Istanbul!!

Was in Istanbul last week for a conference and must say that this place is one of the best places I have ever visited. The city was like New York city on Redbull, with non-stop activity going on all day and night. Whether it was 3 in the afternoon or 3 in the morning the place was hopping, with no signs of slowing down. I really enjoyed the people there. Everywhere I visited I felt very welcomed. One night our group went to the Golata tower for a dinner and managed to snap this shot of the city with Sultanahmet (Blue Mosque) on the left. I would definitely recommend Istanbul to anyone looking for a lot of history, lots of fun and adventure too.

Back in Amsterdam again!

4/4/2011 - We were on our way to Istanbul but missed our connecting flight in Amsterdam. With only two flights a day to Istanbul, we had to wait another 8 hours, and decided the airport was not going to be where we would spend it. Took in some sights including Dam Square along with a visit to the Ann Frank Haus. Didn’t rent bikes this time, but was blown away with all the bikes at the train station. I need to come back here just to rent a bike again and go for a stroll.

Iceland??

4/4/2011 - Well I never ever thought I see the day when I was in Iceland, but for some unforeseen circumstances today our flight made an emergency landing here. Unfortunately someone on our flight became very Ill and we needed to divert from our flight going to Europe and land here to get them some help. We never got off the plane so officially I’ve never been here, but now that I’ve been this far, I hope to be back some day to take that step off the plane and stay a while. Don’t know what I’ll do, but I know better bring a jacket, because that day the weather was a solid 32F degrees outside with a freezing rain. Fun!

Mom

Well words can never explain the feeling you have when you lose a parent. On March 22, I lost my mom to a sudden heart attack. I can only take comfort in knowing that it was quick and that she was in her own home, surrounded by those she loved and loved her. She was the foundation of our family and my personal compass in life that was always there to teach me, guide me or encourage me when I did not succeed, and there to celebrate with me when I did. She was truly one of a kind, a woman that helped so many in our community; I was called the other night and told that the local city government had a moment of silence at the town council meeting in her honor for her contributions to the city. She did so much for others that I feel that if I can do a fraction of what she did, I will be happy. I am so proud of her and proud to be her son.

I'm all Smiles!!!

Went up to Ventura and Santa Barbara this past weekend to check out some a new surfboards. Had looked at and planned to stop in at Waldens Board Shop in Ventura. Turns out Saturday was my lucky day. Steve Walden the guy known as the father of the modern longboard was in the shop. I was lucky enough to spend a good 1/2 hour with Steve going through all of his boards, and must say there is nothing like getting advice straight from one of the legends himself. After hearing about my surfing style (which is fall down, get up and fall down again), Steve helped me narrow down my choices, I finally settled on this baby... the Walden Mega Magic 8-0. If you look close at the picture you can see a reflection of me with a great big smile. I have to say it's shorter than my last board a 9-0 but floats like a much longer board and is much lighter with its EPS (Epoxy and Polystyrene) technology. It's built for people like me who just want an all around board for fun. I took it out to the cliffs in Huntington on Sunday. On the paddle out I had such an adrenaline rush, you would have thought I had a boat motor on it, I dont even think I got wet heading out in the surf. I would love to say my first outing was epic but I have to admit I was a little cautious and spent the couple of hours in the water paddling and catching just a few waves. It felt good though and the feel of the board was great.

I'm going to have a lot of fun on this baby.

One thing to be said: With so many surf shops and board styles, I think the thing that really helped me in deciding or even considering making the drive to Ventura, was the level of customer service when I called. I already had an idea of what I wanted based on the website. Brandy who works in the Shop was very nice, she asked questions that made me feel like she truly wanted me to make the right choice and the level of customer service was better than any shop I had visited. It did not hurt that Steve took the time to help as well. That sealed the deal for me in feeling like I was dealing with a shop that wanted me to pick a board that would best suit me.

Start your day feeling like Superman

Last night I was out shooting images of the full moon. I thought it would be fun to shoot some night shots using existing moonlight only, and after playing a bit, I decided to send a few shots over to my nephew who enjoys photography as well. The image above was a test shot taken with about an 8 second exposure at F/2.8 (I'm pointing out the constellation Orion and no I was not wearing a cape)
The cape came later...courtesy of my nephews humor and photoshop skills. I have to admit I thought it was pretty funny, and when I received it in my in-box the next morning, it was a great way to start the day.

Thanks Bud.

Broken Boards

Went out surfing last night and broke my surfboard. Was out in Newport and the waves were pretty big (at least for my own taste). I would love to say that I did it dropping down a nice big wave, but I actually did it turtle diving, a maneuver you do to force your board under a wave when you are paddling out. You basically flip the board over (fins up) and hang on vertically in the ocean below it, holding on with your hands as the wave passes (think of the letter "T") over the top. I knew something was wrong, cause that normal heavy pull you feel on your leg when you and your board are being tumbled through the rinse cycle was not there. I came up and found half of it connected to my ankle and the other half floating in the whitewash about 30 yards away. I'll have to see about getting it repaired. Bummer -- I've had a lot of fun memories with this board.

Shells

Went up to visit some friends, who have been vacationing with their kids in the Morro Bay area for the past week. I had only a day to spare but decided to make the drive after work from L.A. on Wednesday and head up the coast to visit them. After driving up late Wednesday night and then sleeping for a few hours, I was awaken by their two youngest sons, who were laughing and talking with enough energy to take on the world. The goal for the morning was to head out early and pick up sand dollars and shells on the beach. It was fun walking the shoreline and watching the kids run around collecting things and taking in the sea life. Seeing their faces light up when they would find a new shell or sand dollar made the whole drive worth it. All in all it turned out to be a fun relaxing day topped off with a fun dinner of burgers and looking at photo's of the week on the beach. I will definitely have to do it again next year, but this time, for a few days rather than a few hours.

34 and Counting....

Today is a good day for me. Our Live Surgery in Atlanta today marked the 2nd installment of live surgeries for the 2010 year. As a team we have come a long way in a short time and it is clearly evident in our commitment and successes so far. Our jump in participation over our last event with more countries represented from all around the world, now totaling 34, is something to continue to be proud of. I am thankful for everyone's hard work and for all that participated. It feels great and I look forward to the next event and building on this success.

Just What I Needed ...A Little Desert Oasis

Made the trek out to Palm Springs this weekend and had a great stay at the Korakia Pensione. Started out our visit with a couples massage and then with the help of the 109 degree temperatures outside, ended up retreating and relaxing in our Mediterranean villa style room. The Korakia's approach is to offer you an atmosphere where there is no concept of time, where you just are. I thought they did a really good job at that. It was great, no TV's or radios or even clocks in the rooms, no music playing in the distance, just pure rest & relaxation at it's best. Although we did not take advantage of it, at night they offered a movie in one of the common areas where you could just go lay out on some huge pillows under the stars. Our room was very clean and looked like the images on the website. The staff were very helpful and after walking through the grounds I would say any of the rooms would be a good choice. Patricia and I both agreed we would come back and stay again and even though we weren't totally disconnected with the world (we had our cell phones), it was a good start to letting it all go. Who knows maybe next time we'll turn the phones off too......baby steps.