in a glass with some sugar, and ice, fill it up with milk stir it up, and drink it down faster than I could ask what it was.

To this day, it is my favorite way to eat a whole avocado and drink a glass of milk. 

Its an Asian thing so I hear from Google. A filipino thing definitely. The only other person I know who does this is my Filipino friend John Esguerra from the North Shore. He also does a clothing line and blog called Quality Peoples. He is one of the best designers and surf art connoisseurs I know. See for yourself at Qualitypeoples.com

Anyway if you've never tried this drink, and you like avocados, try it.

If you do, and you like it, think of me and say "aaaahhhhh! thanks Manny Aloha".

I also hear you can drink it with rum or blend it?

Shoot, I guess you can call that a Manny Aloha Special.

Signing off.

Devil's Toy part 2.

Devil's Toy part 1.

Midnight in Hawaii

This month's Chinatown Newspaper Cover

Chinatownnewspaper.com

The story of my life

Spent

Just pulled a night shift to day shift to night shift.
and I'm spent.

Reminder to self:
Write ECSS Book.
Meet with B Press folks
Paint Murals around town
Submit your resume's to Princes to teach art.
Party at the museum.
Teach Art Academy class?
Visit University Art Department. Call Mike.
Cut Skateboards?
Breathe Deep.
Take down art show.
Send art to Rebec and Los.


It's 5am.
Good night.

Flashback

This day Marisa and I drove out to one of Oahu's secret beaches in a big pick up truck at midnight. We threw the queen futon in the back with pillows and a comforter and slept under the brightest stars. We woke up to not a soul around. We explored down the beach naked for about an hour and a half taking off clothes as we walked along This is a photo within that time period. By 9am, it was time to start heading back to town to go to work. 

Saturday in Honolulu