Yes - Oregon is so exciting that it's been 5 years since I visited last.

Anybody still around from the "olden days"?

Cheers,
Austin

Another late day trip on the bay....this time, the seals were a tad more cooperative. (Many getting close enough to splash me as they flipped over in dives...) Without further ado...here's the best I can do..lol.










The last one you probably can't make them all out, but there are six seal heads in the shot.

During the paddle, we also scared up a bunch of gulls....






All-around it was another good day in Oregon...

Cheers,
Austin

So...we decided to try and find a nice new spot to paddle yesterday. We headed down to Tenmile Creek beach and this is what it looked like yesterday....





After seeing that...we decided it may not have been the best day to put in there. So, off we went to our usual beach. Unfortunately...it didn't look much better...however, I decided to give it a shot anyway.

Here I am in full wetsuit glory...lol.






So..then I decided to head out....here's one of me (you can just see me out there with my paddle raised) cresting a wave...









Needless to say..with the way the surf was, I was only out there for about half an hour before I got sick of battling the ocean.

So..we headed home...after feeling slightly dejected, I decided we should head out to the bay and see if I could get some seal shots before sunset. Of course, the second the seals found out I had a camera in hand, they all became incredibly camera shy. This is the best pic I could get (you can just see the little seal head if you look along the water surface right in the centre of the pic...)





And here's a second...the silhouette is the seal's head as he cruised next to my boat...








Of course, after getting those "fabulous" shots, I decided to get grouchy and put the camera back in the dry bag and continue my paddle. And also, of course, the second I did that, the seals were more than happy to get within 5 feet of the boat and start frolicking....stupid mammals. I'll get them yet....lol. If it kills me, I'll have good seal pics up here in the near future..lol.

After all that, I decided to snap one last pic of the sunset over the point and call it a night.....(not the best sunset..the fog/mist was rolling in and the sun was setting over the point...but it'll do until I get a nice sunset pic from Ona Beach...;) )

Cheers from Oregon....

Austin

Here's a couple of shots of the beach we've been launching from to head out to the ocean and one of the Jetta decked out....lol.









The surf yesterday wasn't that spectacular...4-5 ft max...nothing overly fun to ride until you got out past the surf line and into the swells....I'll try and grab a couple of shots on a windier/wavier day...


I'll grab a couple of the seals this afternoon too when I'm out and about...

Okay...welcome to Crazy Austin's House of Deals. No reasonable offer refused!!

I need to get rid of my stuff...somebody make me some kind of offer on the furniture!! lol

Help a brother out...everything that was posted before is still available!!!

-Austin

One addendum:

Two cats -- with litterbox/food dish -- free to good home. Phobos and Deimos need a place to live when I leave.

Okay..so here's the et alii that should have been in the other journal entry.

As we all know...I'm moving...and I have things that I NEED to get rid of. What I have left to move are the following:

1) Couch/Sofa/Chesterfield (for my Canadian friends)/whatever you want to call it. I have a 3 or 4 year old Raymour & Flannigan sofa. Hard to describe...I'll post pictures up in a couple of days (I've been procrastinating..obviously..lol) For the time being, I'll do my best here. It's HUGE (I can lay down flat and I'm 6'5") and HEAVY (fair warning to the purchaser..lol) It's kind of "overstuffed" fabric...in pretty good shape. The original owner paid in the $600 range for it...I paid $250 last year...it's up for $125 from me to the first taker! lol

2) Bed. About a year and a half old. Full-size pillowtop mattress and boxspring. I'm really conflicted as to what to ask for for a used bed....it'd probably make a great guest bed. I don't think that my conscience would allow me to ask for more than about $50...so...there you have it.

3) Little table. Kind of antique-y looking...has a small shelf under it...needs to be refinished...it's currently being used as my TV/PS2 stand. $10.

4) Microwave. Smallish..white...$20.

That's all I've really got left (I have gotten rid of quite a bit..yay! lol) besides small things (dishes, etc) and things I'm moving. If anybody wants anything or has any interest at all, drop me a message here or send me an email @ fcraig@spt.com . Just some notes...everything has to go by Friday, June 30th (I leave on July 1st). Everything is also pick-up only (I could be persuaded to help a bit...but I have my Jetta..so hauling things for "delivery" isn't going to happen..lol). Let me know if you (or a friend or relative or pet or anyone at this point) is interested.

Thanks all.

Here're my survey results, Paul :)

People:
1. How did you find out about/why did you become of estrip?

-I actually found out about estrip through the Beast's blog. In a strange twist of fate, they were bashing Artvoice and either (e:Jason) or (e:Joshua) (can't remember which one of you Larsons..sorry..) was defending a point and mentioned estrip. So I came to check it out and have been around since...

2. How "out" are you about having a publicly accessible online journal. Do your friends know? Does your family know? Do your co-workers know? Does your boss know? Do you use your real name? Do you use your real photo?

-Most of my friends don't know...my family definately doesn't know (not that I think they could find it anyway..)...coworkers and boss...not unless they're tracking my work net usage. lol I use my real name in entries, etc...and there are real photos of me in my journal.

3. How many epeeps have you met real life?

-Hmmm...I'd say 10 or 12.

4. How has estrip changed the way that you meet people, on and/or off line?

-I don't think that it's "changed" the way I meet people...but it has certainly supplemented it. I don't think I would have met quite the array of people that I have if it wasn't for estrip.

5. How has estrip affected you love life?

-Hmmmm...you'd have to ask this one, eh? I think it's affected it to at least a small degree. I've met a couple of people....been on dates and semi-dates. Interesting times with fun people overall.

6. How many of your friends have joined estrip because of your influence?

-None

7. Are you from Buffalo/do you live in Buffalo?

-from Western NY/Yes

Equipment:
1. What type of hardware or software purchases have you made as a result of using estrip?

-None

2. Have you used the mobile version of estrip? Why or why not?

-No...I barely know how to fully utilize my cell's normal capabilities..lol.

Lifestyle:
1. In what way has estrip changed your Internet surfings habits? Describe the amount of time you spend on estrip, when you use it and about how long?

-Estrip has become one of my "must visit" daily sites. I usually spend a couple of hours total each day hanging around and reading journals. Most of the time is at work/during the day.

1a. How many journals do you usually read per day?

-4 or 5 usually...

2. In what ways has estrip changed the way you perceive your local community?

-I think it's definately opened my eyes and given me an "in" to a group of people I may not normally have been a part of.

3. How has journaling about your life affected the way you spend your free time?

-I don't necessarily think that it has affected the way I spend my free time...I still do pretty much the same things I used to, I just write about them now.

4. Has estrip changed your living situation in any way?

-No.

5. Do you find that you mediate/document more of your experiences now that you share them with others?

-Probably not...my journaling habits tend to be more restricted than others. That is, I tend to only write when I feel that something has "happened", an event of some sort, etc.

6. Has publishing on estrip affected the way that write?

-It has probably killed my writing...lol. I think I tend to write a bit more coloquially now...and ignore every rule of grammar.

7. Do you have other online journals? If so, with what service and has estrip affected your usage of that journal?

-No other online journals.

8. Have you ever gotten in trouble for using estrip at work?

-No...and I don't forsee it happening.


9. If you have stopped using estrip, why?

So then...after much hemming and hawing...and some not-so-wonderful developments at my current position...I've decided to make the move to Portland, OR.

I'll be packing things up (not furniture..I refuse to move my "couch-that-weighs-a-ton" and several other pieces all the way across the damn country...) and heading out in July. As such..stay tuned...there will be a small yard sale (anybody know anyone who needs a ballast to run a 400w Metal Halide lighting system? lol), and, I'm sure, at least a couple of "going away" parties.

I plan on continuing to post (You can take the boy out of Buffalo, but you can't take Buffalo out of the boy...lol) as another West Coast Operative...;).

I do have to admit...I've got plenty of mixed emotions about all of this. It feels like "graduating" all over again. I've got one match left with the guys from South Buffalo...I'm already starting to get those same feelings I had during my last football games at Wilson and St. Lawrence. The "this is the last time I'll do X..." feelings. Now, I know there is plenty of rugby to be had out there..but this is the last time I'll be with this particular group of guys...with this group of brothers. But I'm also excited about meeting a new group of guys...wearing some new colours..facing some new competition.

Anyway...like the title says..."Alea iacta est.". Wish me luck!

If you've never spent a Saturday night @ the South Jetty in Florence, OR with a beautiful girl, the ocean, and the stars....you really ought to....the greatest things can happen...:).