The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 8,300 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 14 years to get that many views.
A few years back, upon getting out of the water, at Huguenot Park, Florida, I overheard a guy in the parking lot say, as a joke, but with a bit of sadness in his voice, “I thought that Gidget was just a myth”.
There are more and more women in the water.
This is the future.
Everyone on WordPress is reviewing their year; all of their blogging projects and challenge entries. I didn’t do any of that, this year. It was all I could do, to do what I did. If you know what I mean.
Looking back, I was nominated for a Versatile Blogger Award, but didn’t respond to it, because I didn’t know how. Dwellable contacted me, because they thought my blog would be a good representation of Fernandina Beach, Florida, my home town. But I didn’t know how to transfer the button. And I’m still writing the text on my photos, because I don’t know how to create a watermark. As shabby as it may sound, I still see these as a success.
My main goal, in Secondhand Surfer, has become to capture the best surf memories that I can. I choose this hobby, as opposed to psychotropics. (In editing, I realize, I should probably let y’all know that I have never used psychotropics.)(Not that I have anything against psychotropics.)(hmmmm…nevermind) My blog, gets me out of the house. It puts me on the beach in the sunshine, in the morning, at sunset, in the wind. It overrides my negative side. My camera introduces me to people. My photography gives my life direction.
The photos above jumped out at me last night, as I browsed my archives. I have thousands of pictures from last year.
I don’t have any favorite surfers or breaks. You could be on the biggest wave of the year or taking off in the white water on your first wave ever, it doesn’t matter to me.
I’ve surfed off and on all of my life. Although I’m an artist, and I have always utilized photography, I never would have chosen to be on the beach, behind a camera, over being in the water.
When I started this blog last year and named it Secondhand Surfer, I had no idea how appropriate it would be. Me and my camera, we SECONDHAND SURF! My smile is big as anyone’s in the water!.
Thanks to all the surfers, and supportive friends who helped me to have such a great year. And thanks to WordPress for affording me this venue, not only to display my journal and photos, but to read others as well.
Christmas can be a difficult holiday, for many. I use to be one of those. At one time, I experienced extreme depression on what was supposed to be the most joyful day of the year.
I, with help ~ from people ~ learned to turn all of that around.
Focus on what you have, not on what you don’t have.
Merry Christmas!
Secondhand Surfer is my personal journal. It has been a life saver this year. 2012 is coming to a close and I’m already looking forward to making my blog better next year. I’d like to think that I have been successful this year, in all that I’ve learned and published: all the pictures I’ve taken and edited, all the people I’ve met, waves I’ve caught and places I’ve traveled to.
My audience are those who read my posts……
Thank you everyone for sharing my year!
911 Surf Report
I woke up this morning with much rattling in my head. Dr. Phil‘s in there. I watched part of a show about teenage girls with bad attitudes. One interview with a girl named Amanda stopped me in my tracks. I normally never watch Dr. Phil. She was angry, violent and out of control. hmm..sounded familiar….what impressed me was the way Dr. Phil perceived her situation. Of course, she was angry. Of course, she was volatile and ready to swing. Where was he when I needed him.
I so related to that girl. I use to get in trouble for the way I looked at people.
Anyway, it went on that she went off to a horse ranch called Aspen Turn-About Ranch. She was open to getting help.
I went to my computer checked my Facebook and thought I would check out 911-the Jax Beach Surf Report. I think there should be good waves today.
As a pre-schooler I watched Captain Kangaroo. Mr. Green Jeans and the Rabbit were cool, but the Magic Drawing Board was my favorite. Black lines would just appear on blank board and draw whatever!
Since then I have learned the power of the mark. When we make one, it is us. It is revealing.
I draw lines, in the sand.
This might not be the biggest wave of Hurricane Sandy but to me it’s one of my favorite photos from that storm.
This wave is in Fernandina Beach, FL. It has never been the easiest place to surf. It is a shallow beach break, which means, that it tends to break fast and is unforgiving. When you don’t make a wave here at low tide, especially in bigger waves, it can feel like hitting concrete.
So, it’s not a good idea to learn to surf in hurricane waves. In places where surfing is more a part of the local culture, people don’t mind paying their dues in the white water. Continue reading No Fear
Recently, when in San Onofre, I had the pleasure of surfing with Brian Brent.
Meeting this regular, at Onofre was a treat. The day before, he had surfed on a board with NO fin. I followed every move. 
I made sure I was perched and ready when he showed up the second day.
It’s not every day that you see surfers on wooden planks. California is another world. And San Onofre is the best of the best for me.
I got to talk with Brian in and out of the water. 
I learned that Brian is an artist and musician – Vimeo.com– and the Pastor for the Hot Rod Church for Sinners.
If you like his surfing, check out his other links. You will not be disappointed.
Only in California.
This is Nathan Gibb’s art work. I stumbled on to his facebook page one day and “liked” it.
I am a fan of his work. He is a prolific artist-always with good content.
new lines and routes are revealed to the the rider-on the same wave
This is not the post that I intended to write today. I was sidetracked by Comcast, no router and I don’t want to go to Starbucks right now. I’m penned down on a short wire in my living room. It’s better than nothing.
Today is a day of reflection for me. Twenty five years ago my life was altered.
fresh intent and new purpose is revealed to me-in the same life
Sometimes it’s a cutback or a floater or just a get up and go-life has energy like a wave and it’s going to hold you until IT let’s go.
One day at a time – One wave at a time…………..
Fish Eye Farm 