Item Number 15

I am realizing now, that with some of the things on this list there is a lot of time to think about what is going on and really reflect on what happened. On the other hand, there are other things on this list that happen really fast, so fast in fact that you almost miss it.
Today I experienced one of the things on the list that happens really fast. So, for some background, I had a really long weekend chalk full of class and a crazy quick trip to Santa Barbara (and no surfing, what the heck!!), all to be followed by an insane Monday that started at 4:30am and wasn't over until almost 2:00am after some birthday celebrations for Greg. Here is your birthday call out by the way. So anyways, I was really looking for some time to just relax and surf the new board I had just gotten before my crazy weekend. I had a paddleout yesterday that didn't really yield anything to be excited about. Today though, today was different. I made an attempt to go surf earlier in the day, but because I didn't feel like riding my bike and couldn't find parking I decided that I would have to make a second effort later today. Well I can't tell you how good of a decision that was.
Finding a place to park the second time around wasn't looking any better than the first try, but after a few minutes I found a spot for a quick sweep in. I really hate parallel parking, but it went off without a hitch, it was just too easy. I should have known that something was going to go down. Even putting on my wetsuit was surprisingly much easier than I could have imagined. I haven't had a such an easy time with a wetsuit since last summer during surf camp when I was using it every day. Yet another sign that all was right with the world. So I grabbed my board and headed out to check the conditions to find that there were quite a few surfers out in the water, but I didn't see any waves. Once I got to the water's edge and was slipping into the top half of my wettie I started to see just why everybody was out. The set came in and waves were clean!! I found myself getting ready to paddleout into the cleanest biggest waves I have seen at Jetties since I moved to Newport Beach. The ocean had spoken and I was there to hear what it had to say.
The paddleout was nice and easy, the next thing I knew I was right in the middle of the lineup with half of Newport. Even with so many bodies in the water I managed to grab a couple fun rights, but I kept hope alive that I would find that left I so longed for. A couple minutes later I saw a wave coming in and I was the only one in the right place for it. I started paddling for the wave and as it got closer I saw an opportunity for going left. Paddle, paddle, paddle, I had the wave and snapped to my feet. I know I always have a tendency to lean too far back from my snowboarding experience, so I made a point of leaning forward to make sure I didn't ruin my chance at this wave. I hit the bottom-turn and my nose was going under. I know what its like to go face first and I can't say that its my favorite thing to do. A quick little adjustment of my weight brings the nose out of the water and I am making my way down the line on a clean set wave that Jetties had gifted to me. My "little adjustment" slowed me up on my journey down the line, which set me back right under the crest of the breaking wave. I looked to my right and realized that I was having a new experience; there was water falling down and I was covered. Covered, but not submerged. Without meaning to, I had found some shade and spent a couple seconds in the green room. I always watch videos where people are getting shacked and there are shots from in the tube, but until you really feel it for yourself there is no way to explain the feeling on being barreled.
I don't have any picture, but I wish I did. Story of my life though. My best waves never have evidence. I need some homies to photog my adventures. Oh well, that's the way things go sometimes.
The experience is crazy. All of a sudden I have that crazy surf stoke again. The stoke you get after catching your first wave and then all you can think about is where that next one is coming from. You always remember the first wave, and I am sure I will never forget the experience of the first time I got barreled. I always thought it would be cool to get shacked, and it is, but it happened so fast I feel like I need so much more in order to get that feeling back. I'm an addict. And I love it.

Life goes on...there will be more waves...but for now I've got stoke. Who knows what will life bring us next....

Number 53

I feel as though getting this one was a little longer on waiting than the other things that have followed an item off the list. The thing is though, that I have been waiting for something to fall into place in a way that would allow me to do something beyond myself without having to make a point of it. You would think that every day we have the option to just help someone out, but as I have found, in most of our lives you have to make a point of being in situations where people can be helped. It gets me thinking about how most of us do everything we can to only come in contact with the people of our choosing, it is already a step outside of our comfort zone just to come in contact with strangers, much less do something for them that is unrequested and unexpected.
Having said that...its time to tell you about what gets me writing tonight.

It all began on a Friday in January, we had been hyping up for a weekend trip to a cabin in Arrowhead. It'll just be a nice chance to get away from all the hassles of school and work for a couple days. Unfortunately, my weekend had to start just a little bit later than everybody else because I was scheduled to work the closing shift on Friday night. Either way, I know I have some good friends because a couple of them stuck around and waited it out for me to be done with my duties and the celebrations to begin. So, I'm out of work and make my way home on the double so we can make our way to the cabin. A few minutes later we are on our way...the only thing...we didn't write down any directions, so we are guessing our way on up the hill. We should have known that it would be just our luck that as soon as we tried to make our way without directions we would get lost. And sure enough, as if Murphy were riding in the car and everything, we got lost. Fortunate, my frequenting sessions in the snow gave way and we figured out how to make our way up (didn't hurt to have an iPhone in the car as well). On our way up the hill, the long way around, we were headed all over some winding roads and next thing you know, we come across a car sitting on the side of the road with the flashers on.
Maybe its just me, or maybe it's because my roommate puts us through Horror Movie Month October's, but coming across a lone car on a winding road in the mountains seems like a horror movie waiting to happen. I can picture it now, a few friends on their way on up to the cabin for a weekend. They see a stranded car, they are good people so they stop to help. When they get out of the car and approach the stranded one...out pops a psycho killer and the weekend is gone. Now they are on the run in the woods....
Ok, that was a bit off topic, but thats about what went through my mind as we see this car sitting on the side of the road and I call out for us to stop and help them out. I won't lie, I was a bit nervous, but I really wasn't sure what to expect. Anyways...I step out of the car and start walking towards the back or our car and towards the front of the other car. A man steps out and walks over. To my relief he is just lost and looking for directions. This is really where my snowboard trips pay off, because where he is looking for, I just happen to know where it is an how to get there. I offer my assistance and off we go. I can only imagine that with the information I was able to offer this man he made it where he was headed. The important part to me, was the satisfaction with knowing that I was the one who made a choice to stop and see what I could do to help. Though it wasn't much that I did for this man, I can take some satisfaction in knowing I helped.
I feel like it was so much build up for something so small, and we all went on with our lives as though this event had never taken place. It's the little things that count. We had a great weekend at the cabin, once we finally made it, and this little happening was a great start to it.

Until next time...let us see where life take us....