Sort of like "Where's Waldo*"

but even weirder, and definitely more sexy, "Where's Carl" is the new contest that is taking the Steem blockchain by storm!

10 Steem Prize Pool

https://steemit.com/whereiscarl/@tygertyger/where-is-carl-contest

Original digital manipulation by @hiddenblade | Dead sexy modeling by @carlgnash | Ceiling graffiti by some guy somewhere

Yes it is true, you can earn cold hard liquid Steem by PhotoShopping, Meming or otherwise making a Mockery of all that is sacred while digitally manipulating my beefy dad bod :) Check out the contest post for details. Thanks @tygertyger for picking up what I am putting down, and running with it! Love ya :)

*Okay mind blown moment! I learned tonight while googling "Where's Waldo" that the original name for the titular character of this (apparently British) book series is "Wally"! I.e. Where's Wally. I wonder what was behind the editorial decision to change "Wally" to "Waldo" for the US version?

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Whither Trending?

My friend and resident Steem goddess @yidneth released a truly amazing song with a beautiful accompanying music video and gorgeous accompanying post. A who's who of many of Steem's bigger players came together to support it...

https://steemit.com/music/@yidneth/jt5tm3n6

That a post like this won't even scratch the most rewarded posts for the week is pretty sad when you have multiple whales, curation groups and even a well-vested DApp supported by Steemit, Inc. all hitting it with an upvote (thanks @dtube, @blocktrades et al :).

I know we are in beta. Wait for SMTs. Wait for communities. Yada yada. Serenity now! Just upvote this dang post LOL If you happen to be a whale and you haven't upvoted it, upvote it double please.

@timcliff has launched a campaign to advertise to new investors in the Steem blockchain. Consider sharing @yidneth's post with people when you talk about Steem. A post that showcases what the platform could be. A collaboration between Steem users from inception through execution and even (to an extent) a success of the much maligned proof-of-brain upvoting in action. When any investor does even cursory research into Steem they will wonder about the social media network side of things, and this post looks a hell of a lot better than the usual "Trending" suspects.

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A lizard in the hand...

We found this little lizard basking in the sun on the trail at Mount Pisgah. I ended up writing a post that focused on the oak gall wasps we encountered on our hike, and the lizard didn't make the cut. Too cute not to share though, so enjoy :)

420' flat ground 360° backhand disc golf drive

Phew that is a mouthful of a title! I have been working on my 360° backhand disc golf drive for a couple of years now.

A traditional backhand drive in disc golf involves a series of sideways steps with the feet called the "x step" or "scissor step". Executing the x step puts you in the proper position to throw and does not involve spinning around in a circle like a maniac prior to throwing the disc. The x step allows you to throw with accuracy and power, consistently.

On the other hand, most of the truly elite distance throwers do a full 360° spin in the run up when competing at longest drive events. All the world record distance throws in recent years have come out of 360° backhand drives. It is more difficult to control where the disc ends up, but for pure distance it allows you to transfer more forward momentum into the throw and generate more torque through the hips.

For the first year of me practicing this, the run-up felt incredibly awkward. I did it over and over again in the park, doing a 360° run up and throwing half power throws with the dog frisbee to Yeti the dog. Eventually, after enough of this practice on uneven, grassy, wet and muddy ground, the 360° run-up no longer feels strange. Then I started trying to do it at full power on the small concrete teepads common to most disc golf courses and it took another year of practice before I am finally starting to consistently execute my throw. I have broken 500' on a flat ground throw, and am now regularly putting my farthest throws between 400-450' with the occasional throw 450'+. I can only throw 400' max with my normal x step backhand throw, so I am definitely seeing an increase in distance.

I found a great spot to practice my 360° drive, a little used corner of a park that has a concrete path I can use to tee off from across a huge empty field that is used as event parking for an amphitheater. This video was taken there using the slow motion video mode on my Samsung Galaxy S8:

I love the sound of the snap at release in slow motion! Explosive!

This particular drive I paced out to ~420'. Yeti the Dog is standing at about 280' when the disc flies over her head, for reference. My longer drives will have more of an s-curve, turning right for a while before hooking back left. This drive stayed straight the whole time before the hyzer hook left at the end.

What I need to work on now is keeping my off hand closer to my body during the rip through of the throw (if your off hand is extended away from your body, it slows the rotation of your torso). I get it close by the mid point of the throw, but if you watch a pro their off arm will be glued to their side (or even already reached through to the lead hip and glued) when the throwing arm begins to rip through the throwing plane.

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Much love - Carl