Thursday, July 21, 2005
blah blah blah
I had to paddle away from Posing Boy today. I heard too much talking. Too much talking without saying anything. Same stuff I heard a long time ago. Repeating repeating repeating.
Funny tan lines
Yesterday I was hot in a spring suit, so today I was in a swimsuit and boardshorts.
Yesterday was fun, but I knew Thruster Doc was pooping out on the smaller waves, so today I put the 2+1 back in and gave it to a friend to ride while I went out on Dragon, my Guy O 7'0". I bought this board back in October from Nedra. I surfed it twice and then Cooperfish came into my life and never looked back.
Since I'm going to Costa Rica, and because the hopper plane between San Jose and Liberia only fits up to 7'0" boards, I have to practice before I take Dragon down there. I told my reasoning to Big Red Truck Billy in the water and he asked me, "When are you going?"
"December."
He laughed.
I know it's a long time away, but I'm one of those anal-retentive people who likes to be as prepared as possible. I want to be so comfortable on this board that I don't have to think.
To that end, I have to say that I was surprised how easy the whole transition was this morning. This board Guy made is really great. My problem is not knowing exactly where to position myself on the board when I paddle. Most of the time, I was too far forward and I buried the nose before the take-off. Buried the nose! On a short(ish)board! Other than that, the waves were surprisingly easy to catch and we all know turning on a shortboard is nothing compared to cranking around a longboard.
Now, if I can just stop surfing it like a longboard...
Yesterday was fun, but I knew Thruster Doc was pooping out on the smaller waves, so today I put the 2+1 back in and gave it to a friend to ride while I went out on Dragon, my Guy O 7'0". I bought this board back in October from Nedra. I surfed it twice and then Cooperfish came into my life and never looked back.
Since I'm going to Costa Rica, and because the hopper plane between San Jose and Liberia only fits up to 7'0" boards, I have to practice before I take Dragon down there. I told my reasoning to Big Red Truck Billy in the water and he asked me, "When are you going?"
"December."
He laughed.
I know it's a long time away, but I'm one of those anal-retentive people who likes to be as prepared as possible. I want to be so comfortable on this board that I don't have to think.
To that end, I have to say that I was surprised how easy the whole transition was this morning. This board Guy made is really great. My problem is not knowing exactly where to position myself on the board when I paddle. Most of the time, I was too far forward and I buried the nose before the take-off. Buried the nose! On a short(ish)board! Other than that, the waves were surprisingly easy to catch and we all know turning on a shortboard is nothing compared to cranking around a longboard.
Now, if I can just stop surfing it like a longboard...
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Thruster vs. 2+1
More on my latest obsession in this Q&A on Surfline. It explains why and how fins work.
Doc Lausch made my 9'0" with a lot of rocker and a bump in the tail to "loosen" it up. It also has a really hard rail at the tail and a round pin for bigger waves. He also makes his boards REALLY light and is generally known for his shortboards. I'm pretty sure this is why I surf my Doc like a long shortboard (or I'm trying to).
I've discovered, as the swell has gone down, that a thruster longboard doesn't work as well in small waves. Bigger waves, though, yi-yi-yi! Swoop down and up and back down again to make the most of the wave. Luckily, today, with the tide push, there were still a few larger left-over waves that came rolling through for me.
Doc Lausch made my 9'0" with a lot of rocker and a bump in the tail to "loosen" it up. It also has a really hard rail at the tail and a round pin for bigger waves. He also makes his boards REALLY light and is generally known for his shortboards. I'm pretty sure this is why I surf my Doc like a long shortboard (or I'm trying to).
I've discovered, as the swell has gone down, that a thruster longboard doesn't work as well in small waves. Bigger waves, though, yi-yi-yi! Swoop down and up and back down again to make the most of the wave. Luckily, today, with the tide push, there were still a few larger left-over waves that came rolling through for me.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Pier-ing over the ledge
Checked three spots this morning because of the alleged swell coming in. Sunset first, no. Then OP which looked about the same as yesterday. Then the Pier. Bobby G. and I could hear it before we could see it. The bigger waves were head high with no shape. The waves were stacked up one after the other (annoying at times), and they were hitting the sandbar pretty hard.
Well, that just sounds like fun. We suited up.
I'm still not completely in tune with the thruster set-up. I had a lot of fun drops today, but I'm not sure if it was because of the close-outs or if it was because of how I was surfing that I couldn't really make a true bottom turn on the bigger drops. On the plus side, the thruster longboard is really fast.
Best wave of the day was my second to last. There was a smaller wave in front of a much larger wave looming toward me. I decided to take the smaller wave that had better shape, knowing full well that I was going to get pummelled AFTER my kick-out. The wave had a decent shoulder and I was going frontside so I could see the bigger wave behind it waving at me with its giant, darkening hand. I waved back and saluted (seemed appropriate to acknowledge it at the time). I kicked out of the smaller wave in order to immediately dive off my board into the dark water, under the crest of the larger wave.
Well, that just sounds like fun. We suited up.
I'm still not completely in tune with the thruster set-up. I had a lot of fun drops today, but I'm not sure if it was because of the close-outs or if it was because of how I was surfing that I couldn't really make a true bottom turn on the bigger drops. On the plus side, the thruster longboard is really fast.
Best wave of the day was my second to last. There was a smaller wave in front of a much larger wave looming toward me. I decided to take the smaller wave that had better shape, knowing full well that I was going to get pummelled AFTER my kick-out. The wave had a decent shoulder and I was going frontside so I could see the bigger wave behind it waving at me with its giant, darkening hand. I waved back and saluted (seemed appropriate to acknowledge it at the time). I kicked out of the smaller wave in order to immediately dive off my board into the dark water, under the crest of the larger wave.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Tinkering: 9'0" thruster
Yup. It works. I would prefer better waves with this set up. (Wouldn't we all?) Crazy Johnny wasn't so crazy. I can feel the new tri-fin Doc want to make sweeping drives off the bottom, but with the close-outs of OP today on a low tide, that wasn't going to happen so much. Bigger waves, bigger faces, that's what I need with this set-up. Weirdly, I wonder if I had had smaller fins might today's smallish close-outs been more fun and racier? At one point, I was thinking of going back to my car to put in the little side bites and keeping the G5 center fin in place. Stay tuned, mad scientist at work.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
My eye!
I'm going to rename this blog and call it "Random Body Parts."
So, I was planning to surf this morning and try out the thruster set-up on the longboard. Though it occurred to me that my first board was a used 1980s neon orange 8'6" Doc Lausch board with a glassed on thruster set-up. The fins were light blue. 50/50 rails in the middle with a bump to transition to a hard rounded pintail. It was 24" wide and 3" thick. I broke it because I like big waves and steep take-offs.
I digress.
I was planning to surf the new fin set-up this morning on Doc, but I made guacamole last night. Sounds like a non-sequitur, but follow:
I spent fifteen minutes splashing water into my burning eye, thus pushing me past the time where I could make it to the beach and get in a decent surf session before work.
Sometimes I'm such an idiot.
So, I was planning to surf this morning and try out the thruster set-up on the longboard. Though it occurred to me that my first board was a used 1980s neon orange 8'6" Doc Lausch board with a glassed on thruster set-up. The fins were light blue. 50/50 rails in the middle with a bump to transition to a hard rounded pintail. It was 24" wide and 3" thick. I broke it because I like big waves and steep take-offs.
I digress.
I was planning to surf the new fin set-up this morning on Doc, but I made guacamole last night. Sounds like a non-sequitur, but follow:
- My guacamole recipe includes a finely chopped jalapeno pepper.
- I woke up at 7:25, which is on the verge of being too late for me to get a decent session in before work, but not late enough for me not to try to get to the water.
- I stumbled to the bathroom to put on my contacts.
- I evidently did not wash my hands very thoroughly after making the guacamole.
- "Ouch" would be an understatement.
I spent fifteen minutes splashing water into my burning eye, thus pushing me past the time where I could make it to the beach and get in a decent surf session before work.
Sometimes I'm such an idiot.
Monday, July 11, 2005
New board for $60?
I'm glad that even though I don't surf for a week, I'm still able to hop back on the board with some amount of confidence. Saturday, I was pleasantly surprised by the waves that came through. From shore they looked like close-outs. From the water, they still looked like close-outs, but there were also the surprising shoulders that peeked out. Nice amount of wave energy and I felt like I was really getting to understand how to hug the face of the wave... at least going frontside.
Somewhere amid the fun, I snapped off the left side fin in my 2+1 set-up on Doc. I don't know when I could have done it. I didn't kook out that day and run it into the ground.
Sunday I decided to take the other side bite out and try surfing Doc as a single-fin -- 7-inch single fin. Hmmm. I had my doubts. I tried not to make judgments on the first few waves and wait instead until I had finished my whole session. In the end, it was a fun time, but I could feel the difference and I didn't really like it. This is not a single-fin board... at least it's not a 7-inch single-fin board. There was no drive into the wave.
Walking back up to the parking lot, I ran into Johnny who encouraged me to take on a thruster set-up on the performance longboard. Whaa---? Hmm. I've always said that Doc is a long shortboard, so I figured why the hell not?! Sensei J has a bright yellow 9'0" Hawaiian T&C performance board with three tiny fins -- it's a board he reserves for waves with big faces. So, hell, why not? I bought a FCS center fin converter and a set of G5 fins (on Johnny's suggestion). I haven't tried it yet, but there's some waves coming. This could be fun. 9'0" longboard thruster. Wacky.
If this works, I theoretically have a whole new board for $60... and I'd be interested in playing around with fin set-ups and seeing how they work. Brave new world! And cheaper than buying a whole board.
Somewhere amid the fun, I snapped off the left side fin in my 2+1 set-up on Doc. I don't know when I could have done it. I didn't kook out that day and run it into the ground.
Sunday I decided to take the other side bite out and try surfing Doc as a single-fin -- 7-inch single fin. Hmmm. I had my doubts. I tried not to make judgments on the first few waves and wait instead until I had finished my whole session. In the end, it was a fun time, but I could feel the difference and I didn't really like it. This is not a single-fin board... at least it's not a 7-inch single-fin board. There was no drive into the wave.
Walking back up to the parking lot, I ran into Johnny who encouraged me to take on a thruster set-up on the performance longboard. Whaa---? Hmm. I've always said that Doc is a long shortboard, so I figured why the hell not?! Sensei J has a bright yellow 9'0" Hawaiian T&C performance board with three tiny fins -- it's a board he reserves for waves with big faces. So, hell, why not? I bought a FCS center fin converter and a set of G5 fins (on Johnny's suggestion). I haven't tried it yet, but there's some waves coming. This could be fun. 9'0" longboard thruster. Wacky.
If this works, I theoretically have a whole new board for $60... and I'd be interested in playing around with fin set-ups and seeing how they work. Brave new world! And cheaper than buying a whole board.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
The nose
At first I thought it was allergies, then I wondered if it was a cold. Now I think it's the red tide that has been screwing with my sinuses. I don't usually get allergies, but I have had a couple of freak incidents in the last few years. I took some medication to alleviate the symptoms. That was three weeks ago. Then, when it really wasn't getting any better, I thought maybe it was a cold. So I took more medication to alleviate the symptoms. That was a week and a half ago.
Now, after my symptoms have progressed to the point of not being able to smell certain smells (those in the more smokey, savory range), and after I started complaining to some surfers, I think it's the red tide. I think something is screwing with not only the sensory nerves in my nose, but it's also screwing with the receptors in my brain. This SUCKS. I'd just quit smoking this year and food was starting to taste REALLY GOOD and now this happens.
When a friend came over on Monday, I had a finger of my favorite single malt scotch and was surprised at how little I could taste of it. There was still the fun burning sensation down the throat, but the smokiness of this particular scotch was completely missing.
And lest you think me a complete lush, I also fixed a pot of Darjeeling/Assam blend of loose leaf tea when a dinner party on Sunday retired to my place for dessert. I remembered the Darjeeling/Assam blend to be a smokey tea, especially after steeping so long between entertaining anecdotes. Everybody in the party was saying how great the tea was, but I couldn't smell or taste a thing.
I haven't been in the water for the last two days, but it hasn't really gotten better. I think I might have to go to the doctor before I start to freak out. I thought maybe being able to taste less would make me want to eat less, but instead, I seem to be shoveling food into my mouth at twice the normal rate in the hopes that the next bite will stimulate SOMETHING besides the growth of new fat cells.
Now, after my symptoms have progressed to the point of not being able to smell certain smells (those in the more smokey, savory range), and after I started complaining to some surfers, I think it's the red tide. I think something is screwing with not only the sensory nerves in my nose, but it's also screwing with the receptors in my brain. This SUCKS. I'd just quit smoking this year and food was starting to taste REALLY GOOD and now this happens.
When a friend came over on Monday, I had a finger of my favorite single malt scotch and was surprised at how little I could taste of it. There was still the fun burning sensation down the throat, but the smokiness of this particular scotch was completely missing.
And lest you think me a complete lush, I also fixed a pot of Darjeeling/Assam blend of loose leaf tea when a dinner party on Sunday retired to my place for dessert. I remembered the Darjeeling/Assam blend to be a smokey tea, especially after steeping so long between entertaining anecdotes. Everybody in the party was saying how great the tea was, but I couldn't smell or taste a thing.
I haven't been in the water for the last two days, but it hasn't really gotten better. I think I might have to go to the doctor before I start to freak out. I thought maybe being able to taste less would make me want to eat less, but instead, I seem to be shoveling food into my mouth at twice the normal rate in the hopes that the next bite will stimulate SOMETHING besides the growth of new fat cells.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Night and Day
Evening surf at OP last night ended up being rather fun with Sir R and Mean Howard. I cut too hard on my first wave and dug a rail (almost the entire length of my board) into the wave. Mushy waves require gentle finesse and body english, I discovered. Slow waves are nice sometimes because you can look down the wave and see four moves ahead. If you know where you're going, it's easier to understand how you're supposed to get there.
This morning, I was back at OP because Mean Howard woke me up at 6am with a phone call. "It's foggy and I don't want to go out alone." It was okay. Not as fun as the previous morning with bigger walls and sunnier sunshine, but still... it's surfing.
This morning, I was back at OP because Mean Howard woke me up at 6am with a phone call. "It's foggy and I don't want to go out alone." It was okay. Not as fun as the previous morning with bigger walls and sunnier sunshine, but still... it's surfing.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Corkscrew
I was back at OP this morning after so much Sunsetting lately. It was the usual: close-outs, but early on there was still some shape with a few sets of head-high walls thrown in just to keep you on your toes. I forgot what it's like to actually have to exercise wave selection judiciously.
The ZJ crew were taking autistic kids out into the water on soft-tops. The kids looked like they were having a great time.
I have to admit that I was having a great time on some of the nicer rights, but the most memorable wave today was a left that walled up just as I made the drop. I held onto the rail and tucked in. I couldn't keep my eyes open, but I felt the wave start to pick up the inside edge of my board as I got covered up by the lip. I held onto the rail with my right hand and kept my feet planted on the deck as I did a corkscrew inside the wave!
Wheee-whoooo!
I swear. One of these days, I'm going to knock myself out.
The ZJ crew were taking autistic kids out into the water on soft-tops. The kids looked like they were having a great time.
I have to admit that I was having a great time on some of the nicer rights, but the most memorable wave today was a left that walled up just as I made the drop. I held onto the rail and tucked in. I couldn't keep my eyes open, but I felt the wave start to pick up the inside edge of my board as I got covered up by the lip. I held onto the rail with my right hand and kept my feet planted on the deck as I did a corkscrew inside the wave!
Wheee-whoooo!
I swear. One of these days, I'm going to knock myself out.
Monday, June 27, 2005
And now I'm depressed...
I was feeling pretty good about myself this morning. I was at Sunset again and wasn't too antsy during the long lulls. I've figured out that the best way to have fun at Sunset is to chat with your neighbor, the regulars of Sunset being a jocular crew. Then, when the set comes, you drop in on your new friends (just kidding!).
But then I read a note on Wetsand.com about a surfing dog and I started feeling terrible. This dog surfs better than I do! I mean, I kicked out or "gracefully" finished every wave today, but Buddy's a DOG.
THEN, I read an editorial in Variety by Peter Bart about director John Hughes (THE BREAKFAST CLUB, SIXTEEN CANDLES, FERRIS BUELLER, etc.). Bart writes in the last paragraph:
When did I become middle-aged?!?! What happened to my "Sex and the City" 30s and 40s? I know the show is over, but I was hoping to parade around in sexy shoes with outrageous heels for another two decades.
I'm throwing in the towel. Next time you see me surfing, you'll recognize me by the surfboard outfitted with a walker.
But then I read a note on Wetsand.com about a surfing dog and I started feeling terrible. This dog surfs better than I do! I mean, I kicked out or "gracefully" finished every wave today, but Buddy's a DOG.
THEN, I read an editorial in Variety by Peter Bart about director John Hughes (THE BREAKFAST CLUB, SIXTEEN CANDLES, FERRIS BUELLER, etc.). Bart writes in the last paragraph:
Hughes' audience, now middle-aged, remembers Hughes' films with a fond glow and would love to revisit them. The trouble is they're not young anymore. Neither is Hughes.
When did I become middle-aged?!?! What happened to my "Sex and the City" 30s and 40s? I know the show is over, but I was hoping to parade around in sexy shoes with outrageous heels for another two decades.
I'm throwing in the towel. Next time you see me surfing, you'll recognize me by the surfboard outfitted with a walker.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Nothing's too good for my baby.
I'm getting the Cooperfish completely overhauled and it's going to cost a pretty penny. Several pretty pennies. And some corroded pennies that have been lying on the ground for a while. In fact, I'm going to go pick up those pennies right now because I need to scrape together some cash to fix Coop properly.
So this is what loves does, huh? Makes you spend lots of money on it?
So this is what loves does, huh? Makes you spend lots of money on it?
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Oy! My sciatica!
Actually, I don't really have sciatica; the pain in my lower back is pretty much localized in my lower back. I like to call it the pain in my ass. I've noted that this only really happens when I have to paddle a lot for waves. Not only was I on a shorter board (9'0", go figure -- Doc feels like a long shortboard to me) but I was also at Sunset this morning. Paddle paddle paddle... pain in my ass.
After the first half hour of futile paddling, I had a few good waves near Dos Banos (with Ash) as a chest high set rolled through. Took a couple of lefts -- one of which turned into a steep wall as I was down in a rail grab. I looked down the line and wondered what the hell I was going to do about this, so I just tucked in. I'm pretty sure I got a little barrel because I could feel a curtain of water come down on my outside arm while everything sounded like an echo chamber. I don't know for sure because, well, I always close my eyes when I tuck in. I think this defeats the purpose of tucking into a barrel.
Then I "righted" my way back to the staircases to Uncle Dean and Bobby G. (Marlon got two more boards... that makes a full deck now... 54.) As I was looking for a last wave to go in, a nice bigger wave came through. I made the drop and the turn only to be blinded by the sun and the sight of a newbie trying desperately to pop-up. If I had seen him a beat earlier, I could have redirected, grabbed the rail, and stalled. As it was, I redirected too late and my board shot out at him. I felt really bad for letting the board go, but I also felt like maybe he'd learn how to look and pull out of a wave. I made sure he and his board were okay and paddled away... only to have another beginner drop in on me on the next wave, same situation, he was trying to pop up. This time, I had already made the bottom turn and was looking down the line when I watched him try to get to his feet. I redirected and grabbed my rail to stop quickly. No collision. I kinda knew him, but I don't know if I felt any better about this. He said he did see me, but the wave had already taken him... That didn't make me feel better at all! A basic skill should be to know how to pull out of a wave and when is the last possible second before you're going to take-off... You sit back on your board, pull up, and use your legs as if they were ski poles to stop your forward motion. Ack.
Oy! Sunset sciatica!
After the first half hour of futile paddling, I had a few good waves near Dos Banos (with Ash) as a chest high set rolled through. Took a couple of lefts -- one of which turned into a steep wall as I was down in a rail grab. I looked down the line and wondered what the hell I was going to do about this, so I just tucked in. I'm pretty sure I got a little barrel because I could feel a curtain of water come down on my outside arm while everything sounded like an echo chamber. I don't know for sure because, well, I always close my eyes when I tuck in. I think this defeats the purpose of tucking into a barrel.
Then I "righted" my way back to the staircases to Uncle Dean and Bobby G. (Marlon got two more boards... that makes a full deck now... 54.) As I was looking for a last wave to go in, a nice bigger wave came through. I made the drop and the turn only to be blinded by the sun and the sight of a newbie trying desperately to pop-up. If I had seen him a beat earlier, I could have redirected, grabbed the rail, and stalled. As it was, I redirected too late and my board shot out at him. I felt really bad for letting the board go, but I also felt like maybe he'd learn how to look and pull out of a wave. I made sure he and his board were okay and paddled away... only to have another beginner drop in on me on the next wave, same situation, he was trying to pop up. This time, I had already made the bottom turn and was looking down the line when I watched him try to get to his feet. I redirected and grabbed my rail to stop quickly. No collision. I kinda knew him, but I don't know if I felt any better about this. He said he did see me, but the wave had already taken him... That didn't make me feel better at all! A basic skill should be to know how to pull out of a wave and when is the last possible second before you're going to take-off... You sit back on your board, pull up, and use your legs as if they were ski poles to stop your forward motion. Ack.
Oy! Sunset sciatica!
Monday, June 20, 2005
And so...
I'm forced to ride something different for the first time in six months. I mean, I've had a day or two, mere flirtations really, with other boards in the past six months, but it was to Cooperfish that I devoted myself. In big waves (which have been infrequent), the single fin turned like a dream. In small waves (which have been frequent), I could knee-paddle and sit cross-legged, floating in meditation.
And because I'm an idiot, I've layed up Coop with an injury for a while, and am forced to rekindle a relationship with another one of my boards. Naturally, I'm on Doc again, previously an intense old flame. Sunday I took him out, and initially, I was treating him like I would Coop (who does part of the work dropping into a wave for me because gravity likes its mass). After this realization, Doc and I came to an understanding that what we have, too, is love. It's just a different love. Faster, harder, and more work in the water. It's a flashier love, but that doesn't mean it has to be a flash in the pan...
"..."
Yup. I might need therapy.
And because I'm an idiot, I've layed up Coop with an injury for a while, and am forced to rekindle a relationship with another one of my boards. Naturally, I'm on Doc again, previously an intense old flame. Sunday I took him out, and initially, I was treating him like I would Coop (who does part of the work dropping into a wave for me because gravity likes its mass). After this realization, Doc and I came to an understanding that what we have, too, is love. It's just a different love. Faster, harder, and more work in the water. It's a flashier love, but that doesn't mean it has to be a flash in the pan...
"..."
Yup. I might need therapy.
The moral of the story
Fix your dings.
I was happy to surf with Sir R, Sensei J, and Baby Face K on Saturday. But on a nothing wave toward the end of my mediocre session having grown lazy with a leash attached to my knee, I stupidly didn't kick out of a crap-tacular wave and came up to find that the nose of my beautiful (if used) Cooperfish had delaminated.
Argh.
What kills me is not that there is this swatch of fiberglass hanging off my board, but that I've been saying that I had to get these dings fixed for the last five weeks (some I inherited from the previous owner, made worse by me).
The moral of the story is that I have to STOP PROCRASTINATING. I do this too much with too many things in my life. I'm pissed at myself for letting things go until I'm forced to confront them. The curling piece of fiberglass is a tangible reminder. So the day of the delam, I spent an hour using elbow grease (and Bar Keeper's Helper -- a super fantastic cleaning powder which has burned away layers of my skin) to clean the 6-month, caked on grease off my stove-top and drove my Midget Smith funboard into the surfshop for resell. I still need to edit some short stories, clean off my dirty hiking boots, and hang up a few wall racks for my remaining boards, but I feel better that I've started.
Oh, and I have to take my Cooperfish in to get fixed. It doesn't look to be unfixable, though this morning Murphy's dad at the Venice Pier encouraged me to fix it myself. Um. No. I can fix rail gashes with a certain amount of confidence now, but working on the nose and the tail makes me nervous.
I was happy to surf with Sir R, Sensei J, and Baby Face K on Saturday. But on a nothing wave toward the end of my mediocre session having grown lazy with a leash attached to my knee, I stupidly didn't kick out of a crap-tacular wave and came up to find that the nose of my beautiful (if used) Cooperfish had delaminated.
Argh.
What kills me is not that there is this swatch of fiberglass hanging off my board, but that I've been saying that I had to get these dings fixed for the last five weeks (some I inherited from the previous owner, made worse by me).
The moral of the story is that I have to STOP PROCRASTINATING. I do this too much with too many things in my life. I'm pissed at myself for letting things go until I'm forced to confront them. The curling piece of fiberglass is a tangible reminder. So the day of the delam, I spent an hour using elbow grease (and Bar Keeper's Helper -- a super fantastic cleaning powder which has burned away layers of my skin) to clean the 6-month, caked on grease off my stove-top and drove my Midget Smith funboard into the surfshop for resell. I still need to edit some short stories, clean off my dirty hiking boots, and hang up a few wall racks for my remaining boards, but I feel better that I've started.
Oh, and I have to take my Cooperfish in to get fixed. It doesn't look to be unfixable, though this morning Murphy's dad at the Venice Pier encouraged me to fix it myself. Um. No. I can fix rail gashes with a certain amount of confidence now, but working on the nose and the tail makes me nervous.
Friday, June 17, 2005
6 friggin 30
I was out of bed at 6:30am this morning -- which, a year ago, was not so early. I woulda been in the water already by 6:30. But this year, 6 friggin 30. Out of bed, filled up my water bottle with hot water, hauled the big-ass board into the car, and drove.
I had every intention of going into the water no matter what. I'd grown soft and grumpy, so it was time to go for a paddle at the very least. I drove to the Venice Pier and stupidly walked out to pet Murphy the dog and say hi to the Pier birds. There, from the Pier, I saw texture on the water and uninviting walls on the south side. The north side had better corners, but that's not saying much. Dribbly drabbly.
So, I drove to Porto for the first time since the parking lot's been torn up. Textured and peakier than Venice, but that's not saying much either. Waist high at the most and crumbly. I just couldn't do it. Woke up at 6 friggin 30 and drove around, but I couldn't do it.
I have no idea what it's going to take to get me out on the weekdays. The weekends I'll go out just to be social, but I don't really feel like I'm surfing anymore.
I had every intention of going into the water no matter what. I'd grown soft and grumpy, so it was time to go for a paddle at the very least. I drove to the Venice Pier and stupidly walked out to pet Murphy the dog and say hi to the Pier birds. There, from the Pier, I saw texture on the water and uninviting walls on the south side. The north side had better corners, but that's not saying much. Dribbly drabbly.
So, I drove to Porto for the first time since the parking lot's been torn up. Textured and peakier than Venice, but that's not saying much either. Waist high at the most and crumbly. I just couldn't do it. Woke up at 6 friggin 30 and drove around, but I couldn't do it.
I have no idea what it's going to take to get me out on the weekdays. The weekends I'll go out just to be social, but I don't really feel like I'm surfing anymore.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Surf flow
I rarely dream of surf: only once before last night. If I do dream of surf, I'm never surfing. Both dreams have taken place in the same make-believe setting where cliffs and stairs and boardwalks and limestone caves meet sand and water. Both times my surf was stopped by bad conditions. The first dream, the tide came high and flooded people's cars and sunk them into the sand. The second dream, last night, just as I was about to hop in, I noticed that the top layer of the water had frozen over. An ice floe.
I don't know what this means. I know that I used to get up and surf every day. I don't even get up any more. I think I've grown so picky about what waves I surf that it's coming out my subconscious.
I don't know what this means. I know that I used to get up and surf every day. I don't even get up any more. I think I've grown so picky about what waves I surf that it's coming out my subconscious.
Monday, June 13, 2005
On the NYT Bestseller List
My new bitching buddy Sir Richard and I have spent the last two Sundays floating around on the choppy waves at OP while coming up with a new self-help book for single ladies who surf. Sir R can't believe that I'm still single and that none of the guys who surf there have asked me out (that's very sweet of him). I then told him that I prefer not to date surfers anyway... besides the salt-water-for-brains thing, there's also an attitude that manifests itself, especially in male surfers: the "maybe the next wave is better" worldview. Who wants to be the "good enough until something [better, blonder, skinnier] comes along" girl?
Sir R told me that I was on to something and should write a dissertation. When he came up to me in the parking lot last week after staying in the craptacular conditions longer than I did, he pointed to the ocean and said to me, "And sometimes, you can stay in a relationship TOO LONG."
This week, he paddled up to me and told me he shared our conversation with his son. "He said you missed one major thing in your dissertation."
"Oh, yeah? I'm all ears."
"You forgot to mention that men who surf have already found their true love."
Oh, so wise.
Sir R told me that I was on to something and should write a dissertation. When he came up to me in the parking lot last week after staying in the craptacular conditions longer than I did, he pointed to the ocean and said to me, "And sometimes, you can stay in a relationship TOO LONG."
This week, he paddled up to me and told me he shared our conversation with his son. "He said you missed one major thing in your dissertation."
"Oh, yeah? I'm all ears."
"You forgot to mention that men who surf have already found their true love."
Oh, so wise.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Sunset
Because of the low tide messing up my dawn patrol, I went to Sunset this morning. I had a few pretty good waves, but it's mostly what I expect from Sunset -- a whole lotta paddling. I'll probably be there tomorrow morning, too, but mostly because I'm gaining some weight in the middle of my body and I don't like exercising. "Surfing" is not "exercise" to me, so I can bear it. This morning I went out at Sunset only because I knew that if I drove back down to one of the beach breaks, it would bring me closer to one of the many breakfast places I like to frequent... and "breakfast" is definitely not "exercise" but would eventually encourage the need for more distasteful exercise in the future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)