E Komo Mai

On to other things...

2007-09-15T09:36:00.001-07:00

So we remember our time, this blog will remain.

To view what we now do, go to: Timhorsman2...

Last Hawaiian Post

2007-06-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

As I sit on the tile floor of our Hawaiian apartment writing this post, I know it will be the last from Hawaii. The past several weeks have been filled with the stress of moving 4300 miles across the ocean, but have also been filled with memory-making adventures. We've still got lots to do - including selling the car (hopefully at the dealership tomorrow), cleaning and checking out of our apartment, saying goodbye to friends, and buying our final round of Hawaiian trinkets (and Kona coffee)...

Yesterday I rode my last Hawaiian wave (at least for several years), and it was great. It started out as a washed out knee slapper, but as I made a few turns the wave stood up to about waist high, gave me enough face to drag my hand across, a few more turns, up to the nose, and the wave pushed me all the way to shore. It was a nice send-off from the Pacific.

We took Lucas (or maybe Lucas took me) to see "Surf's Up" the new animated feature about the penguins that invented surfing. I was amazed at how they perfectly animated surfing and showed the true connection that surfers have with the ocean...as well as some of the scary things that can happen in big wave situations (like taking one on the head, scrambling to the surface only to find the next one crashing down before you can grab a breath...repeat). I think this was the perfect day for the movie to open, coincidentally on the day I rode my last wave...

Sharks' cove pics

2007-06-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

Shark's Cove

2007-06-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

One more time together...

2007-06-09T11:05:00.000-07:00

By the time we are next near a body of water that produces surfable waves, Lucas will probably be old enough to get on his own board. This was one of the greatest thrills I've had as a parent, sharing this new and exciting experience with Lucas. Nathan is next...I hope to have a chance to teach him to surf as well. I guess there's always Florida.

bird watcher

2007-05-30T16:25:00.001-07:00

Nathan dunks!

2007-05-30T16:08:00.000-07:00

A simple bowl of water was entertainment for hours for both of the boys. Nathan was getting his practice in for bobbing for apples this fall :)!

The Saddest Day Ever

2007-05-19T22:20:00.000-07:00

Our time is running out. We have 23 days and 17 hours until we leave Hawaii -- probably forever. This is sad, but it will not be the saddest day ever. The saddest day already happened. Last Tuesday I sold BOTH of my surfboards within the span of about 6 hours. Luckily, I was at work and JoAnna facilitated the sale with the two individuals who saw the boards posted on craigslist. I think I would have ended up grabbing the board out of the back of that truck and sprinting down the road (now, if you've ever tried even walking with an 8' surfboard in high winds, you'd know this would have been fun to watch).

So it was sad, but it also was a necessary step in moving on with our lives. You can't move 4300 miles (thanks google earth) without getting rid of some stuff...

Daddy's Bed Raquetball

2007-04-13T22:25:00.000-07:00

First, look at this face - happy, full of energy, and straight up exhausted all at the same time.

One of my favorite things -- both as a kid and now -- is playing games like "Daddy's Bed Raquetball." These are games that are made up on the spot, involve some element of a real game or sport, but ultimately are about getting really, really red in the face. These games can be played alone, but are more entertaining when played with peers who you can deride for being terrible at a game that has been in existence for 12 seconds. Other fun games that I have played like this include, "Indoor, no furniture mini-soccer," and "close-quarter, post-midnight dodgeball with unknowing player." Also, any game named using this formula: Try to hit x with y - with "x" being something ridiculous and "y" being any inanimate object.

Daddy's Bed Raquetball involved multiple objectives but basically was taking the above ball and hitting it repeatedly against the bedroom wall while at the same time defending Nathan (baby, not pictured) from stealing the ball (Lucas) or falling off the bed (Daddy). Good times.

Playing in low tide at Shark's Cove

2007-04-05T20:10:00.000-07:00

Nathan

2007-04-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

Oahu mmmmm....

2007-04-05T19:49:00.000-07:00

Jim and Clover at the Malasada Truck (or mamadaddas if you ask Lucas what they are called) So what is a malasada? Only the best local Hawaiian doughnut...cinnamon or powder sugar. Very local and very delicious. I guess they have to make up for the fact that if you want an American pastry you have to go all the way to Maui for a Krispy Kreme!

Lucas and the Gecko

2007-04-05T19:43:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't this be a great advertisement for a GEICO commerical?

Sandy's beach- the background is real!

2007-04-05T19:41:00.000-07:00

Blow hole at Sandy's Beach

2007-04-05T19:40:00.000-07:00

Maui Picture Onslaught

2007-03-30T23:49:00.000-07:00

What you see below are the best from our pictures taken while on Maui this week.

We had a great time on our three day, two night adventure with kids in tow. It would have definitely been a different trip without the kids (read - more relaxing), but that's not how we roll. The kids both loved the demi-sub ride that we took to the reef in Lahaina, both hated the summit of Haleakala at sunset (and its 46 degree temperature), and loved the Maui Ocean Center (Aquarium).

JoAnna and Lucas both hated the Road to Hana...I'm pretty sure "Hana" is Hawaiian for "vomit," if you know what I'm sayin'.

The 'Iao Needle (pronounced "knee-dle"...just kidding...pronounced "yow") was spectacular to see and learn about (one of Kamehameha's bloodiest battles, the bodies clogged the stream - they named it Kapaniwai or the "damming of the waters").

I didn't get a chance to surf in Maui, but I was rewarded with clean 4 footers (occasional 6) at Hau Bush (on O'Ahu) this morning to wrap up Spring Break.

Enjoy the pictures.

Onboard the Reefdancer

2007-03-30T23:48:00.000-07:00

Hana waterfall and Lahaina Whalers Village

2007-03-30T23:47:00.000-07:00

View from Haleakala Visitor Center

2007-03-30T23:44:00.000-07:00

Watching the whales at a random scenic point

2007-03-30T23:42:00.000-07:00

The boys in the Mall playground

'Iao Needle pic and some braddah jumping into the stream

2007-03-30T23:41:00.000-07:00

'Iao Needle

2007-03-30T23:39:00.000-07:00

2007-03-30T23:38:00.000-07:00

Hammerhead shark, Nathan touching a starfish

2007-03-30T22:20:00.000-07:00

Be Afraid

2007-03-30T22:16:00.000-07:00

JoAnna living her dream to touch a starfish

2007-03-30T22:13:00.000-07:00

Hawaii state fish - "Humuhumunukunukuapua'a" or Reef Triggerfish, I'll let you decide what to call it.

Flatfish and more starfish touching

2007-03-30T22:06:00.000-07:00

Sunset at Haleakala...Brrr!

2007-03-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

Getting high...terrible joke--fitting facial expressions

2007-03-30T22:02:00.000-07:00

Quail on the way to Haleakala Summit

2007-03-30T22:01:00.000-07:00

Free Range Cows...The black one hated me.

2007-03-30T21:07:00.000-07:00

"Fresh Fish!"

2007-03-30T21:06:00.000-07:00

Scuber driver

2007-03-30T21:05:00.000-07:00

Feed Me!

2007-02-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

Nathan is eight months old and he hears the refrigerator door open from across the house. He is fast as lightening to get under your feet and into the refrigerator.

Lucas surfing! Next stop Vans Triple Crown

2007-02-11T22:05:00.000-08:00

Here are three videos of Lucas on daddy's surfboard. Notice the complete calm and ease on his face. In previous attempts to get him on my board, he has started to freak out (much like his mother did, though not quite as bad). This day (and one day since) he was all over it..."I wanna surf!" My heart swells with pride just remembering him say that...I love sharing this kind of stuff with my son. We played disc golf together today (in the backyard, and he mostly just caddied, but he loved it and so did I). So without further ado...

Video #1 (The Setup)

Video #2 (Almost There)

Video #3 (Success)

2007-02-11T21:50:00.001-08:00

From atop Aloha Tower

2007-02-11T21:50:00.000-08:00

The best shot of a whale on this cruise...probably because we were too in shock by the Humback whale that "Breached" (jumped clear out of the water) about 30 feet from the starboard side of the boat (like the marine terminology?)

2007-02-11T21:47:00.000-08:00

Ready to see some whales?

2007-02-11T21:46:00.000-08:00

Cute pic of mom and Nate-Nate in Waikiki

2007-02-11T21:45:00.000-08:00

Catch that wave!

2007-02-11T21:44:00.000-08:00

Nathan at Hanauma Bay...with a pigeon

2007-02-11T21:43:00.000-08:00

Teaching JoAnna's uncle Mitch to surf at White Plains

2007-02-11T21:41:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite pictures...ever.

2007-02-11T21:34:00.000-08:00

Finally, Lucas on a surfboard...now we HAVE to stay.

2007-02-11T21:33:00.000-08:00

Daniel attempting to climb the steps at Diamond Head a slightly unconventional way.

2007-02-11T21:31:00.000-08:00

Charissa at Manoa Falls

2007-02-11T21:30:00.001-08:00

Charissa and Daniel at Manoa Falls

2007-02-11T21:30:00.000-08:00

Nathan, JoAnna, Charissa, and Lucas hiking Manoa falls.

2007-02-11T21:28:00.000-08:00

Tim and Daniel paddling out.

2007-02-11T21:27:00.001-08:00

At Shark's Cove

2007-02-11T21:27:00.000-08:00

Nathan, JoAnna, Lucas, and Daniel at Pearl Harbor

2007-02-11T21:26:00.000-08:00

Smile!

2007-02-11T21:25:00.000-08:00

Boy, these two don't look ANYTHING alike, do they?

2007-02-11T21:24:00.000-08:00

Nathan playing tic-tac-toe?

2007-02-11T21:23:00.001-08:00

Giant Roach running across our ceiling

2007-02-11T21:23:00.000-08:00

First Day of Preschool

2007-02-11T21:22:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite spots on O'Ahu (that we never visit)

2007-02-11T21:21:00.000-08:00

Shelley Hall (mother in law), Matt Wingham (uncle), and a tired Daddy on top of Diamond Head.

2007-02-11T21:19:00.000-08:00

Photographer: Lucas Horsman (3)

Skating in Hawaii

2007-02-11T21:17:00.000-08:00

Here is Lucas on the bench with skates off after 5 minutes on the ice. Stupid American blood makes him not like skating...yeah that's it. So, he didn't want to skate, but he sure had fun taking pictures of mom and dad skating around.

2007-01-21T23:54:00.000-08:00

Favorite Movies 2006

2007-01-03T22:12:00.000-08:00

This comes a little late, but I've been thinking about the movies that 2006 had to offer. Nothing extremely groundbreaking or brilliant, but some overall memorable films that tackled some issues, had some fun, and brought the action. Here are my favorites:

1. Little Miss Sunshine
2. Thank You For Smoking
3. Casino Royale
4. An Inconvenient Truth/Who Killed The Electric Car
5. Inside Man

Honorable Mention
The Matador
Lady in the Water
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Movies that I missed that might have made the list.
The Departed
The Illusionist
The Presige
Stranger Than Fiction

Nathan on the beach (New Year's Day)

2007-01-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

2007-01-02T02:41:00.000-08:00

Beach boy

2007-01-02T02:32:00.000-08:00

Nana with the horsey and grandma Hall at Waimea Falls.

2007-01-02T02:29:00.000-08:00

Nana returns!

2007-01-02T02:27:00.000-08:00

Bold and Brave

2007-01-02T02:26:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, he is actually sleeping. He likes to sleep in the water...how fitting that his middle name is kainalu (ocean waves)

2007-01-02T02:13:00.000-08:00

12-01-06

2007-01-02T02:12:00.000-08:00

The Beach House Cafe

2007-01-02T02:10:00.000-08:00

Notice the Horsman smile.

2007-01-02T02:09:00.000-08:00

Mama and her boys.

2007-01-02T02:08:00.000-08:00

Our superheros!

2007-01-02T02:07:00.000-08:00

Who's got happy feet????

2007-01-02T02:06:00.000-08:00

The coolest cake ever!

2007-01-02T02:05:00.000-08:00

His greatest accomplishment- he bought his own DVD by himself. And lucky for him it arrived the day before his birthday party! Smart kid. We now have a security code on our computer....it is only a matter of time before he cracks it!

2007-01-02T02:03:00.000-08:00

Two peas in a pod!

2007-01-02T02:01:00.000-08:00

Ouch! That beard is real!

2007-01-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve Party

2007-01-02T01:58:00.000-08:00

12-25-06

2007-01-02T01:57:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

2007-01-02T01:53:00.000-08:00

woohoo!

2007-01-02T01:51:00.000-08:00

Feed me!!!!

2007-01-02T01:49:00.000-08:00

Nate-nate playing in the sand.

2006-12-16T12:53:00.001-08:00

Hurry!!!

2006-12-16T12:53:00.000-08:00

Nice wave

2006-12-16T12:52:00.000-08:00

Big Drop

Pipeline Masters

2006-12-16T12:48:00.000-08:00

This video happened just as Brandon and I had to leave in order to get him to the airport. Go to the Vans Triple Crown Website to see some more professional shots and videos of this breathtaking event. This day had it all (and we were only there for an hour and a half) -- near death experience, "Let's make sure he's ok!" a broken board washing ashore, several free falls from 10 foot waves into 20 inches of water, crazy good tube rides, cameramen getting in the way, and all around good surfing.

Link to the funniest thing I've read in two years.

2006-11-28T00:47:00.000-08:00

If you know Mark Brewer, you know he's a funny guy. If you don't know him, you will know he's a funny guy. Read This.

Finally: Disc Golf in Hawaii

2006-11-28T00:25:00.000-08:00

In a moment of sheer serendipity, I stumbled across a co-worker who plays disc golf. Turns out there are two of my co-workers who play the monthly tournament sponsored by HDGA (Honolulu Disc Golf Association). There are a group of committed individuals (who perhaps should be "committed") that procure a one-day permit to set up a temporary course on one of O'Ahu's many parks.

The course for November was on the North Shore, and was originally designed by the two co-workers I was to be playing with. I hadn't played (throwing at baskets) in almost two years...this should be interesting.

Playing in a structured, formal disc golf tournament is very interesting if you can get past that nagging-inner-jock-tormenter that is screaming "NERD!"

There were three divisions: 1. Open 2. Am (amateur) 1 3. Am 2 -- Being new, the organizers placed me (graciously) into the low division- AM2.

I finished a solid 10 strokes behind my Am1 co-workers, but won the Am2 division by a full three strokes...not bad, but I should have been competing in the Am1 bracket.

Oh, and the best part...I hit a truck...hard...for money.
There was a closest to the pin (CTP) contest (put in a dollar, and the winner takes the pot). It was on the second hole and I threw my disc with the full intention of just putting the thing in the basket. If you've ever thrown a frisbee 150 feet, you know that aim is sometimes difficult. So, I let the thing go and I think it looks good, but then it kinda keeps going, headed straight for the road and a two stroke out of bounds penalty...Then miraculously, a Ford Ranger enters my peripheral vision and intercepts my disc perfectly blocking it's escape to out of bounds. After avoiding the angry-slow-down-and-look-at-you-though-I'm-not-sure-what-just-happened look from the driver of the truck, I walked over to the pin, looking for my disc. About five feet from the pin, nestled tightly against the base of a 50 ft pine was my beautiful Innova Champion Tie-Dyed Orc (with a slight smear of Ford Ranger gray on the top). I win the pot! That is a plan fiendishly clever in it's intricasies.

Sorry no pictures for some reason...I was too engrossed in the action (read: walking) to pull the camera from the bag.

2006-11-01T00:47:00.000-08:00

Love this picture...uh oh, another techno-baby

2006-11-01T00:46:00.001-08:00

Is this cheating? One house two costumes...

2006-11-01T00:46:00.000-08:00

The walking didn't last long

2006-11-01T00:45:00.000-08:00

Best trick-or-treat house

2006-11-01T00:44:00.001-08:00

Be afraid!!!!

2006-11-01T00:44:00.000-08:00

Little pumpkin-head

2006-11-01T00:43:00.000-08:00

Trick or Treat

2006-11-01T00:42:00.000-08:00

I went as, ummmm, a Canadian

Brothers Laughing

2006-11-01T00:38:00.000-08:00

A video of Nathan laughing at older brother Lucas on Halloween night. Check the backup superman costume/pajamas for the end of the night. BRILLIANT!

For the Brandons (Schenck and Bruce)

2006-10-17T02:43:00.000-07:00

And for anyone else that I've had a conversation with about the north shore...

Last Thursday, October 12th, 2006, marked a very important day in my life. It was the day I checked the last item off of my "Things I need to do while I live in Hawaii" list.

After school, I took my board and a more experienced surfer with me to the North Shore of O'Ahu, to a break called "Leftovers" just past Laniakea beach and Chun's reef. The rain added to the drama of the first "winter" swell of the year. The swell was supposed to be on the decline, but as we arrived, there were glassy conditions with 8 ft waves (faces) with the occasional 10 footer poking through (for those of you who don't know...that's big, the waves in my surfing pics are about 2ft).

As I tried to swallow my heart, we grabbed our boards and walked down the volcanic rock decent to the water. Picking our way around the sharp rocks, we walked out to waist deep and put our boards in the water. I immediately sensed that something was different...the water felt thicker? heavier? stronger? no, none of those, just different. Following specific reef avoidance instructions I began the paddle out. Surprisingly, paddling out was a piece of cake. I almost got seasick from the waves rolling underneath, but nothing was breaking over my head. We paddled out to the lineup and I sat up on my board to get the lay of the land. As soon as had I sat up, a 10ft wave jacked up and began to break immediately to my left. As the silence of the gray afternoon was shattered by thunderous crash of thousands of gallons of water, my legs went numb. I decided to paddle out a little further just to watch, and await my impending doom.

So I sat. I watched people successfully paddle, drop-in, ride the wave, bail, and paddle back out all without dying several times and saw my anxiety began to decline (from paralyzed-with-fear to I-think-I-can-feel-my-legs), some idle chatter from my surfing buddy and another fellow DOE employee we met in the water helped.

Slowly, I began to paddle the right direction to catch a few waves with no intention of completing my task. After about thirty minutes I began to think that I could do this. I saw what looked like a smallish wave coming through and started paddling, hard. I got to the point where the wave jacked up and I was looking down the face...(imagine lying on a plank from a second story balcony) and oh wait, there's my surfing buddy straight down in front of me. I'm thinking, "I'm going to land right on top of him" so I take one last look down the face of this wave and pull up, harmlessly sliding down the backside. I saw the flick of spray as Corey caught the wave and then the thing collapsed in a fit of white. "Ummm, he's dead," I thought. Then 20 seconds later, he pops over a wave about 100 yards to my right. Cool, he's alive.

"So, he didn't die and he's just slightly a better surfer than me. I can really do this"...I look over my shoulder and there is a big wave bearing down on me. As I begin to paddle with renewed determination, I realize that the wave is already decending on top of me. I heard myself "eeep" and then feel the blow of the wave hitting me simultaneously from the top, bottom, front, and back. I was flung from my board and slowly became aware that I was being flipped over and over as the wave tumbled toward shore. I covered my head and waited for my body to start floating toward the surface, then swam the remaining three feet. Just asI was thinking, "I really need to breathe soon," I broke the surface, and inhaled sharply like a newborn that just got smacked. I had one second to think, "That wasn't so bad" before I realized that the next wave in the set was about to do the same thing to my hapless body. I managed to hurl myself atop my board and paddle outside the swath of destruction of the next wave, paddle back outside, and try and regain sanity. That's what we (in the surfing community, ha!) call "taking one on the head" or "getting caught inside."

I had a few more near catches, several mistakes, and took at least two more on the head and then I caught one. It was nothing spectacular and it lasted for maybe 5 seconds before I failed to outrun the whitewater and flipped over backwards, but I did it. I rode a wave at Leftovers.

I surfed the North Shore.

I can't wait until next time.

This is the best pic I could find of Leftovers. The wave looks slightly smaller and not nearly as clean as it was on that fateful day. That's still a monster wave though...and it's about to eat dat braddah.