Milestones, everybody has them…. an important event or turning point. As well, a marker that tells us how far we’ve gone. For the New Year most of us look back and reflect at least a little and say we made it through another one. The marker.

Important events can happen any time of course, and can be something pleasant or not so pleasant. A turning point? Sometimes we can go a long while before we even notice we had one. Then it’s “hey, things are different now and you know what? It all started way back when”. I’ve been going through a turning point for the last half of this…now past year. So I guess you could say it’s not a turn but a long curve. I’ll save the story for another time.

Sometimes turning points can really change your life direction. When it comes to your vocation all of us will usually have a few through out our working days.

I’d have to say for sure one of the biggest turning points in my surfboard building career came one day early in the year of 1967. I was out surfing at the point in Ventura when my friend Peter came racing out into the lineup and said “Dennis, Bob Cooper is on the beach and he’s looking for a shaper. I told him I know a guy that shaped, he’s out there surfing right now. Would you like me to go out and tell him you’d like to talk to him?”

Cooper had come down to watch the surf while on his lunch break. He was Forman of The Morey-Pope shop at the time.

I paddled in, met Cooper and set up a time to go by the MP shop. When I got there I was directed to an empty shaping bay, given a blank and out line and told to shape a board. When I was finished Cooper gave it a look over and said “looks like you can shape” and gave me a job. I was only 18 years old, very fortunate and little did I know it at the time but, my life was going to be changed forever.

At the New Year we look back and we look forward. And who knows what events and turning points there may be. Work hard, do your best and be hopeful.

Happy New Year!

D.R.