We are here in The Now.

photo: Alan

"Plastic bags, styrofoam, littered cigarette butts, dirty energy. They're all already a thing of the past. The past just hasn't come yet. And its our job to ensure it does."

- Alan Honadle, Surfrider Foundation San Diego Chapter member



photo: Jordy Smith, Yadin Nicol, Dion Agius, Mitch Coleborn

Alan's comment reminds me of an article I read in the July 2009 issue of Surfing Magazine, "Going Live" by Travis Ferre about the 2009 film "Modern Collective." The film features Dane Reynolds, Jordy Smith, Dusty Payne, Dion Agius, Mitch Coleborn, and Yadin Nicol.

Trailer here; film now available on DVD and iTunes -


An excerpt from the article: "Everything's backwards now. Upsidedown and in reverse ... with a method grab. The future already happened and the rest of us are just watching the replay. Director Kai Neville is living in this future. He's forward thinking. Forward-moving ... While Kai came up under Taylor Steele's tutelage, filming and editing "Stranger Than Fiction", he's also taken Steele's biggest lesson to heart: You've got to keep evolving. Like how these aerial acrobats approach crumbly lips these days, you've got to keep pushing the medium forward. And sometimes that means going backwards. Or sideways. Or upside down. Or even over-rotating. Whichever direction they're headed, the Modern Collective guys won't be filming any skits. They are a skit.

... Even as we were writing this article, the first sentences fell out of date ... don't feel bad. We blinked too. These guys move fast. They also do full-rotation aerial flips that previous generations didn't dare dream of. So what's next? We'd ask Kai, but he's already gone. Disappeared into the darkness of an editing studio. Five years from now, "Modern Collective" will be as outdated as "Momentum." This magazine will be yellowing in some garage sale "Free" box ... so forget the future. Forget the past. "Modern Collective" is here to inspire you to try something different right now. To get on board and be part of their live moment in time. Backwards. Upside down. With method grabs. It's never too late to try something new.

The beauty of Now is that it never stays, and it's always right here."



photo: Aaron

Which also reminds me of this great song "The Now" by Aaron Katz, formerly of the now-defunct band Percy Hill, and currently of The Dejas. You can listen to "The Now" for free here.

"Isn't it amazing, this gift of life. Don't take it for granted. The beauty that surrounds me suddenly astounds me. We are here in the now, living for the moment."

Then check out Percy Hill with Aaron on drums and vocals, below. I miss Percy Hill!