| [This
part of my reports is mostly about the 'Surfin'
Santa Ceremony' night at this year's gathering. I enjoy it a lot, because
of the way it brings everyone together and gets everyone laughing. These
reports are mostly about thanking all the great folks who worked so hard
to bring this year's (and every year's) Outer Banks gathering together,
and also, those who add so much to the warmhearted spirit of it all. My
apologies for no direct surf content in this part, but there will be in
the next part]
The hot batch of enchiladas I made turned out to be really, really hot. So much so that it was actually painful for a couple of folks to eat. But, they were total troopers and tried to eat it anyway between huge gulps of water. When I realized what was happening, I got them some of the milder batch. But folks thanks for your graciousness in trying to eat them! Mike's fajitas, Chris' peppers and Ferg'n'Kim's guacamole were all excellent. Afterwards, I got a good
chance to talk with SteveM. We didn't get to play foosball this year, because
he had to head back that night for teaching the next day (I wouldn't have
been a foosball challenge for him anyway, it's just a lot of fun trying
to be!). The important part, for me anyway, is that I got a chance to talk
with him at length, this year. Among other things, we talked about his
science and which subjects in it he most enjoyed teaching, about what it
was like to
Soon it was time for the
famed Surfin' Santa Awards Ceremony to begin. I knew it wasn't going to
be the same without Foon there... he is the GP Master Of Ceremonies Extraordinaire.
I really missed him and Sarge, too. But Neal Carver, you did such an excellent
job of standing in as MC, Good Fellow! And KC, you did an equally fine
job as his assistant!
I won't go into full detail about the event, because Rod has already put together an excellent page on his website, with pictures & words that tells the whole story so well. And SteveM has written a truly wonderful report about the 'passing on of the thermos' ceremony. As always, everyone got a prize and much thoughtful humor was put into the presentation of each one. I got the booby prize which I fully expected to be receiving. It was a surfing cow book, about this cow that travels around on a surfboard... even goes to NYC! 
I must admit, it does fit me...I do kinda look like a cow (except when I'm in my wetsuit...then I look more like a whale). Either way, it's a great kids book & I'll enjoy reading it with my nephew and some of my cousins' kids. They had me lead everyone in a round of 'moos'...I think it was meant as a friendly comeuppance (sp?) for the length, detail and slowness of my GP reports. I wish you all could have
seen SteveM in action, talking about the thermos. It was just the way you
would imagine him to talk, from reading his posts...and it was a delight
& done with much finesse. He walked back and forth, sat down for awhile,
got back up, used a few hand gestures...as he explained his theory behind
the thermos & how he reached his conclusions, replete with superb tangentiation.
Not only did he have us rolling in laughter...but what he said was
It had been a beautiful evening so far, but there was much more yet to come. Ferg then treated us to the most magnificent display of fireworks! I wish all you folks could've been there with us then. It was like 4th of July or New Year's Eve. We could see all these incredible colors and designs forming right above our heads in the nightsky. It was beautiful. Thanks so much, Ferg! There was one more very important thing that needed to happen to make the night complete. SteveM had written these great lyrics telling the story of the first and truly authentic Guidopalooza, that took place in 1999 with Mark, Sarge, Steve, Myron and Foon. I had tried to learn it on guitar to sing with Steve at last year's gathering, but had missed seeing the last half of the lyrics in his post...and to make a long story a little shorter: we ended up not getting to really sing it last year. This year, with big kudos to Rod Rodgers...we all had the full lyrics to sing: Rod had copied it to his website and printed up a bunch of lyric sheets to 'Hatteras Isle' for us (thank you, R2!): Steve had to go home soon,
so Rod helped gather everyone together to sing. I didn't use my guitar
for it, because Steve sings it the best and I didn't want to mess up the
feeling or natural rhythm of it with my clumsy playing. The lyrics are
set to Gilligan's Island, which is just perfect. Steve said he'd had a
request from someone to jazz it up
Very Special Thanks To Neal, KC, Rod, Steve, Ferg & Dan (and to all) for all your good fun spirit, for being the great sports that you all are & for making it another memorable Surfin' Santa Ceremony. Foon, you were solidly there in our hearts every second of the evening. Sarge & Trish, Mark, Myron, Flek, Craig, Edmund, Jason, Nancy, Ralph, Andy and Todd, you were too. Rico and Lynne, you were there too, very much! Neal & Rod were both totally beaming as they received your wonderful shirts!
Written In Much Appreciation To All, Dee Dee |
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| Posted to alt.surfing Date: 2002-10-02 11:48:09 PST | ||||
