KL:
When did you first realize that the whole pro
surfer thing was going to work out for you?
HB: Well, I started surfing when I was a sophomore,
so when I graduated high school I never thought
I'd be a pro surfer, so I went to college, and
after my 1st quarter Jim
Russi called up and said "we're going
to Puerto Escondido, and Kristin Quizon was supposed
to go but she's underage, we're leaving Monday,
can you go?" so I went, and Prue Jeffries,
Falina Spires, and Frieda Zamba were on the trip
- world class surfers you know, in this amazing
environment, you know gnarly waves. And I just
remember thinking "these girls are way better
than me, but they're maybe not as much better
than me as I had thought." And after that
trip they were going on to Australia for the next
contest, and I was going back to sit in a lecture
hall. and it was then I said "I think I can
do this. Can I do this? I'm gonna DO THIS!"
So I started taking extra classes, and summer
school, and graduated a year early, and now I'm
doing it.
KL:
Rad. Why psychology?
HB: Just 'cause. I was kinda leaning toward business,
but UCSD didn't have a business program, and my
dad recommended I check out a few classes. I figured
it pretty much applies to anything - learning
about people, thinking about how people think
and how they react to things. Which you could
use in any kind of job in marketing or whatever,
learn how to sell something to someone, which
I figure is gonna be good for a post surfing career,
maybe a little marketing action. Who knows.
KL:
Yeah, you hoping to get into that?
HB: It's not what I hope to do, but it's kinda
like plan B. I wanna move to a foreign country
and either have a little restaurant, or surf camp.
Not somewhere that exploits the place, no running
surf tours, but a little surf friendly hotel that
serves good healthy food that won't work you and
keep you out of the water. But if that doesn't
work out I could always do the whole marketing
thing.
KM:
Do you want to see the sport grow?
HB: That's the weird question, 'cause I'm torn.
Part of me says of course. That's my paycheck,
so the more little girls that get fired up on
surfing and wanna go out and buy boards and surf
clothes, the better for me as a professional surfer.
But me as just a surfer? No, I want to see the
sport die, ‘cause it's way too crowded and
they're aren't enough waves. 'Cause as surfers
we're selfish, I mean, I know I want as many waves
as I can get and the fewer people out the better.
KL:
Do you think cat's can see ghosts?
HB: Um, I don't know. That's a good question.
I don't think they can.
KL:
Really?!
HB: I don't think anyone can see ghosts. Unless
ghosts choose to be seen, and then they can be
seen by you, or cats, or whoever. I don't think
that cats have any secret powers that they can
see ghosts and we can't though. Maybe they can
sense them better, it's possible, but I don't
think they see ghosts.
