The Visually Impaired get hands on with a Tiger

Did a fascinating and crazy story awhile back for the Wall Street Journal about the Oregon Zoo.  In seems the zoo anesthetizes its tigers every few years to do check ups.  Well someone had the idea to add a bunch of visually impaired children to this scenario.  I can just imagine the conversation where someone pitches this idea.  But somebody pitched and somebody agreed and the result was both amazing and surreal.  Swarms of people touching the paws, whiskers, even the tongue, of a 235-pound Siberian named Nikki.  Meanwhile the big cat is being shaved, having blood drawn, getting its temperature taken (and yes, you are correct about where the thermometer was placed).  Really a once in a lifetime experience not only for the children, but for myself.  Oh, and the tiger.

Totally Tubular

So many people I have talked to rave about surfing the Oregon Coast.  Not too crowded, nice waves, quaint little towns.  All I can think about is the cold.  Even dipping my toes in that icy water makes me dream about senior beach week in Ocean City, Maryland.  But I digress.

I appear to be the only one who has those issues though, as the go-to-spot, Short Sands, is littered with very hip looking crowds, swathed in neoprene.  And I was more than game when long time friend and writer Lucy Burningham told me she needed a picture taker for her very first adventure into the waves.

Oh, and did I mention the Wall Street Journal wanted to hear all about it?  We grabbed Christopher to shoot video and our merry band of journalists headed West.

As typical of the coast, we were blessed with perpetually changing weather, but after a lesson with Lexie Hallahan of Northwest Women’s Surf Camps we witnessed Ms. Burningham ride her very first wave.  Almost made me want to jump in.  I said almost.

If you are feeling like you may want to take a dip and a trip yourself, read the article.

Lucy and I first worked together for Imbibe Magazine in Croatia, where we found ourselves racing around the country chasing down truffle hunters and infused liquors.  If that doesn't make for permanent bonding, I don't know what does.  Check out another one of our adventures involving sauerkraut here.  And if you are someone who like to bike and drink beer (this perhaps maybe everyone I know), then be sure to grab Lucy's fab book, Hop in the Saddle.

Learning to Surf on the Oregon Coast, with the Wall Street Journal from NashCO Photo and Video on Vimeo.

On Assignment - Wall Street Journal - Crabbers struggle with late starting season

The day after Christmas in Newport, the docks sat full of idle boats, as crabbers from northern California to Washington waited for inspectors to give them the go-ahead to fill their holds with the meaty Dungeness crab, the jewel of Oregon's seafood industry. I joined Wall Street Journal reporter and old skool music junkie Joel Millman on a trip to the coast to report on the crab season. For the second straight year, the eight-month crabbing season is starting late, after inspectors determined that crabs along a stretch of Washington coastline needed more time to get to 'meat' size.  The gods of sunshine and of reporters that have to work on holidays took pity on us and we had some gorgeous weather and some very tasty seafood (I had clams, not crab).  See the slideshow online at the WSJ.com

Marriage, it's not just for straight people anymore.

The WSJ called and asked me to shoot all the gay marriages that are sweeping across the fair state of Washington thanks to Referendum 74.  So heartfelt to see couples together for 30 years or more (and with grown kids in tow) finally being able to make it legal.  You've come a long way baby!  And I did almost cried, I admit it.  Thanks to Equality Southwest Washington for organizing many of the weddings.