In other areas in the country there is a bigger difference in seasons than here in So Cal. With that said here it is October and I am still in short skirts and sandals.
Last Sunday at the beach and it was our version of fall. It was really cold and even the sand was cold. I really needed my booties but I forget them. Needless to say I wasn’t able to stay out very long, since my feet and hands started to go numb.
It was very clear and the winds had made it especially pretty. Looking toward Long Beach and then towards the Balboa Peninsula was breath taking.
The rest of the week had been marked by highs and lows. With the high winds, this makes for hard decisions on what to wear. As we try to be comfortable, we find the need to keep sweaters and t-shirts both handy. I just put flannel sheets on my bed and by Wednesday I wished I had not.
For me another mark of fall is the constant need to use a decongestant. If I don’t I can’t breathe. I also can’t exercise too much since that will result in a sinus infection and I will be sick for about two weeks and I just don’t have time to be sick for that long.
As for the surf it should be picking up and the winter can be so great around here. I am looking forward to that and more days of cooler weather. Sure we don’t have falling leaves, well maybe on one side of the yard. We do have the hot dry Santa Ana’s and we still get to go to the beach all year long.
As the days get shorter and we have to wear hoodies rather than just t-shirts, well that is fall and winter for us. Beats shoveling snow any day.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Restless
The last few weeks I have been off my game. I went to a writer’s conference and was too tired and needed all my attention to be on my writing. It was great and I was able to meet other writers, some of them fellow surfers and on fellow belly dancer.
Last week I wasn’t feeling good and didn’t get out on Sunday. Of course the weekend I didn’t go out and it was going off in Huntington! These are not excuses but the reasons I was not out. After all that and a fender bender that has my beetle in the body shop, I can say I am really getting restless.
I need to feel the water around my hands and my feet in the cold water. I need to get back out there. Yes I am going tomorrow, so I don’t have to whine too much. I don’t even care if the waves are bad or small and it doesn’t seem like the next few days will be great but I am still going out on Friday and Sunday.
My friends that surf always want me to go with them and they keep asking me when I go out so they can join me. I really am reluctant to give up the time I have alone to be with them. I know it’s selfish, but I have to have time when I am not doing things for others and not entertaining people.
In my normal day I don’t have to talk all the time and I get time to write, like right now. I do have to run around and do things for my boss and good friend. I cook and clean the house and take care of my dogs. Even to get some time at home by myself takes effort. I have to send the dogs outside and make sure other things are done before I can just pull out a book and read alone.
The time I have alone is so valuable to me I really fight for it tooth and nail. It’s such a good thing I don’t have kids. It would be lonely for them to have a mom that needs to be alone before dealing with them.
For all my complaining right now, I know it’s just that I’m restless and I need to get out there. I will feel so much better after I go into the water. :-)
Last week I wasn’t feeling good and didn’t get out on Sunday. Of course the weekend I didn’t go out and it was going off in Huntington! These are not excuses but the reasons I was not out. After all that and a fender bender that has my beetle in the body shop, I can say I am really getting restless.
I need to feel the water around my hands and my feet in the cold water. I need to get back out there. Yes I am going tomorrow, so I don’t have to whine too much. I don’t even care if the waves are bad or small and it doesn’t seem like the next few days will be great but I am still going out on Friday and Sunday.
My friends that surf always want me to go with them and they keep asking me when I go out so they can join me. I really am reluctant to give up the time I have alone to be with them. I know it’s selfish, but I have to have time when I am not doing things for others and not entertaining people.
In my normal day I don’t have to talk all the time and I get time to write, like right now. I do have to run around and do things for my boss and good friend. I cook and clean the house and take care of my dogs. Even to get some time at home by myself takes effort. I have to send the dogs outside and make sure other things are done before I can just pull out a book and read alone.
The time I have alone is so valuable to me I really fight for it tooth and nail. It’s such a good thing I don’t have kids. It would be lonely for them to have a mom that needs to be alone before dealing with them.
For all my complaining right now, I know it’s just that I’m restless and I need to get out there. I will feel so much better after I go into the water. :-)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Keeping going out there
In the time I have gone back to surfing sometimes I feel like I am making such slow progress. It’s true that is the perfectionist in me. I have never been that great at sports. Not that I am going to give up, I just have to look for the little things that help give me the strength to keep going back out there.
The surfers are talk to me more and more. I am sure they didn’t expect to see me past Labor Day weekend. The ocean doesn’t judge me and if my belly dancing has taught me anything is not to care what others think of you.
I still get so excited to get my board down and strap it to the rack on my car. I love the smell of the ocean as I drive down the hill into New Port. I was about to pick out a street corner in a fellow writer’s work, it was PCH and Main in Huntington. I could tell by the ocean placement and the coffee shop he mentioned, that you can see across the street. He is also a surfer.
In the water I let the other surfers know I will stay out of the way and I keep my word. Taking out my board gets easier and easier. I still know the dips in the sand on my way out to the lineup. My paddling is stronger.
Now that I am listing these things I feel much better about it than I did when I started this blog! I guess have I no reason to complain and every reason to get back out there….I can’t wait now!
The surfers are talk to me more and more. I am sure they didn’t expect to see me past Labor Day weekend. The ocean doesn’t judge me and if my belly dancing has taught me anything is not to care what others think of you.
I still get so excited to get my board down and strap it to the rack on my car. I love the smell of the ocean as I drive down the hill into New Port. I was about to pick out a street corner in a fellow writer’s work, it was PCH and Main in Huntington. I could tell by the ocean placement and the coffee shop he mentioned, that you can see across the street. He is also a surfer.
In the water I let the other surfers know I will stay out of the way and I keep my word. Taking out my board gets easier and easier. I still know the dips in the sand on my way out to the lineup. My paddling is stronger.
Now that I am listing these things I feel much better about it than I did when I started this blog! I guess have I no reason to complain and every reason to get back out there….I can’t wait now!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Father – Son
One of the things I really enjoy seeing when I go out is the father son teams going out surfing. The little boys are just fearless, and take to it like nothing.
My father is a small Hispanic man who is very macho and all ways wanted a son. I guess to carry on the family name and to teach manly things to. Much like Henry the 8th my dad is a girl maker; he has had two wives and three girls.
My older sister the natural athlete in the family was pushed by my father to excel in sports. She would play with kids twice her age and kept up. It was amazing. My younger sister was also raised with her mother, who let her take ballet and taps. She did not have to try to play baseball and basketball, softball like her older siblings.
In the end I am really a lot more like my father than he knows or will acknowledge. I have to work at sports it’s true. And with the surfing I have done I have learned a lot about myself and I have found it such a great stress relief and I love it. I keep it up even if I am feeling bad or tired. I can’t wait to go out every week.
The sad thing is that my father never saw the persistence I have. He sees women as week and child-like and just something to have sex with. When I was a teenager and first tried surfing and told him about it he said, “Really you surf? How long before you panic?” Then he turned away and didn’t let me answer.
The thing he doesn’t know about me is that I don’t panic, ever. I am really steady and when I am in a crisis, my steadiness goes up a notch, or two.
I do a lot of guy things and work with men. I have learned and keep learning about scooters and engines and I love it. In a lot of ways I am the son he always wanted. Too bad he doesn’t know. Or maybe it servers him right.
Talking with a fellow surfer last night and he has a three year old son, he can’t wait till he gets old enough to take surfing. How great is that?
My father is a small Hispanic man who is very macho and all ways wanted a son. I guess to carry on the family name and to teach manly things to. Much like Henry the 8th my dad is a girl maker; he has had two wives and three girls.
My older sister the natural athlete in the family was pushed by my father to excel in sports. She would play with kids twice her age and kept up. It was amazing. My younger sister was also raised with her mother, who let her take ballet and taps. She did not have to try to play baseball and basketball, softball like her older siblings.
In the end I am really a lot more like my father than he knows or will acknowledge. I have to work at sports it’s true. And with the surfing I have done I have learned a lot about myself and I have found it such a great stress relief and I love it. I keep it up even if I am feeling bad or tired. I can’t wait to go out every week.
The sad thing is that my father never saw the persistence I have. He sees women as week and child-like and just something to have sex with. When I was a teenager and first tried surfing and told him about it he said, “Really you surf? How long before you panic?” Then he turned away and didn’t let me answer.
The thing he doesn’t know about me is that I don’t panic, ever. I am really steady and when I am in a crisis, my steadiness goes up a notch, or two.
I do a lot of guy things and work with men. I have learned and keep learning about scooters and engines and I love it. In a lot of ways I am the son he always wanted. Too bad he doesn’t know. Or maybe it servers him right.
Talking with a fellow surfer last night and he has a three year old son, he can’t wait till he gets old enough to take surfing. How great is that?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Meditate
I guess that is why I really go out to the beach. With all that I have to do, I just need time to stop and think and relax a bit. I had my belly dance recital and I had been practicing everyday like a mad woman.
Taking out my board last Friday was just what I needed. To get out in the fresh air and think and relax and feel the cold water at my feet and taste the salt water running down the back of my mouth.
At my spot I unloaded my board and checked out to see who was in the water. The waves were mellow, yet again and there were a quite a few long boards out there. The day was overcast and my butt was freezing on the way home. Thank goodness for seat warmers!
What did I have to think about? The fact that I am not skinny and yet I was going to belly dance in front of a live audience. Would they think I was a dumb fat girl that didn’t realize she was fat and somehow was disillusioned and thought she was 22 again and really hot? I know that those kinds of things are left over from my family. The other girls were not perfect either, that helped a lot.
There is also the fact that I have been dancing so much, it is helping me to keep my waistline down. One of the many reasons I love doing this, sure it’s fun. Helping me lose weight so much better!
The belly dancing is helping me lose weight and my stomach is smaller, which helps my surfing. Surfing makes me feel good and I was in a great mood the whole day. During the day I work on this blog or my book. The belly dancing makes me feel sexy and confident and that helps me work on my book and feel confident about my work as a writer.
It does all seem to keep feeding and helping each other. A symbiotic relationship so to speak. I do feel a lot better these days that is for sure, and when I am in the sand drying off, it’s the sort of thing I meditate on.
Taking out my board last Friday was just what I needed. To get out in the fresh air and think and relax and feel the cold water at my feet and taste the salt water running down the back of my mouth.
At my spot I unloaded my board and checked out to see who was in the water. The waves were mellow, yet again and there were a quite a few long boards out there. The day was overcast and my butt was freezing on the way home. Thank goodness for seat warmers!
What did I have to think about? The fact that I am not skinny and yet I was going to belly dance in front of a live audience. Would they think I was a dumb fat girl that didn’t realize she was fat and somehow was disillusioned and thought she was 22 again and really hot? I know that those kinds of things are left over from my family. The other girls were not perfect either, that helped a lot.
There is also the fact that I have been dancing so much, it is helping me to keep my waistline down. One of the many reasons I love doing this, sure it’s fun. Helping me lose weight so much better!
The belly dancing is helping me lose weight and my stomach is smaller, which helps my surfing. Surfing makes me feel good and I was in a great mood the whole day. During the day I work on this blog or my book. The belly dancing makes me feel sexy and confident and that helps me work on my book and feel confident about my work as a writer.
It does all seem to keep feeding and helping each other. A symbiotic relationship so to speak. I do feel a lot better these days that is for sure, and when I am in the sand drying off, it’s the sort of thing I meditate on.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Watching
In the water we have to watching for the next wave, others around us. In driving we have to constantly watch and see what the other idiot drivers are doing around us. When I am in the water I operate under the idea that no one cares or notices a thing I am doing.
One day as I got my board waxed and ready to take out, a tourist family showed up. There was a mom and dad and two little boys. I had no intention of doing anything more but practice and get a good work out.
The boys watched me intently and when I was paddling out there was a few big waves that I swam over. As I came up to each wave, I could hear one of the boys gasp, a few times he said. “Watch out!”
I was fine and swam over them no problem. It was funny to hear his concern for me. I had no idea he was that worried. Later when I came out he was a more than disappointed. I had not busted out any great moves. There wasn’t way to, since there were not any great waves. I suppose he thought this was like live Fuel TV, but it wasn’t.
When I go out I also enjoy watching what the other surfers are doing and seeing them get a good ride in. At this point I am still not much for others to watch. I need to work on that. I have not pushed myself too hard in this sport. The whole beach time for me is more meditative for me more than anything else.
I love the ocean and miss the salt water in my mouth if I don’t get to go out that often. These last two weeks I didn’t get to go out. I will get up early and go out tomorrow. I need it. I have been working hard on my dancing, but I need to clear my head and watch the water for a bit.
One day as I got my board waxed and ready to take out, a tourist family showed up. There was a mom and dad and two little boys. I had no intention of doing anything more but practice and get a good work out.
The boys watched me intently and when I was paddling out there was a few big waves that I swam over. As I came up to each wave, I could hear one of the boys gasp, a few times he said. “Watch out!”
I was fine and swam over them no problem. It was funny to hear his concern for me. I had no idea he was that worried. Later when I came out he was a more than disappointed. I had not busted out any great moves. There wasn’t way to, since there were not any great waves. I suppose he thought this was like live Fuel TV, but it wasn’t.
When I go out I also enjoy watching what the other surfers are doing and seeing them get a good ride in. At this point I am still not much for others to watch. I need to work on that. I have not pushed myself too hard in this sport. The whole beach time for me is more meditative for me more than anything else.
I love the ocean and miss the salt water in my mouth if I don’t get to go out that often. These last two weeks I didn’t get to go out. I will get up early and go out tomorrow. I need it. I have been working hard on my dancing, but I need to clear my head and watch the water for a bit.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Land Locked
This last weekend I was in Reno to attend a scooter rally and visit some friends. I don’t gamble and I don’t really like Reno. If it were not for friends being there, I could have skipped the whole thing. What with the crack heads and daytime hookers, no thank you.
Since I work at a scooter shop the rally was really a way to promote the shop. It was a smaller rally that some of the local ones. Not that it is a bad thing. You really get to know everyone in the local scene and they are so appreciative of the attention.
Saturday was really dry and windy. The ride was great and even though 23 scooters and 4 mopeds showed up, they were all very excited bunch. The ride took us to a nice park and it was nice drive back. The group stayed together for the most part, and helped visitors back to the meeting spot.
After the ride, while we waited for the gymkhana to start, there was a swap meet being held. I was able to pick up some nice things. There was also a small food stand, selling cold beers and calamari.
While it was nice in the hills, being land locked like that has much to be desired. I have lived in areas before where it’s hours to the ocean, it’s so much not for me. When I visit places like that, it’s just a visit. Nothing to me says I have to stay or would want to stay. On the other hand, being on an island is not something I would want either. I love the idea of taking a plane flight and go to another side of the country, or drive for hours and never leave the state. I wouldn’t want to drive all-day and just go in a circle.
I know these preferences are in me because of where I have grown up. If I had grown up on an island I would love it. Being in So Cal is pretty great; we have the beach, the mountains and the desert, not too shabby. At least we aren’t land-locked, unless we want to be. Glad to be home.
Since I work at a scooter shop the rally was really a way to promote the shop. It was a smaller rally that some of the local ones. Not that it is a bad thing. You really get to know everyone in the local scene and they are so appreciative of the attention.
Saturday was really dry and windy. The ride was great and even though 23 scooters and 4 mopeds showed up, they were all very excited bunch. The ride took us to a nice park and it was nice drive back. The group stayed together for the most part, and helped visitors back to the meeting spot.
After the ride, while we waited for the gymkhana to start, there was a swap meet being held. I was able to pick up some nice things. There was also a small food stand, selling cold beers and calamari.
While it was nice in the hills, being land locked like that has much to be desired. I have lived in areas before where it’s hours to the ocean, it’s so much not for me. When I visit places like that, it’s just a visit. Nothing to me says I have to stay or would want to stay. On the other hand, being on an island is not something I would want either. I love the idea of taking a plane flight and go to another side of the country, or drive for hours and never leave the state. I wouldn’t want to drive all-day and just go in a circle.
I know these preferences are in me because of where I have grown up. If I had grown up on an island I would love it. Being in So Cal is pretty great; we have the beach, the mountains and the desert, not too shabby. At least we aren’t land-locked, unless we want to be. Glad to be home.
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