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Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Declaration of Independence: by Dane Reynolds
i've been getting some pressure from various people and/or websites to write something, sorta like an official statement concerning my exit from the world tour. my dismount. my pirouette. 'an opportunity level with your fans.' that's what they tell me. people wanna know whats goin on. be up to date. i can understand that. i like knowing whats going on. i like being up to date.
one thing to remember is that i have a heart and i have bones and muscle and skin and eyes and teeth. i have emotions. sometimes i act according to emotions. sometimes i think and make a conscious decision. i usually do that. in fact i usually think too much. sorta neurotic. i make mistakes, and i deal with them. i have fears and i have anxiety and i have insecurities and i have vices which i often give in to. social situations enhance all of these qualities. i could probably use some discipline, and lots of things bum me out, but generally i'm happy, and i enjoy making other people happy. sometimes all it takes is a smile. sometimes it takes a lot more than that. i try to be honest. especially with myself. i know that i'm fortunate. i'm sitting here and i have a pulse and i can breath and i hear birds outside and the buzz of the freeway and the suns about to set and it's a friday. that's fortune. i also know that i'm fortunate in many other ways. three brands support me and enable me to surf every day and travel and eat and have a house to live in. in return i represent their company in a positive way. i feel like i do a decent job. but that's obviously up for debate. surfing is my passion in life. i always think about how lucky we are that there's even an ocean, and its not too hot or too turbulent and it's not made of acid that burns our skin off. and how lucky is it that the land tapers into the ocean in just the right way so that when lumps of energy approach from a thousand miles away they gently rise up and crash at just the perfect speed so that we can wave our little arms and match their speed and hang at the crest weightless for just a second before sliding down the face. free to ride it in any way you please. and there's not just one of them. there's tons of them. they keep coming. all different sizes shapes and speeds. everyday they're different. endless joy.
there are of course a number of things that get in the way of feeling this joy: crowds, twitter impostors, eggy locals, eggy surf bloggers, overzealous surf photographers, chris mauro and rip curl contests, just to name a few. that was sort of a joke, but not really, and besides, surfing isn't just about joy. it's also a sport. an industry. and we must not mix business with pleasure. by accepting endorsements i assume a certain responsibility. some think that responsibility is to compete. to put on a jersey and crush my opponent. despite a flimsy one dimensional criteria and an inconsistent playing field that causes the end result to rarely come down to performance alone. maybe that's the fun of it. i don't know. i do enjoy it. but do i believe in it? enough to dedicate the better part of my life to it? or is that irrelevant because it's my responsibility? i didn't have to answer this question because knee surgery in january answered for me. by the time i was healing i was already gone. three buttons to the wind. adventure over responsibility. career suicide! blowing my potential. wasting my talent. i heard the buzz.
in all reality i was being constructive in a different way, traveling to a variety of locations and pushing personal boundaries in an attempt to learn, grow, and improve. it's not as immediate as a contest webcast, and heaven forbid its enjoyable, but in the end it's equally important and i've been neglecting it for too long because i was in a comfy space where contest results alone were satisfying. in order to be successful in surf competition you need to refine your act into a nice little package presentable in a 30 minute period in a number of trying conditions. you need to kill the variables. trim the loose ends. stay on your board. know your equipment. wave selection. endlessly try to revisit motions that score the most points. there are obviously exceptions to this. kelly slaters full rotation slob air reverse in new york. that was not a motion revisited and it was epic. on the beach afterwards: 'so kelly slater, how was that slob air reverse!' 'oh, is that what that's called?' also john john florence and gabriel medina. maybe it's only a matter of time before they refine their act, but for now i'm really impressed with their competitive success despite such rawness. rawness is good. surfing with john john this year in japan was enlightening. it was like every wave he was exploring new territory. i wanna explore new territory! i wanna unwind! by the end of the trip i felt improved and rejuvenated and then crunch! i busted my ribs at the mercy of a fresh typhoon swell. nearly drowned. another month out of the water. gotta pay to play. especially when you're trying to keep up with john john in waves of consequence.
and so here i am. 26. officially off tour. wasted talent. blown potential. refusing responsibility. 'all he wants to do is sit at home and play with crayons and ride fucked up boards.' but wait! but wait! that's not true! don't listen to chris mauro. he's a dinosaur. doesn't get it. this may be the end as a wct contender, but its also a new beginning. i feel like a baseball. the skins been carefully pried off and there's a thread and i'm gonna pull it and i'm gonna end up a pile of string on the floor. but then maybe i'll be knit into something more useful, like a sweater. or perhaps something beautiful, like a hand embroidered masterpiece of a deer and two fawn drinking cold clear water out of a creek. but you never know. i hope to achieve some sort of balance. yeah, i do like riding fucked up boards, but i also like doing airs and taking some aggression out on a cutback. and competings rad if you can stay inspired, but rankings and trophy's mean very little to me. i wanna learn, i wanna make things, things of purpose, be productive. travel. new experiences. new sensations. and most importantly explore the outer limits of performance surfing. i'll still compete. but its not going to consume me.
finding this balance will be a challenge. but its just a step in an endless set of steps. a staircase. it's sort of a big step. too big to just hop up. i gotta climb. like, with a rope and safety gear and shit. and i might get there and be bummed out and like my old step better but that's just the mystery of life and i'm happy to experience it. and i'm endlessly in debt to the ones who make it possible. firstly surf fans who have resonated with my surfing for one reason or another, because at the bottom of everything, you're the only reason i'm able to have the sponsorship that allows me to travel and eat and pay the bills and continue surfing. secondly my sponsors: channel islands believed in me from the ripe age of 13 and continue to craft boards that allow me perform at my highest potential and also craft boards that have nothing to do with performance at all, but make you realize how much joy you can get out of a simple high line. i thank quiksilver for their unwavering support, re-signing me during a year of uncertainty and working with me on honest marketing and products. i also thank vans for picking me up. every person on the team is one of my favorite surfers and/or people and i'm honored to be apart of it. there are, of course, hundreds of people worth thanking here, but this is who comes to mind tonight: my girlfriend courtney, for giving me inspiration, giving me perspective, giving me love and giving me treats. blair, for keeping my otherwise maelstrom of a life in order. my parents, for their conflicting views. i don't think i would have done very well in an ordinary functioning family household. my father particularly for dedicating countless weekends driving me up and down the coast to compete. that was a huge sacrifice. also my mom for preaching creativity, fearlessness, and keeping everything bullshit free. and my brother brek for administering many humbling experiences from a very early age. my grandparents, for being probably my biggest fans on earth. particularly grandma bonnie and papa chuck, who come to every surf contest on the west coast. they show up at 7 am to get good parking, even if i surf at 3. and also grandpa bob for giving me his super 8 cameras when i was 18 and instilling a lifelong hobby.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Dora's check list
*I've learned that it take years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.
*I've learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you better know something.
*I've learned that no matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides.
*I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
*I've learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you are down will be the ones to help you to get back up.
*I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
*I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
*I've learned that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
*I've learned that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
*I've learned that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.
*I've learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you better know something.
*I've learned that no matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides.
*I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
*I've learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you are down will be the ones to help you to get back up.
*I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
*I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
*I've learned that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
*I've learned that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
*I've learned that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Joaca Annual Party
I'm so proud that the boys were wearing OutraCultura t-shirts at the Joaquina Beach Crew Annual Party. Nothing more nothing less than Fabricio Machado, Xandinho Fontes, Zozoisna, Rodrigo Viegas e Rico Resina representando a firma. Valeu Rassa!!
Fascination in very simple things
Greg Noll called Miki Dora just before he died and asked him: "Well, how's the battle (against cancer) going?" And Miki said: "They gave me morphine, so you excuse me if I make no sense, and then they followed that up with an enema, and as soon as I'm done talking to you, I'm seriously considering doing a wall painting."
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Dora lives!
Uma rapida viagem de carro que durou dois dias. Mas simplesmente alucinante. Eu dirigi de San Diego ate' Los Angeles, passei na fabrica da Body Glove pra pegar uma roupa de borracha nova e uma botinha pro inverno. Consegui um excelente desconto atraves de um amigo (Scott Hamrick). Scott tem uma escolinha de surf em Encinitas no qual no ultimo verao eu trabalhei dando aulas de surf pra fazer uma grana extra.
Depois tocamos pra Malibu. Eu acabei de ler o livro do Miki Dora, e fiquei muito curioso pra conhecer Malibu e a famosa direita. Entao parti nessa missao. Lendo o livro, eu me identifiquei muito com a galera de Malibu dos anos 50 e 60. Me lembra muito a galera da Joaquina nas decadas de 80 e 90. Fiquei impressionado com a beleza do lugar. Um recanto natural escondido a poucos minutos de Los Angeles, uma das cidades mais movimentadas do mundo. Uma trilha pra chegar na praia, cheia de coelhos selvagens, uma saida de rio numa desembocadura de pedras formando um pointbreak de direita de sonho. O mar estava flat, mas foi lindo ver os passaros voando, a paz do lugar. Tiramos algumas fotos na famosa parede de Malibu, onde ate' a alguns anos atras ainda tinha pixado "DORA LIVES!"
Voltamos pra Santa Monica, demos uma caminhada no calcadao, so' de ver as pessoas eu ja' me divirto. Cada um tem seu estilo. Sentamos num restaurante, minha namorada ordenou uma taca de vinho branco e eu uma Stella Artois no draft. Bem na frente do restaurante, no calcadao, uma senhora tocava violao e cantava em frances. Ela inclusive tocou algumas musicas do Tom Jobin em frances. Alto astral.
Ja' de barriga cheia, eu e minha namorada Emily fomos encontrar o irmao dela que vive em Los Angeles. Ele mora num ap bem manero em Santa Monica, onde fizemos um esquenta antes de ir pra night. Fomos num bar meio underground em LA downtown, os DJ's quebraram. Um DJ de UK que eu nao lembro o nome meteu um Dubstep mas com bastante influencia de House, e colocou a galera pra pular.
O dia seguinte foi muito louco. Faziam 10 anos que eu e Neco Padaratz moramos em LA durante alguns meses, e costumavamos vagar pelas praias da regiao, entre elas Hermosa, El Porto e Manhattan. Eu resolvi dar uma passada la' pra relembrar grandes momentos. Sem querer, (depois de minha namorada me apontar uma bandeira do Brasil) eu descobri, que o cara que nos hospedou na epoca, e trabalhava de delivery da PizzaHut, agora tem um restaurante no pier da praia de Hermosa. Eu fiquei amarradao quando eu vi o restaurante, "Silvio's Barbecue", e falei pra minha namorada: "Eu conheco o dono desse restaurante..." entramos, pedi pro garcon chamar o dono... e quando eu vejo, la' vem ele... Silvio. Com um sorrisao estampado no rosto ele diz: "Caralho, Morelli!!!" Fazia dez anos que sequer tinhamos nos visto nem em Facebook. Foi inspirador ver o que ele conquistou. Ele foi em busca de um sonho, e tornou realidade. A especialidade dele e' churrasco brasileiro. Minha namorada pediu uma "Caipiroska", e eu tomei uma cerveja escura qual o volume alcoolico era de 8%. Comemos uma sopa "da casa" deliciosa, e ordenamos um prato que se chama "Carnaval Platter". Picanha, frango grelhado, linguica, salada, feijao e arroz. O frango tava muito bom.
No caminho de volta a Newport, onde passariamos a noite na casa dos pais da minha namorada, dirigimos por Palos Verdes, um lugar lindo que eu nunca tinha tido a oportunidade de conhecer antes. Paramos pra ver o por do sol num pico que tem uma pequena bahia e dizem que quebra altas ondas, mas que o localismo e' impenetravel.
Uma viagenzinha rapida, no meio da semana, de carro, porem marcante. A costa da California e' exuberante e a Pacific Coast Highway e' uma das estradas mais lindas do mundo para se viajar.
Vive le vie!!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Astronauta
I would like to write about my brother now... so... I'm gonna do that... My brother is gnarly. Seems cheesy. But its not. You don't even know. It's a honor being his brother. I was a such of an "asshole" older brother. These days I realize that was a naive thing. I think that was my way to make him very special. Since we were little kids playing soccer, and he was young, but I would trust him and I'd put him in the team, as defense, and I would tell him... "don't let anybody pass you!! go for the ball and kick it away from here!!" He always did a really good job. I was always proud of him. But I also gave him some hard time. He was always so committed. He was so loyal to his older brother. Then I realize I was everything he has to look up for. And... another thing I realized, is... he became the person who he is, is because of that. But he just went so faraway. He just not made the family name bigger... he made my name bigger. I remember when my friends would come to me and say: "Guto was surfing very good today!!" That would make me surf better. We carry the Morelli legacy. Our Dad was an amazing sports man and was a professional soccer player for AVAI in the 60's.
Suddenly my brother was putting himself in situations that make people's jaws drop. It's pretty insane when you don't make any money, you don't have to prove anything to anybody (besides your older brother), and you go for broke. Surfing huge waves, just for fun... or.. to prove something... either way... It's Psychedelic!! Guto did it! He became a legend! He is a Legend!! I'm so proud of him! "Good job Brotha!! Te amo irmao!!"
(photos: Kate Wade and Emily Sanford at the TurfClub, Guga "Snow8" Hoeschel after the thanksgiving turkey, and the cat Erin)
Saturday, December 3, 2011
TableRock
Two fishes swimming in opposite directios. Natural perversity. Kindness joins with keen intuition to make the best sort of friends. Charitable and self-sacrificing. Imaginative and sensitive. Compassionate. Escapist and idealistic. Secretive and vague.
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