Skookumchuck Rapids

Over Memorial Day a bunch of us went to the Sunshine Coast north of Vancouver to paddle one of the world's nicest tidal races. I tidal race is a current that acts like a river because of a tidal exchange between two larger bodies of water. Deception Pass is one, the Skookumchuck Rapids is a much larger version.

Check out some videos on the Video Page

busy

well i've been quite busy lately. a little over two weeks ago i was finishing up my career as a structural engineer. then i went on vacation for a week in sayulita, mexico. i've also been playing AA baseball in denver every sunday. this week i started my new job as a project engineer for a general contractor in vail. this weekend i'm also headed to the gorge in washington for the sasquatch music festival. so much going on...i'll keep this brief.

leaving my structural engineering career was a bit scary. this is what i went to school for, this is what i've been doing for nearly 3 years, this is what brought me to minneapolis and eventually summit county, colorado. i've enjoyed it, it has taught me a lot, but at the end of the day i thought it was time for a change. i couldn't handle sitting behind a desk all day crunching numbers. it was no longer for me.

mexico was extremely fun. most of my time was spent on the beach soaking in the sun, reading, taking naps, spinning music and people watching. synthia met me down there for the weekend and we stayed in a bungaloo on the beach, really nice. we ended up finding a secluded beach that we had entirely to ourselves, we named it 'playa de zebulon' because my friend zeb told me about it. i surfed one day and camped on the beach nights synthia wasn't there. mexico is a lot different from central america, atleast sayulita was. to many gringos, too expensive and too much of he english language for me. all the same i thoroughly enjoyed myself, except for the part where i missed my return flight. i'm over it. view photos of mexico here, i will be editing these more when i get time and learn how to use photodot more.

baseball is going great although i'm still rusty for my expectations. i'm batting somewhere over .500 and i've been moved to the infield. all i want to do now is improve my batting, get moved to shortstop and do a little pitching. other than those goals i'm extremely excited and thankful i'm playing ball again. softball to start soon, double-headers on tuesdays and other league a different night in vail.

new job going well. first week, not much to elaborate on yet.

the sasquatch music festival is this weekend. saturday and sunday shows, camping at the gorge. should be a long weekend. flying into spokanne friday night where an old friend is leaving me his car full of needed camping gear. thanks D. then two full days of music, check out the schedule. returning on monday makes a long memorial day weekend. i hope you enjoy yours!

to the peak pinnacle point

jobs
don't have one
somedays can't wait
others i don't want one
2 strong leads should pan out in next few days

house
don't have one
sign papers tomorrow to own one
loans are interest only to be affordable
i can't wait to remodel and paint

girls
girls

yoga
taking a break
tired of running to the north of the city
maybe with a job i'll get back into it

kayaking
wow, biggest paddle of the year next weekend
up in british columbia on a 8mph wave
created by much water passing through a small channel
it's the tide change, from one large body to another

to the point
it's reaching a pinnacle
it's nearing a peak
it's all coming to a point
my coffee shop days are about to close

para ti cuando estás en el océano

geremias,
go get those waves brother
but listen to the ocean
take what she gives
don't ever force something to happen
it's not the way the ocean works
it's not the way life works
everything is there that you'll need
just wait for it

and if you should get in a bind
which you likely will
pulled into a wave, lost in the white and chaos
just let go, it's far bigger than you
she'll spit you out, you'll then breathe
then you'll beam, then you'll try it again

just listen to her

muchas cuidate con el pacífico
ella es su amiga







gracias por los fotos de waveridersgallery

it's time for summer

this may be pretty common for you,
but it's not for us Seattle people.
the SUN has been gracing itself with us,
it has to be like a million days in a row now,
or four, however many, it's been a long time coming.

the mountains to the east are gorgeous,
as are the ones to the west over the sound,
covered with their winter snow blankets,
it truly is incredible.

it's time for smoothies
it's time for fruit salads
it's time for flip flops
and bbqs, 4th of July plans, swimming and frisbee
it's time to feel alive outside
it's time to smell flowers bloom
it's time get up real early with this sun
and go to bed real late with the windows open
it's time for love, and life, and growth, and stretching
it's time to switch from cardamon to ginger in your chai tea

here's a picture of my favorite divemaster in Honduras
doing what we all will be doing when we can this summer.

settling in...

hot for here, seattle
sunny too, only whispy clouds
wine tonight, sandwiches by the sea
finally summer

i see my house today, am now an owner
i'll see what's being left behind in the house,
fruit trees need pruning, vines need shaping
trees need thinning, projects need prioritising
a beginning

summer plans are forming
paddling and traveling
oceans and weddings
visits and escapes
new jobs and new people
still there is completeness to fill
but it's filling

i look forward to routine
i'm tired of coffee to get on the internet
i need a schedule to poke holes in this life plan
working for profit helping non-profts with their websites
united way, unicef, nationals need help
local radio, local programs, they need help too
i'll hopefully be working on this in the next years...
a proper celebration will happen if this comes together

then, more of this, which is a picture from Amapala Honduras, looking out onto the Pacific over to El Salvador. I love the layered terrain, foreground hills, then more farther, then more farther, then some way way back. in spanish it's similar to how you say "here and there" - aquí, allí (or ahí), allá.

a long interviewing spring

hola.

there's spring in the air, and with spring comes change,
and a continual interviewing phase.

there's a new job in the future
it's a clear choice the closer I get to it
I've requested more discussion
with either of the 2 founders of this small firm
I could be going to less money, less hassle
more flexibility, more vested responsibility
fewer people, more need, more control,
better clients in the website marketing world
it's a been a lengthy interview process
to find jobs that pay decent and ethically fit
a job that doesn't drive me to travel.

there are many new people in my life
new friends from new networks
new dates using new tactics
though there really wasn't old tactics
everyone I've met has been for different purposes
and they all seem very timely in my life
that's also been lengthy interviewing process
to meet people that fill social needs

as i get back from travel, re-establishing myself in Seattle
it's been one big interview
create a new world, grow a new network
read new books, listen to new insights
i'll be glad when i'm done interviewing
and into some familiar smells, arms, chairs
and into a familiar kitchen!

I put some new highlight photos up on the photo site
currently they are from Guatemala
in time I'll get to Honduras and Nicaragua

buenos dias!

off again...

this time to mexico for a week between my jobs. i figured i was do for another vacation. this time will be mostly on my own as my girlfriend will be meeting me down there for the weekend. i'm looking forward to landing someplace foreign and having to figure it out on my own.this time i'm headed to mexico. i'll fly into guadalaraja and making my way to sayulita. i'll be gone for a week leaving on the 09may. below are some pictures of the area...

map of the area and some surf spots

the beaches and what will occupy most of the time

more of the scenery

granted, these pictures are pulled from the internet, i'll be posting many of mine own in a week. now i know this is more a touristy place than where i just was, but nonetheless, it'll be such a fun time. i'm mostly excited about being on my own and figuring out everything on my own. my gut does backflips when i think about that, but that's part of the excitement. hasta luego!!!

just sharing photos...

synthia and her horse frenchie, he was a filthy beast that day

this is how he looks at you when you tell him he's getting a bath, he's not very fond of them

it was cold that day, he need his blanket as we needed our fleeces

un mensaje corto en español

hola mis amigos y amigas. todavía estoy estudio español ahora, un o dos horas por el dia. me mucho gusto español, la idioma teine muchas olas y vias nuevos para hablar. yo pienso hay menos palabras en el oracíon, pero mas veces por expresarse. en un maz yo estaré regressar centro america por solo una semana, este tiempo voy a viaje a El Salvador. cuando era en centro america durante invierno pasado, muchas gente me dicen que El Salvador es muy bonito y la gente son muy amable. yo necisito más práctica tambien. el más mejor via por aprendando español es platican con gente local, yo pienso.

no se que piense si tu lees este mensaje. tu puedes pensar mi español es bueno o no, pero por tres meses es ok. si leío este, es similar a niño que tiene 4 años, mas o menos. y no es posible para mi pienso en español ahora, solo con palabras uso muchos, las palabras comunes. no se que hablar ahorita.

yo paso mi tarea a escribir las cartas a mis amigos ahí ahora y trato leer las paginas de internet que escriben a español. es muy difícil, hay hay muchos tiempos de verbo.

bueno, yo regreso a los libros ahora. adios, buen dias, cuidate.

eagor...bumble's cousin

this is eagor...he's very photogenic and likes to travel to various places to pose. he came to synthia and i through unusual circumstances. nonetheless, we're all having fun. below you'll find him with a ginormous buffalo statue, in front of his favorite deli, collecting specimens for study, shopping for pineapple at whole foods (his absolute favorite grocery store), and serving synthia!