A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

pdga

Lines seemingly drawn in disc golf standoff

It’s been awhile since I’ve paid much attention to the world of disc golf.

There were many reasons I walked away from the sport a few years ago. Not that I ever was a great player, but it was a fun game and I enjoyed going to events and tournaments. Though one of the reasons I stopped was because I had to drive more than an hour to play at a decent course and that I had a new job, another was because I didn’t like certain directions the sport at the higher levels was going.

Up until that point, I had run a pretty successful disc golf blog (rattlingchains.com) and tried to utilize journalism as a way to cover the sport, rather than basic Q&As or reviews. I think, for the most part, me and the group of people who worked tirelessly and voluntarily did a solid job of covering that mission.

Still, I had lost my true like for the sport for various reasons and decided I needed to walk away, so I did. I’m not saying I’ll never play another disc golf round again, but I knew I needed to take a long break and not worry about it. I do still read a couple of blogs, and I watch tour standings for the pros and all (after all, a few top-level pros had contributed to Rattling Chains, so it’s nice to see them continue to grow and push the sport), but I have distanced myself from other parts.

Steve Dodge, as shown here at the 2011 Vibram Open, is a visionary in the sport of disc golf and has made a big stand in hoping to help the game.

Steve Dodge, as shown here at the 2011 Vibram Open, is a visionary in the sport of disc golf and has made a big stand in hoping to help the game.

Part of that is the PDGA, which is the governing body of the sport. Though the reality is you never will agree with everything a governing board does, I scratched my head more often than not about things the PDGA did. For those who read my blog, you may recall me writing about a phone interview I had where one of the questions I was asked about my like or dislike of dogs?

Yeah, this post covers that.

Let’s just say that the interview came with a certain governing body of a sport I once used to play on a more regular basis.

Anyway, over the few years I ran Rattling Chains, I had the opportunity to interview, talk with, and pick the brains of many prominent people in the industry. Some of them were higher up, so to speak than others. Some of these people I still call friends to this day, which is something I hold a bit more near and dear.

And some of these people I would also call visionaries. I don’t use that term lightly, but when dealing with a sport that is still in its grassroots era and trying to grow beyond an image of pot, booze, and flipping Frisbees, you need visionaries.

You need somebody like Steve Dodge.

I met Steve several years ago through a mutual friend and I came to like and respect Steve at the highest level. His mind on the game is amazing. He’s the head of Vibram’s disc golf division. And though he told me, honestly, that he loved the idea of what I was trying to accomplish with Rattling Chains, the reality was it might be a little before the time (it was) that the sport needed something like that.

I had the chance to watch Steve in several capacities and I’ve tried to maintain some contact with him as much as I can. This past summer, he actually contacted me about possibly doing some work with him — to help get media coverage and give some as well for this fledging new tour he was working on — The Disc Golf Pro Tour. Unfortunately, with my schedule for the summer, it just wasn’t a match. But it made me look to see what he was doing and, as per normal, his vision was moving the game in a good direction.

Recently, I read a blog Steve posted about a pro player being suspended for 18 months for actions on the course. With not being there and only reading a few reports, I can’t really comment on the situation. Apparently, this player has had issues before and was currently on probation. Apparently, the situation, too, includes some possible physicality. If all that is true, I have a hard time thinking this person shouldn’t be suspended for some length — but is 18 months too long?

That’s what the PDGA did, though.

Now, disc golf touring pros go grassroots. They make their money in many ways, be it sponsorship, tournament winnings, clinics, etc. So this would definitely cut into a person’s living if he couldn’t play sanctioned tournaments. And I’m not defending any negative actions he did. If any normal person did something negative like this, they’d likely be suspended or fired. Just because he’s an athlete doesn’t mean he should get special treatment.

Disc golf really is a great sport, but it needs to keep growing in many ways and with many people.

Disc golf really is a great sport, but it needs to keep growing in many ways and with many people.

But it seems like there are other ways to take care of this, as well as making sure you still uphold the integrity of the game and keep top players playing.

And these are the types of things, too, that I’ve long said hurt the sport reaching the mainstream more. You can’t have tantrums and physical confrontations and things like that, mixed in with how many people view the sport already (hippy sport) and expect it to grow in a positive light. I remember a few years ago when I was playing in a tournament and saw one of the most amazing meltdowns I’ve ever seen by an adult. Screaming, throwing of discs and bags and, eventually, walking off the course.

If you get like that over throwing plastic — no matter your level of play — you need a dose of reality and a suspension is likely called for. But back to the original — is 18 months too long? Does it hurt the sport? Normally I would say probably not. But in this situation it might. A punishment can be handed down without that long of a suspension and without just extending a probationary period. Maybe a mix of the two and some fines might help. But when handing out punishments, sometimes you have to look at a lot of things. Again, I wasn’t there and I didn’t see it, as well as only hearing certain aspects. So take that all with a grain of salt as I’m going off what I have heard/read.

As the governing body of the sport, the PDGA has to accomplish many things. Since I’ve left playing the game on a regular basis, I watch things to see if it continues to grow. I know at a local level, some things have (local to me) because I still see one or two area clubs and what they do is amazing. But, that’s local. That’s not the PDGA. Most things I see happening in a positive way are more grassroots. I’m not saying the PDGA doesn’t do anything good — the organization does — but not at the level it probably should.

Taking all this in mind, I was still shocked when I saw Steve Dodge’s Disc Golf Pro Tour, which is holding its championship this weekend, decide to not sanction the tournament. That means it is no longer a PDGA event. So, those playing in it won’t do anything with their PDGA ratings etc.

In the end, for the pro players, that probably doesn’t matter. After all, they’ll still get paid if they place. The PDGA doesn’t hand over money for tournament directors to give to the winners.

This is a bigger issue, though, and Steve Dodge is making a stand. He outlines in his post why he is doing this and he isn’t afraid to call the PDGA out. I encourage you to read Steve’s post and form your own thoughts and opinions on this stand.

Basically, according to Steve’s post, the PDGA is not working with the DGPT, and the DGWT (a world tour that also started this year) in regard to scheduling, working together on other aspects etc.

So, the PDGA basically drew the line in the sand and took their discs and went home. Steve has seemingly shrugged and grabbed his own discs and is playing anyway.

This is a good thing. This is the type of stance that makes organizations take notice. This is the type of situation that can lead to eventual change.

For disc golf to get to the next level, a lot of things have to happen. But people like Steve Dodge and others have visions that need to get some attention. The PDGA seems to walk the same line (at least as long as I’ve been near the sport), which doesn’t necessarily grow the sport. Little things are good, but you can’t do everything as one organization. Steve Dodge is being smart — he’s looking to grow the professional tournament end of things. Bigger prize money and things like that.

Change doesn't happen overnight, but it takes something big to usually make change happen.

Change doesn’t happen overnight, but it takes something big to usually make change happen.

But the game needs to grow underneath for it to be bigger and bigger and that means the amateurs, and the people who just go out and chuck discs. Without them, you lose a base that allows the pro tour to continue to get bigger. It takes time and it takes a lot of vision to be able to shape the direction of a growing sport. But for a professional tour to grow and gain major sponsors, you need fans. The way to keep growing a fanbase is to grow at the lower levels and not just be worried about a professional tour. That’s something the PDGA should fully invest in doing, especially when you have people like Steve Dodge and Jussi Meresmaa (Disc Golf World Tour) utilizing great visions for a top-level pro tour. These are people the PDGA should be working with, not necessarily against or in competition with.

Growing the game also means having the ability to change your thinking and be open to ideas that go beyond the realm of the organization’s normal thought process. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that’s the direction the governing body always leans.

I hope this move Steve made makes some waves. It might or it might not. For the good of the sport, hopefully this is the move to make all parties involved realize they need to work together, and work together well. If not, it could come down to high-level players having to choose sides about where they play. At that point, it’s going to likely come down to prize money (and for a pro, it should), and that ultimately could be something that splits the sport in different directions.

Steve Dodge has talked about a tour like this for as long as I’ve known him. His drive and passion is unmatched by nearly any person I’ve ever met in the disc golf world. He’ll make this succeed and make it bigger — of that I have no doubt — and he’s already proven he’ll do it with or without the PDGA.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook!

Looking back at 2012: Finding the good in an awful year

No matter how bad things are, sometimes you have to sit back, realize it’s a blessing to be alive and smile.

This post definitely will have its ups and downs.

Last year when I did a look back at the year, I was in the same situation I am now — unemployed. But I still was optimistic. I had taken advantage of the year by being able to see things as I did my job search.

But as those months continued into 2012, it got worse.

I didn’t go see things as much. I canceled — understandably so — a trip to GeoWoodstock X (to be fair, it sounds like canning the trip wasn’t the worst thing. I hope to get back to GeoWoodstock some time in the future). I also didn’t do several things I had hoped to do, such as do a repeat trip to my Aunt’s house on the Jersey Shore.

Still, I’ve tried to remain as upbeat and as positive as I can. Despite knowing the end is near (or done if nothing has happened) to unemployment benefits, I realize I’m not even close to many others. I have a roof over my head, food to eat and family and friends who care enough about me to try and help or get my mind off things, if even just getting together for a slice of pizza or a beer.

That doesn’t take away from the negative thoughts I have in my head. I look at others who are successful and happy in life and wonder if I’ll reach that. I realize I chose a bad career path — or at least it seems — and I need to figure out something to do.

Hopefully, 2013 will be that year.

That being said, 2012 wasn’t a total wash. The reality is, I try and do whatever I can to try keep an upbeat attitude, if even just for a day or two. The lack of finances has made me look for more affordable things to do, especially in the local area. From photography to community events, I’ve seen a lot more of the area, which is a positive thing.

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One of the biggest — and brightest spots of my year was Rattling Chains, a blog I created to cover the sport of disc golf. This was done as a hobby during my spare time as I wanted to see if a niche blog like that could work. Disc golf is an extremely fast growing sport, so maybe something like this could take off.

And, compared to my hopes, it did.

I had a fun year in disc golf, but would have liked to played more!

Since launching the blog in early March, the site has received more than 115,000 views. That’s not shabby for a small crew (there are 3-5 of us who write on a regular basis) and with no financial backing or gain. We’ve put out some quality content and that’s been something I’ve really been proud of.

At times, it’s been hard to continue. And there’s no guarantee we’ll make it. Who knows what life brings. But for now, we’re doing well and have a loyal group following us.

In other parts of disc golf, I didn’t play as much as I would have liked this year. Unfortunately the drive to get a local course failed, so that made it harder for me to play. Driving 1 1/2 hours to play a round isn’t smart in regard to time or finances.

That meant I also only played in five tournaments this year — two PDGA-sanctioned tournaments (I reached my goal of hitting 700 as a rating), two doubles tournaments (we cashed in one!) and one Ace Race.

I’ve also played a bunch of casual rounds — including one with 2010 world champion Eric McCabe. So, in the end, I think I improved quite a bit, which is something I wanted to do.

****

During this year, besides seeking a job, I was also seeking something else — peace.

The reality is, I have a lot of hate when it comes to some things in my life. I’m coming to terms with much of it and, I think, by the end of this job hunt, I’ll have come to total peace.

In fact, I really think I’ll face it head-to-head when I know my life is taking a better turn.

In the meantime, as I tried to shake it — I wanted to find some sort of peace. Kind of finding that place where I knew I could get away and just relax and not worry about anything else.

For those of you who know one of my closest friends Darren, you know he’s got his hands into so many things. That usually means when I get the chance to hang out with him, there’s going to be something different.

Finding kayaking was an important part of my year.

Kayaking was one of them.

Though I had always wanted to learn to kayak, I had never done it until this year. The first couple of times I went was with Darren. I used one of his kayaks and we paddled the local river. However, the kayak wasn’t truly good for me.

The next several times I went, I rented at a local kayak place. The owner was extremely helpful every time I went, helping me find the right kayak and showing me what I needed to do. The first time or two I went, I had to get the feel of it. From then on out, I got the “feel” of it within the first five minutes and I was all over it.

I still can’t do like others — have the legs out while chilling — but I’m sure that will come in time. I also need to figure out how to kayak for a couple of hours without back pain!

The one thing I truly found with kayaking?

Peace.

There is something to be said about being on the water with not many around and just coast, soak up some sun and listen to nature. It’s peaceful. You can get into a great place when out there.

I also held our area’s first water-based geocaching event. We had more than 30 people come out on a warm fall day, paddle a mile and a half to the event and enjoy everything.

Way too cool.

I don’t set resolutions or anything like that, but I’m really hoping to be able to afford a kayak and a roof rack this year. I can definitely see me going kayaking a whole heap more, especially if I don’t have to rent every time I go.

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Speaking of geocaching, I had a decent year with that hobby.

According to my statistics, I found 539 caches this year, which is my highest total since finding 1,030 in 2009. Since then, I’ve founf 491 (2010) and 396 (2011).

I finished a monumental challenge in completing the New York State DeLorme Challenge, which is something I’ve worked on for several years. Two big one-day road trips helped me get to the final point, which was awesome. I was excited to share the moment with some friends and it was nice to know I completed the challenge.

It’s been fun finding caches and doing some DeLorme road trips this year.

The challenge final was also my 3,000th find.

I’ve also completed the New York County Challenge, but I have yet to go find the final.

During the year, I had the chance to hit up 13 events, including the first New England mega event, which was held in Massachusetts  We made it a one-day trip (it was only a few hours from me) and had a good time, despite the crazy heat.

Including the seven events I hosted this year, I have launched 16 new caches in 2012. One of those was also my 50th hide (I now have 59). I think I’m most proudest of that, because it’s always nice to put out new caches.

It hasn’t been all great, though. We had a geocache attack this year, stealing upward of 10 ammo cans. A good bulk of them were mine or one other persons. I wondered if it was somebody local or somebody coming through the area and stealing them. The worst part was when my golden ammo can was replaced (it was done by someone else), it was stolen a second time — and one of her caches that was nearby was also close. I don’t know if it’s somebody local, but I won’t lie when I say I think it has to be someone with some sort of a vendetta. Since then, however, it seems to have ceased. So we can hope, anyway.

In the end, it was a good year for caching. I had the chance to go on some really fun caching days and got to meet new people. Though I had to cancel two trips to mega events I wanted to hit for financial reasons, I still enjoyed the year of caching. In the end, it did what it normally does — gave me an out to forget things for a while and took me to some places I likely never would have found without the game.

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This has been an interesting year when it comes to photography, which is why I’ll be breaking that down into more than one category.

First, professional wrestling. I’ve blogged about this before, but when it comes to photography, I’ve really found a lot of fun in shooting wrestling. Especially independent federations. First, it’s cheap entertainment (usually, tickets are $10-$15 for about three hours of action). Second, you can get some great images, be it action, close-ups or even the fans.

One of my favorite images this year in regard to wrestling — Brodie Lee. He’s since been signed by WWE and is wrestling under the name Luke Harper.

I have to say, I’m kind of shocked at how many events I went to this year. I took photos at 16 wrestling events and attended at least one other where I didn’t take any images. That’s quite a few. But I’ve loved the images I’ve taken. I also had the chance to tag along with a couple of indy wrestlers to a training seminar.

You get quite the variety of quality, too. Some is bad, some is good, some is awesome.

Either way, it’s a slice of variety that makes it fun to take photos.

I’ve also had the chance to get to know some of the personalities and am working on some writing projects with a few of them. In the end, I hope to talk to several others and make this one massive project — possibly a book.

After all, the photos only tell half the stories.

Though many people look own upon this sport, these guys (and gals) who do this really have some interesting stories to tell. Some are wild, some are good and some are bad. Some are downright tragic.

I am happy I’ve been able to shoot this sport. I’ve grown up a wrestling fan, so being able to capture these images has been awesome. That being said, one thing the training session taught me is being able to take photos at ringside is way better than being back in the crowd. Maybe in 2013, I’ll get that chance to get up close and personal to shoot the sport in a different light. I’ll look to rent a lens beforehand if that opportunity comes.

I didn’t use my favorite wrestling shot of the year in this post because it’s graphic and I want people to make their own choice if they want to see it. Note it’s bloody. If you want to see it, click here.

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This year hasn’t always been the best for photography.

I started out the year with a bang being involved in the second year of the HooHaa 52 and taking part in the 366 Project.

Some of you may remember I completed the 365 Project in 2010. The project is where you take a photo every day for a full year. I finished in in 2010 and swore I’d never do it again.

My Feb. 28 shot for the failed 366 Project.

However, 2012 was a leap year, so …

Needless to say, I didn’t make it. I sputtered throughout the summer and forced myself to keep going. Once the fall hit, I really hit a wall. No job equaled fewer opportunities to travel around and taking photos in my immediate area was becoming a bore.

So, after about 250 days, I called it quits.

I realize I only had three months or so remaining, but I knew I wasn’t going to make it. So I had two decisions — push as long as I could, or end it there. I decided to end it there, knowing I’d really get mad if I made it to December or something and then slipped.

Also, I think knowing I had completed this project in 2010 made it easier for me to call it quite.

The HooHaa 52 was also a failure. I was about 10 weeks shy of finishing. The reason there is the majority of people who joined this challenge had faltered. And others were using older photos or logging too many in a row. So I got frustrated and gave up.

That being said, Year 3 of the HooHaa 52 is starting this week and I’m more excited than I have been in the past for this challenge. I think we have a good group of people and have tweaked the rules to make it easier. Hopefully by this time next year, I’ll be telling you all about how I finished the project and how proud I am of the group and everything that got done.

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Travel this year was limited. I hit up the Lancaster area early in the year for a couple days of disc golf. Same with a short weekend trip to Philly in November, where I also got to stay with relatives and see some relatives I hadn’t seen in a while.

The Cooperstown Winter Festival was one of the local events I checked out this year.

There were also the two days of 22-plus hours of travel and caching to fill the DeLorme squares. And I ventured a few places to play disc golf, usually day trips.

But things I had hoped to do this year — a couple of geocaching trips, a trip to the Vibram Open — it just wasn’t in the cards this year.

And I’m OK with that. I realize my time needed to be spent (and still does) applying and searching for employment. It’s part of this crazy part of my life I’m in. Throwing money out for big trips just isn’t justifiable, when I’m trying to keep my head above water with bills.

That being said…

What this year taught me was to find more things locally. Things such as area fairs or festivals that are low cost (or free) and things put on for the community. I had the chance to see different things in a different light.

I also explored more of the local area, through geocaching and photography, to try and get out and visit local parks and such. There are a few I missed and I look forward to checking in 2013. There are also many awesome state parks within a couple hours from here. They offer many things and after receiving an Empire Pass for Christmas this year, I plan on trying to visit as many as possible this year.

I got involved with helping people looking for photos of headstones via Find A Grave and did some personal photography challenges. I worked on geocaching things in the local area. There really are so many things in people’s local areas they don’t know about. It’s unfortunate it took me this long to realize it. I look forward to looking at things like this in the future though.

It truly is amazing how you look at things differently when you have to find more cheap and inexpensive means of entertainment.

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In the end, the year featured more than I can put in this post.

It definitely had its ups and downs. Though a lot of the downs outweighed some things, the reality is I still am here on Earth, have good family and friends and am better off than so many others.

I also do believe things happen for a reason.

What the reason is that I’m going through all of this right now? No idea. But hopefully it will show its face in 2013.

Thanks to everyone who has visited the site through this year and I hope to have many more things to post about in the upcoming year!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

2011: Looking back

One of my most vivid and humbling memories of 2011 is walking around Arlington National Cemetery.

As I write this, I’m still in 2011. When it publishes, it will be 2012.

I’m ready for the change.

To say that 2011 has been one of the most frustrating and stressful years for me since I’ve been on this planet would be an understatement.

I’m in the midst of one of the biggest battles of my life — unemployment. I’ve had interviews. I’ve had callbacks. But I haven’t gotten that job offer — yet. I know one will come, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that I’ve dealt with this for an entire year — and still feel that losing my job was unjust. I realize cuts have to be made, but I still can’t and probably never will why mine was cut.

That’s neither here nor there and it’s in the past. I keep pushing forward.

When I look back many years from now and think of years during my life, this one will stand out. Why? Because of everything I’ve had to go through. And I’m not the only one. There are so many talented people throughout the country dealing with the same thing. With unemployment as it is, the market is tougher. I’ve even cashed in many favors to get noticed, to no avail.

Something will happen. And this year will have made me stronger. That’s something that I will take away from all this frustration.

That doesn’t take the distaste away from my mouth. I haven’t been to the doctor in nearly a year (who can afford it when no insurance?), I haven’t seen a dentist (oh how I miss the teeth cleaning) in 9 or 10 months, and I’ve battled the up and down feelings at different times. I’ve learned everything I need to know and then some about unemployment insurance. And the job market. And resumes. And cover letters.

And the list goes on and on.

I’ve learned how to battle some of these items and push forward. I’ve let some of those feelings win at times, however, and that doesn’t feel good.

It took me many months to come to grips with what happened. I finally, in October or November, finally let it go. I’m at peace with it now. I am shocked it took me that long, but it did. I will say that there are certain people of whom I used to have amazing respect and admiration for. That’s gone. There were people I considered friends. That’s gone. The reality is I only keep in touch with a few people from my former place of employment. Once employed again, there might be a couple of others I touch base with.

There are a few, however, whom I will never — ever — have contact with again. There is a strong feeling of dislike, or worse. And I’m OK with that. I’ve learned to keep it under control. I know one day, I’ll rise above all of that and be able to laugh.

Still, with all that negativity, this year hasn’t been all bad.

I’m going to take a personal look back at 2011 and hopefully not bore you in the process!

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The year started off OK, but then, for the first time in my professional career, I found myself on the short end of a layoff. It wasn’t performance based, but there were several cuts in our newsroom.

Anytime I get worked up about things that happened to me in 2011, I try and look at images like this to realize life isn't bad.

Somehow, despite winning or being part of six awards and being extremely loyal, I was one of the short straws. It still boggles my mind.

That put me in a different mode.

I had to re-write my resume, secure references and work on cover letters. I had to basically be a full-time job seeker. That still hasn’t paid off, but I’m pushing ahead.

I battled this early. It was tough, as it still is. But I was pretty in the dumps.

I battled out and went in here and there. But I kept fighting. Still, I made the best of this 2011.

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A friend of mine, Brendan, who has always been more like a little brother, graduated from the Navy’s basic training. I had the opportunity to go out there and see it.

Brendan after graduation.

The experience was excellent. The ceremony was very cool and it was good to see him happy and excited for the next steps in his life. Since then, he’s continued his schooling and is doing well. I hope one day he really gets to make an impact. It’s good to see his life on track better than before.

The military isn’t for everyone. Though I am loyal and always considered myself hard working, I like knowing that if something is really bad, I can look for a new job and move on. It’s not that way in the military, so I don’t think I would have done well with it. But Brendan has done well and I hope his success continues and this becomes something he can continue to embrace and utilize to make his life better.

The trip to Chicago also served as a chance to meet up with an old friend, Scott. The two of us grew up three houses from one another. I’ve kept in somewhat contact with him over the years, but I hadn’t actually seen him in several years. He’s in the Chicago area, so I got to meet up with him one night, have a few drinks, dinner and catch up. I’ve long since realized that making contact with old friends and family is a big part of this life and a way to find some happiness. More on that, as well, late in the post.

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Not long after that, I then had the chance to take a few days and go to the biggest geocaching event in the world.

GeoWoodstock.

The Ferreteers at GeoWoodstock!

It was in Pennsylvania, so not a bad drive. There were more than 5,000 people at this event. And what an experience.

Over the course of three days, we hit up eight events (including the big one), met many new people, saw a lot of familiar faces and had a great time. Of course there were many caches to be found as well!

The experience itself was quite amazing. This was probably the best geocaching experience I’ve had yet. I can’t even put it into words, for the most part. Vendors, people, food, fun. It was excellent.

Hopefully, if all goes well, I’ll be able to travel to Indiana for this year’s edition of GeoWoodstock. We’ll see how the job hunt goes.

As for geocaching, it hasn’t been an awful year. My numbers have gone down, as they have the past year or two. But I still enjoy it a lot. I just don’t go flying our for first to finds in the middle of the night or look for 40-plus find days anymore. A cache here and there makes me happy, especially if it’s a good one. Events are still the most enjoyable part of the game to me and I look forward to continuing this fun in 2012.

I had the chance to have a lot of great finds this year (and many crappy ones, too), but the game maintained its fun factor. That’s the key to me. I always wondered if geocaching would keep that fun and it has. I think that I’ve slowed down and spread it out more has prolonged the fun for me. I know many people out there have so many more finds, plan vacations for geocaching, and live and breathe the game. But if I had done that, I would have lost the interest a long time ago. I’ve kept it and I look for that to continue in 2012.

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And though I’ve had to do it on the cheap (which isn’t bad), I’ve had the chance to do some small trips this year, specifically to Washington D.C. and South New Jersey.

I stared out at this for many hours when in South Jersey.

I crashed at a friend’s house in the D.C. area and had an excellent time. I caught up with him and another friend, saw some great things and had some good food. I hadn’t been to D.C. since I was 5 or 6 years old and don’t really remember it.

I had the chance to do some photography, find a few caches and just relax. It was nice to get away. And, I was even treated to a NHL playoff game, which was wild to watch, especially with the Capitals winning. Good times.

One of the parts of the trip I will remember are the two times I went to Arlington National Cemetery by myself. I just walked around. Took some photos and really took in the scene. It was amazing. And very powerful and humbling.

In October, I had the chance to hit up the Jersey shore. My aunt and uncle own a place in Avalon and offered me the chance to stay there. Despite having a hard time getting in when I first got there, I had three or so days of enjoyment down there. There was hardly anyone there. I walked the beach, took photos, went geocaching and relaxed. I also had the chance to meet up with a cousin I hadn’t seen in many years and we went out for a night of photography, which was a blast.

One of the cool things during a trip to NYC was going to 5 Pointz in Queens.

I also got to take two day trips down to New York City to visit with friends, which is always excellent. I went in the spring and then about a week ago. The city is a great place for photos, food and fun. I don’t think I’d ever want to live there, but visiting isn’t a bad thing. I got some great photo opportunities and it’s a great getaway that doesn’t cost too much for one day.

On the spring trip, I even finally got the chance to go to the top of the Empire State Building, which was really cool.

The best was keeping these trips on the cheap end. All of them of them helped clear my mind some, which was excellent.

***

A game that I’ve embraced more in 2011 is disc golf. This game has been a fantastic addition to my life. For one, it gets you out walking/hiking to play. It taxes you physically and mentally and it’s an interesting culture.

The Ace Race was a fun and relaxed tournament.

Personally, my game has improved some. Not as much as I’d have liked it to, but that’s part of the problem when the closest good course to you is 1:20 away. There has been a push for a course in our area (there had been hopes of having it in the ground this past June or so), but political red tape has stonewalled it. There’s still hope and maybe by this spring we’ll have the dream of this course realized. If that happens, I look forward to my game taking off a bit better.

Still, I had the chance to play many rounds. I also played in seven tournaments (five of which were PDGA sanctioned). I had plans to play in a few more, but I got a little burnt with the game earlier in the year.

I found that playing too many tournaments and not enough casual rounds could really do you in. Why? Because the game becomes too competitive. As much as I like to compete, I also don’t like to get smoked by everyone. Finishing last is one thing, but finishing last by many strokes is another.

So I stepped away from tournaments, except a few. I played more casual rounds. I found the fun again. I even had my best round ever, shooting a 64 at Central Park in Schenectady. That was an awesome feeling. I’ve since had several rounds in the 60s and feel I’m improving a lot, but I need to practice more. Go throw. Putt. Work on things.

The best for a tournament though? The ElectrCity Classic. My opening round was awful. One of the worst rounds I had ever shot at the course (again, Central Park) when I finished with an awful 83. I had been paired up with three players in a much better category than I. They were shooting from the blue tees and me from the white. It was very tough to do this and I still wonder why I wasn’t paired with at least one other in my division. But, that’s neither here nor there. The round dragged on. We got smoked with a nasty thunderstorm. And then finally finished.

With nothing to lose in round two, I relaxed. I was also in a fivesome — all of which were in the same level, for the most part. And I improved. I shot a 72 (and could have been better, sans a couple of idiotic putts), got the most improved round (a $25 gift card to a local sports store) and didn’t finish last in a legit tournament.

I volunteered at the Vibram Open this year. It's impressive watching players, such as Avery Jenkins, throw that plastic as far as they do.

So not bad.

I’m hoping 2012 will continue to see my game improve. I’ve made some great contacts in the industry and a few of us are working on a really fun project. I’ve met and chatted with some of the finest pros in the world, had the chance to volunteer at one of the most prestigious tournaments on the national tour (the Vibram Open) and really got to see a lot of new things in regard to the game this year. I see no reason that won’t change!

Here’s hoping that my game can continue to improve and that I can keep having fun playing!

***

As many people who know me know, most of my online monikers have the word “softball” in them. That’s done on purpose as I’m a softball junkie.

The one good thing about being unemployed during the summer is that I can do all my job seeking during the day and have the nights free to play softball. I’ve played softball since I was in high school and I love the game.

This year was a new experience for our team in our current league. We came in as defending champions.

Champions... again!

And we left as back-to-back champions.

It was a great season. We lost twice, both coming to the same team. One of those losses came in the best-of-three final. It didn’t look good for us in the third game, either. But we rallied in the bottom of the seventh to win on a walk-off single.

It was a tremendous scene, too, as our bench emptied to celebrate the win. I realize it’s adult recreation softball, but the reality is we are not going to be playing pro ball. So this is the competition we have. This is our big time. And to win a game in that fashion after such an awesome series, it was an incredible feeling.

Winning doesn’t suck.

Only time will tell if we can make it three straight this upcoming summer. But I know we’ll give it a run and have fun in the process.

***

Probably the best thing this year though?

Our family reunion.

It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and after some hard work with several people in the family (especially my mother), we pulled it off. Family from my mother’s and father’s sides came to this area for a fantastic day in August.

I met family I had never met before.

Our family reunion was, happily, a big draw.

And saw members of the family who I had only really seen at weddings and funerals. So what a difference.

We had good food, drink, games and fun.

In the end, there were more than 50 members of the family present. There were several generations, too, which made it even cooler.

There were a couple of times where I just stood back and looked around at all the smiles and such. I know for many years, I wasn’t the most family oriented person. I missed some smaller reunions, weddings etc. I regret that now.

But, as I’ve grown older, I realize how great these reunions can be.

I don’t know if I’ll try and do one again this year, but I know I want to do one again, soon. It’s a tough time for many people in this economy, so getting up here every year might be tough.

I did learn a lot from this reunion, however. And I think the next one will be better from those lessons.

But in the end, no matter how much we may have over planned (too much food!), this was a tremendous experience and great time. I look forward to doing it again!

***

With having more time on my hands, I had the chance to work on my blog more often. I think that has been successful.

For the year, my statistics were solid. I only started keeping stats at the very end of February, but according to those attached to my blog, I’ve had nearly 21,000 hits. That’s quite solid for a personal blog, I think.

And, since August, I’ve averaged almost 3,000 hits per month.

I’ve also had a chance to really dive back into photography and work on some personal projects. And seeing as my love of photography has come back, I’m going to once again attempt to do a 365 project. The reason I am doing it, however, is because 2012 is a leap year and it will actually be a 366 project.

I finished this project in 2010. So hopefully I can do it again this year. I always said I wouldn’t do it again, but heck… let’s see what I can get done this year!

***

In the end, 2011 was a tough year. Unemployment has given me a different outlook on this world, people and other things. I’m not political, but it’s my hope that the government will eventually find a way to help people instead of always fighting with other countries. That’s all I have to say about political stuff.

But I’ve met some really good new friends. I’ve had some successes and I look for better things in 2012. I do feel blessed, to a point, for having what I have and knowing life could be worse.

My outlook is good. I am positive. I have a roof over my head. I can pay my bills (for the most part) and I am breathing. I have it far better than many. But that doesn’t take away from the thoughts of personal failure and wonderment on what lies ahead. I’ll overcome, I hope, in 2012.

I am not much for “New Year’s resolutions,” but I do like to set some goals. My goals, in no specific order (outside of the first one) for 2012 are:

  • New job
  • Reach 3,000 finds in geocaching
  • Become a 750 rated disc golfer (I’m at 672)
  • Improve my health (get to seeing a doctor regularly again, lose weight, etc.)
  • Find personal happiness
  • Continue for my blog to grow
  • Complete the 366 project

***

Finally, I want to end this post with some more photography. I’ve decided I wanted to pick out my 15 favorite photos that I took this year. I will put them in no particular order and, I can assure you, this was a very rough decision to make to pick just 15 (I could have easily gone top 25!) (Note: The ones already used in this post are among some of my favorites, but I won’t use them for a second time in this part).

Disc golf basket during sunset. April.

Snowshoeing during an LL Bean course in Albany. January.

Speeding bullet. April.

Changing of the Guard, Arlington National Cemetery. April.

On-site fundraiser at Relay For Life. April.

Kite flying in South New Jersey. October.

Mother's Day golf outing. May.

Delaware County Fair. August.

Eddie Edwards vs. Jay Freddie, 2CW. August.

Vibram Open winner Nate Doss has his photo taken by top women's pro and girlfriend Val Jenkins after taking the ceremonial pond plunge. September.

David. August.

Oneonta Ultimate Idol winner, Liz Walker. August.

Sarah making the final out during a tournament game. September.

Catherine. May.

Washington D.C. (From Arlington). April.

***

To everyone, I hope you have a great and wonderful 2012. May it be full of dreams, good reality, good pizza, an awesome hot dog or three and perfectly poured pints of Guinness. May you smile often and find success in whatever you do.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook by clicking the button on the right side of the page!

PDGA certified!

Certified!

I’m certified.

OK, OK, that probably wasn’t the best way to describe me at this point, eh?

What I meant to say is that I’m a certified PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) official. It’s not something I really needed. I don’t plan on being a tournament director, nor do I plan on playing in a National Tour event as a pro anytime soon. I’m thinking my whopping 672 rating probably wouldn’t go too far in those events.

Still, I had thought a couple of things in regard to this…

  • It would give me a way to learn the disc golf rules a bit better
  • It would give me something to do on a rainy day and make for a good blog post

Over the past few days, I’ve peeked at the PDGA rules book and competition manual. I’ve learned a lot of things I didn’t know about the game. Not all of it makes sense to me, mind you, but I at least know a lot of rules now.

Some things to know about the rules test — it’s 10 bucks, not times and open book. So even if you never looked at a rules book, you should be able to pass this test. One needs 80 percent to pass.

My strategy going in was to take the test slowly. I would read the question and answer based off my knowledge. If I wasn’t sure (or with some, even if I was), I’d look it up in the rules book to make sure of the answer.

Easy enough.

I did all the “paperwork” online and got started this morning. The 25-question test ended up taking me about 45 minutes and really made me think a bit. But, I also learned many things… such as —

  • You can’t play a PDGA event barefoot. (Crap!)
  • Booze during a B-tier event or higher is grounds for disqualification from the tournament. (So that means you should be able to avoid people stumbling around and tripping over themselves!)
  • I learned about your lies when play is suspended because of weather.
  • And, what happens if you throw a disc, it hits a dog out of bounds and comes back in. (Besides the rule, hope it’s not a pit bull!)
  • Discs can be illegal in several ways.
  • Or, what happens if you break a branch to “improve” your throwing stance/look. (Besides the penalty, hope that some tree hugger isn’t there to really get you!)

There are also rules about if your disc lands on top of the basket (and not in the basket itself) or if it gets wedged in the basket. There are courtesy violations and, did you know, that a player can’t bring a dog along with him during a tournament (unless it’s a service dog, of course).

It was a pretty good eye-opening thing to do.

When all said and done, you are approved or not right away. I passed quite easily, scoring 92 percent (23 out of 25). The two I got were ones I should have gotten right now that I see the answer — the questions the way they were written confused me a little.

The one question I got wrong was:

While looking for Player K’s drive they find it in deep crevice approximately 10 feet below the ground.  They can see her name on the disc, but she can not get to the disc. How should she mark her lie?

The answer I gave included a one-stroke penalty because of the distance the disc was down. I had the one part right, but there isn’t a penalty.

The other question I got wrong was:

Player E has a lie directly in front of a cement garbage can preventing her from standing behind her mark.  The TD has said all garbage cans are a permanent part of the course.  By the time she walks up to her lie, she sees that the park maintenance crew has now parked their truck in her way, obstructing the line of play between her lie and the hole.  How can she proceed?

I took some time with this one, even with the rule book. But some parts of it confused me — the wording in the rules. In the end, I knew what I wanted to say and had the idea of the rule in mind, but got it wrong. I now see, with the rule they quoted, where I went wrong. Crazy stuff. Basically the person can stand behind that can (it can’t be moved, which I knew) and the truck can be moved (which I knew, too). But with how it was all worded, I got confused and picked the wrong one.

Still, I wasn’t too upset. I figured 92 percent was pretty solid. And in the end, I became a PDGA certified official.There are more than 3,000 certified officials in the PDGA, according to its website. The certification lasts for three years.

As I said earlier, I don’t plan on being a tournament director or playing on the tour (where having this certification is a must, in both cases), but it helped give me a better grasp on the rules and what disc golf is all about. That’s a good thing as some things make better sense. And if I am going to play in tournaments, I like to have a better feel of the rules. It makes life easier that way.

***

Reminder! Contest going on! I am holding my first (of hopefully many) contests this week. It runs from Sept. 11- to 12:01 a.m. Sept. 18. You can see all the details on the contest post. Enter for your chance to win!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook by clicking the button on the right side of the page!

Weekend away: Vibram Open

Nate Doss sinks a putt from down low.

There’s something to be said about watching professionals perform their craft.

It doesn’t matter what it is. It can be tiddlywinks. Or basket weaving. Baseball. Football. Photography. Anything.

If one is a professional at something, it shows they are above a normal Joe at that specific thing.

Take, for example, baseball. I’m a Phillies fan. Therefore, I can get as frustrated as other fans when I see Ryan Howard strike out by chasing a ball in the dirt time after time.

But when he connects, there might not be anything prettier in the game.

And, as much as I am not a fan of the NBA and never was a true fan of Michael Jordan, watching him play back in the day was a bit of poetry.

The same can be said of disc golf.

Val Jenkins is one of the top women's pro disc golf players.

Though not a fully mainstreamed sport, disc golf is really picking up steam. There are things that I believe would need to be fixed for it to become a true mainstream sport, but that’s for another day. For now, let’s look at what it is.

First, it’s not Frisbee. Or Frisbee golf. Or frolf. It’s disc golf. And some of these professionals make $20,000 -$30,000 or more in a year playing it. Seriously. For his win this past weekend at the Vibram Open, Nate Doss won $3,000. Yes, $3,000 for a weekend of disc golf. Now, your normal Joe can’t pull that off. I realize that. But like any other professional sport, it has to start somewhere.

I spoke with Chris Sprague following the event. Sprague is a professional and finished in a tie for 21st at the Vibram (and still took home $575!) Anyway, he mentioned some things that he thinks need to improve to push the spot along, but for now, he likens it to the PGA in the 1950s. Back when players crashed at people’s homes and the tour was in its infant stages. It’s grassroots.

That’s disc golf right now.

Nikko Locastro is regarded by many as one of the best in the world and the future of the sport.

The PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) is the “head” organization for the sport and holds the major tournaments as well as the National Tour. The Vibram Open this past weekend at Maple Hill Disc Golf Course in Massachusetts was the final event on the tour and decided its champions.

There were a couple of thousand people who came out over the course of the weekend to watch this event. The final day featured anywhere from 100-200 people following the final card, depending on the spot on the course where the foursome was at that point. Another 100 or 200 were waiting foursomes as they came up the 18th fairway. It was quite a scene.

I went with Darren this weekend to the Vibram Open to volunteer. I helped with the media things, writing a few press releases and doing something for the PDGA’s magazine following the tournament. But what this gave me the chance to do was to see, interact and deal with several of the top disc golfing stars.

What I found is that many of them are extremely down to Earth.

Several of them, after I interviewed them, asked where things were going to be published. It’s not such a huge sport where these players don’t worry about what’s being written. It’s still at the point where I think many like to see their names in publications. Or photos. It’s not like an MLB or NFL player who probably couldn’t keep up with how much is written about them.

The weekend didn’t go without speed bumps, however. And that happens. In a sport like this, people aren’t really “trained” to speak with the media. Some might not want to. Some might be too emotional to deal with it. It happens. That will change as the sport grows, hopefully.

That being said, most of the top pros are approachable and speak well. They signed autographs without issue. They chatted with fans, fellow lower-level pros and anyone else.

Reigning World Champion Paige Pierce is one of the brightest young stars in the women's field.

Then they played.

Oh did they play.

To watch someone throw a disc some 500 feet or more is a amazing. Then to watch them throw one 200 feet through a six-foot-wide opening in the woods is even more incredible.

It really made me want to get better. Not that I’ll be at this level, but it was still something that made me say that I wanted to improve.

They putted from 30 feet like it was nothing. I saw people nail 75-80-foot putts like it was normal.

The men. The women. They all were incredible.

Still, the sport needs to grow. There are some things that can be fixed. Namely, the ability to watch or get coverage. The reality is that many disc golf courses are built in the woods. It’s the nature of the game. But for people to watch, they need to keep behind the players. TV and media people are often ahead, but that’s a small crop.

The crowd stands behind Nate Doss and Nikko Locastro.

When one goes to a PGA event, they can line the fairway and circle a green. With disc golf, because the throws are often eye level, one needs to try and stay out of the vision plane of the person throwing.

Darren and I were speaking to Avery Jenkins, a former World Champion, following the tournament. He made a few good points, such as Tiger Woods doesn’t have to worry about all the trees when he drives the ball. He noted that just because a disc golf course hole might be open doesn’t always make it easy.

It’s food for thought, that’s for sure.

The sport needs to grow and there will eventually have to find a way to make it a little more exciting for fans to come watch. If you are close, it’s wild. But when you are in the back of the crowd and can’t see a lot, it’s not as much fun. What these guys can do with discs is pretty wild — from making them go left or right, straight and long, rolling on the ground and other things, it’s cool stuff.

They get emotional, just like anyone else, when things go wrong.

They smile, wave or pump a fist when they make a good shot and a crowd cheers them on.

This sport has a chance to make it big. It just needs to grow into it.

Players, for the most part, seemed to embrace the fans, media and anyone else. Most seem to realize that to get to the next level (which, of course, would mean bigger purses, bigger sponsorships and more), they need to take any coverage they can get. It’s true. This sport has a chance. It just needs to really push forward.

Tournament director Steve Dodge and runner-up Sarah Stanhope share a laugh during the awards ceremony.

Someone like Steve Dodge — the tournament director at the Vibram Open and a very big part of the disc golf scene — really gets it. He has some excellent visions and I hope he gets the chance to see them to fruition. It’s people like this that disc golf needs.

But beyond this, the grassroots campaign has to continue.

Pros need to embrace the lower-level amateurs. Work with them. Realize these are the fans. When Nate Doss or Avery Jenkins is out having a hot dog or a chat with the normal Joes that came to watch them, that goes a long way. Taking photos with fans or shaking hands and slapping five during the tournament doesn’t hurt. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think they should concentrate more on that than their play during a tournament, but a quick slap of a couple fans’ hands can’t hurt if the pro just made a sick putt.

The key word I would give the pros is to embrace it. And let the fans do the rest.

There are some easily marketable men and women in this sport. From Nate Doss, Nikko Locastro, Dave Feldberg and Avery Jenkins to Paige Pierce, Val Jenkins and Sarah Hokom or Sarah Stanhope. There are great young players like Ricky Wysocki and Paul Ulibarri. The names are there. The ability is there. Disc golf just has to push forward. It has to market itself first. And, to quote the movie Field of Dreams, “if you built it, they will come.”

It won’t be an easy trip, though.

When I tell friends about disc golf, I still get the people wondering why I want to play a sport that seems based in “hippies, smoking illegal things or getting drunk and throwing a frisbee.” Though I realize these things happen — and I’ve seen it — I play the sport for the fun. I’m learning. And I see many people who don’t fit this stereotype. The game needs to shake that image first, then keep pushing.

And these pros I saw at the Vibram Open are a good bunch to start that with.

Play the game and play it right. Don’t mess with the public persona. Don’t let the public keep that image of the sport. It’s there for the taking. It won’t happen overnight, but it’s possible. And places like the Vibram Open are great tools to use to show that disc golf can be a big-time sport.

Now, back to me. I learned a lot this weekend. And for that, I’ll be grateful. Some of the things I’ve learned:

  • I need to, and want to, get better
  • Putting is huge in this game (I knew this already, it was solidly re-enforced)
  • Big-time pros can make the same mistakes I make
  • The pro women are as much fun to watch as the men
  • Avery Jenkins can throw the disc… a long way.

The experience started out rough when I first got there, I won’t lie. But as the weekend went on, I had the chance to meet people, talk with more and learn a lot. I hope I have the chance again at some point.

The tournament was also carried on Disc Golf Planet. I see they have been replaying it, so it might be worth a check if you are interested.

I took a lot of photos this weekend, too. If interested, you can check them out in their Flickr set.

Note: I received some cool things this weekend from a vendor at the tournament and I will be holding a couple of contests soon for those items!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook by clicking the button on the right side of the page!