December 28th, 2008

This is it folks. The last week of 2008. Whew! What a year. Lots of things happening around the Globe these past 12 months, some of them affecting us, and some not. One thing's for sure, we had some good surf here in New England. Some powerful Winter Swells. Some solid Spring swells. Some memorable Summer swells and finally some really good Fall waves.

In short, I think 2008 will go down as one of the most consistent years for surf in our New England History of Surfing. I don't know how many of you keep a yearly journal, but I'd be curious to see where we stack up over the last 4 decades...you know, since the early to mid 60's. If you know, let me know.

*Next week, I'm doing the Year in Review column. If you have a favorite photo from this Ralph's Pic of the Week column from 2008 let me know. Otherwise I'll be posting what I feel is the best of each month.
That's all coming next week.

We had some wacky weather too.

Like today. It's close to 65 degrees outside my office window. I kid you not. After all that snow and ice, we're now experiencing, some ridiculously warm weather. Dammit, that Al Gore was right. We're in the midst of some kind of a Global warming mayhem.

I can get used to 65 degrees in late December though.

I know it's not exactly snowboard weather either. Tho' lots of my peeps been 'getting some' with them early snowfalls. Conditions after that last storm, were all time. You just gotta get motivated, and switch gears. Surf to snow. And vice versa. It's not that hard people.

Besides who among us really think the weather's gonna stay this warm for long? Not me. And neither should you. If you do, kindly raise you r hand so I can bitch slap you with a cold wet mitten. Dumb ass. This is Winter. And we're living in New England.

Most of you live in Northern New England.

You're not gonna get roped into some false sense of weather nirvana with a couple of freak warm days. It's coming my brothers and sisters. The coldest of cold days, will be upon us again. As sure as I write this.

My Westie buddies recently experienced some of the coldest weather conditions of their lives. How cold was it? Well, in defense of these normal "woose assess" it was chilly. 35 degrees. Look that's cold. But you and I have lived through 35 below with windchill factors in the death range. But to hear them talk about the cold snap, you would of thought, they were all gonna die out there.

Come on boys! Snap out of it.

There's cold and then there's New England cold. 35 degrees? That's still borderline t-shirt weather for some of us. When the temps drop into single digits and lower...well, now you're talking cold. Not some chilly little 35 degree day. And speaking of Westies overreacting to the cold.

Me and my local friends always crack up at the wetsuit look these guys wear. Hoods, with NO boots or gloves. Say what? Dudes...the hood is the last thing we put on. Why you guys wear hoods, with no boots or gloves is a mystery to us. And please don't try and give us, some kind of West Coast, logical explanation as to why you don the beanies, but not the boots or gloves.

Cuz let me tell you.

If the water is warm enough to not wear boots, or gloves...it's plenty warm enough, not to wear a dam hoodie. There's a bunch of names for guys like you...do I have to list them here for you? I didn't think so.

Suck it up and take them dam hoods off.

So I trust you all had a nice Holiday season. Chanukah, Christmas...Kwanza...whatever it is you celebrate. I hope it was nice. I had to deal with my cousin's funeral on Christmas Eve. I wrote and read the Eulogy. It was sad. There's nothing good about losing someone that young. Especially at the holidays.

We all got through it...again. It does seem like my family has suffered some multiple losses in the last 5 or so years. Enough already. I don't want to be known as the Eulogy guy in the family. "Call Ralph, he'll write the Eulogy and read it at the Funeral." I really don't want to be that guy. Although, I don't mind helping my family out. And the way I figure it, if no one else will do it, or can't do it. I will. I'll step up and help tell that family member's story. In fact, this last Eulogy got me thinking.

Who would I want to read my Eulogy if I were to have a sudden departure from the planet? The more I thought about it, the more I realized who should write and read it.

Who's that person?

Why it would be none other than...Me. Myself.

Why the hell not? How will I do it? Easy. I'll video tape myself doing my own Eulogy. That would be a first. Me up on the big screen, at the church telling my own personal story. This way, I won't leave anything, or anyone out. I'll keep it upbeat, for the most part. After all, there's a lot to cover. It can't all be good.

But I do plan on slamming a few of those who need to be slammed. You know, a little poetic payback. It will be entertaining...some music, some joke telling (Jimmy I hope to book you for that night), some artists, Veterans, family, friends, pets, lots of surfers...and whoever else wants a free meal and show.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today... to pay our respects, to one of our own...me..."

The day after Christmas I released my first ever all Longboard movie, GROOVEMASTERS. It's my second movie in less than 2 weeks. I'm very happy with the results. The surfing is good and the music is even better. It's short (in length), only 35 minutes long. I know that a lot of you are longboarders. So this movie would be a great addition to your Surf DVD collection.

Because I am both a shortboarder and a longboarder I feel that I can speak with some authority on both. And speaking with Mike Moran the other day, we both agreed that the traditional "Old School" longboarder must be able to cross step to and from the nose.

In other words, if you cross step to the nose, you must be able to cross step back. Otherwise you are one of the many longboarders who basically just stand in a certain spot on the board and go with the flow. Not that there's anything at all wrong with that. There is not. In fact, I fall into that category myself. I can crosstsep to the nose and crosstsep back. But for the most part, I shuffle to the nose and shuffle back. That's not really "Traditional longboarding."

It's fun surfing, but not the old school walking the nose surfing. And honestly, there are not many who surf on a longboard that way. Around here any ways. There are those who do it on a regular basis and they are: Mike Moran, Billy Ritchie, Lenny Nichols,Bob McNeil, Kevin Grondin, Jacko Keefe, Stevie O'Hara, MIke Zappy Paugh, Jay Gould, Bobby Morgan, and a handful of others from the last two surfer generations. Then there are some younger surfers who ride in that traditional style and they are...Kyle Linsman, Jared Velstos, the Petty brothers from Maine, Mitch Repucci and a handful of others.

Look I know I left some people out who surf in that traditional style .I can't name them all. Then there are those who ride a longboard like they ride a shortboard. Adam Coates comes to mind as do a whole other bunch of wildmen and women who do not adhere to the traditions, but surf in a total abandoned, radical style.

Then there are those like me, who are just into the "Glide". And there are too many of you to name. You know who you are. You surf because it's fun. You don't walk the nose or do helicopter360's on a longboard. You just want to have fun. Like me. And this movie "Groovemasters" is for all of you. The traditional longboader, the radical longboarder and the laid back longboarder. There's something for everyone here.

GrooveMasters is in the SHOPS! Right next to the SFOD short board movie GREETING SEASONS. Thanks for all the positive feedback on both movies. It's been fun making them

Now for some casual observances from last week.

Hamas has been firing rockets on Israel for about two weeks now. Israel told them to stop. They didn't. Now Israel has unleashed a Holy Hell on HAMAS that has shaken them to the core. Over 300 dead in two days and 800 wounded in GAZA. Terrorists suck. And the one's responsible for this attack, are right where they need to be. Burning in hell. Speaking of Terrorists. US and coalition forces killed a bunch of Terrorists this week in IRAQ and Afghanistan. Those scumbags have joined their brothers in the same burning hell.

Speaking of scumbags...that dude who dressed up as Santa Claus in California and killed 9 people at his ex-wife's home? There is evil and then there is ultra evil. That clown didn't count on his Santa outfit catching fire and spoiled his own plans for escape.
He too is in a burning hell.

Finally...the sad story of our New England Patriots.
The Patriots won today beating Buffalo 13-0 in a strange windy weird game. Their final tally was 11-5...but they did not make the Play-Offs. They needed the JETS to win or the Ravens to lose. Depending on the JETS to beat a team for you to advance is like having the Yankees needing to beat a team for you to advance. It's not gonna happen bucky.

That stuff does not fly in our neck of the woods. We should of beat the JETS during the last time we played them. Matt Casell did an amazing job this season. I'm gonna miss him. Oh yea, he's gonna get paid next year and he deserves it. Thanks for a fun ride Matt.

Now we root for the Miami DOLPHINS. And right now, they look good. I told Lenny Nichols earlier in the season that Chad Pennington is a Great Quarterback. And he is. Now Chad and company will represent the AFC East next week. Let's root for the Dolphins!

And how about the Celtics? 19 consecutive wins. And the Bruins have 7 consecutive wins!

Don't forget "GREETING SEASONS" and "Groovemasters" are in the shops!

There's still time to score one of Brian Nevins's canvas print orders. See samples at Cinnamon Rainbows and KB's Bagels. It's by order only as the pricing fluctuates but you can order any photo that he's taken off his website or this site to print.
Brian Nevins 949.295.9390
www.briannevins.com

Kevin Doherty has a 2009 Calender in the Shops that features all of New England. Check it out!

Please Support ALL The photographers who contribute to Ralph's Pic Of The Week Especially: Ed O'Connell, John Carden, Brian Nevins, Bernie Baker, Jamie Wade, Kevin Doherty, Lenny Nichols, Chris Shipley, The Phantom, Ross Kunkel, Bob Consentino, and Chris Thompson and all the others who submit photos to this site.

QWILL is available on myspace.com/qwillmusic

HAPPY New Year TO ALL OF YOU! May The Spirit of this Holiday season bring you peace and joy. God Bless.

Remember my friends...Surfing heals all wounds....
Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.

Ralph