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....

Item Number 44

There was once a dream to spend time in the water surfing on Christmas day. This dream was mine, and on Christmas day 2010 I made a dream a reality. As much as I would like to make it sound as though the Christmas session wielded many joyous presents for all to enjoy, sometimes you have to take what you get. You know, beggars can’t be choosers. Nonetheless, I awoke on Christmas day with joy in my heart, knowing that I would get to paddle out again and try to catch a few waves. After a little breakfast with the family and opening up the stockings, it was time to pack up the gear and head out to the surf.



Upon arriving at beach, I hopped out of the truck the check the surf. As soon as I stepped out the door, the cold December wind stung my face and reminded me of the harsh reality that is winter surfing in Ventura. Searching the break along the coastline of Faria Beach I found my spot and began to get everything together. With suit on and board waxed I paddled out into the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean for my first taste of Christmas day surfing. About an hour, and a few waves, later I decided it was about as good as I was going to get. At the end of the day the surf provided very few gifts of which to the speak of, but the dream was not about finding the best surf on Christmas day, it was about getting my head wet. Though not the most successful day of surfing that I have ever had, the point of the day was found and enjoyed.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night....

R.I.P. Mr. Andy Irons

I know this is completely out of character for what this blog is about, but for the 3 of you out there that actually read this thing I figured you would understand considering the situation.

I just found out that the 3-time world champion of surfing, Andy Irons passed away today at the age of 32. I realize that none of us know him personally, but it is just one of those things that you never really think is going to happen.

Life is just too short...we spend too much time focused on things that don't matter. May AI's untimely passing remind us to never forget that nothing in this life is promised, we need to make the most of what we have.

Number 52

So while I knew that I was looking for an opportunity to commit a random act of kindness in the near future, there are times when those things just fall into your lap. I have done my best to recognize the opportunity to help someone out, but I was caught off-guard when today an older gentleman randomly asked for my help in the local CVS even though clearly I did not work there.

This older gentleman surprised me when he approached me in the store and began to ask me for help working the copier machine. Now I will point out that I am by no means a mechanical genius, in fact I don’t really even like most technology, but today I got to be IT. I feel bad even going to claim this as a random act of kindness because in the end I was limited and there was only so much I could do to help (as it turns out the machine was out of paper and needed an employee to restock it before it would work). However I did spend 10 minutes out of my day to step aside and help out this guy who couldn’t figure out how to operate the copier machine on his own.

As I walked away from helping this guy out I thought to myself about how without hesitation I had just jumped to work to help this guy with the copier. It was such a satisfying feeling knowing that I had in myself the capacity to help others without hesitation as that has been the point of adding the random acts of kindness to this whole exercise.



Let’s see where we end up next....

Item Number 2

I know it has been a while, but I haven’t been taking care of this list. I’m back at it and ready to knock a few of these out soon….

Everyone has had that dream. The one where you are falling and there is nothing you can do about. Today I made the choice to jump out of a perfectly good plane and begin that high speed decent toward the earth.
Any time people think about what they want to do before they die, skydiving is one of those things that is always thought of. I believe that skydiving makes that list every time because its that one thing that everybody can agree on as being one of the craziest things you can do, but hey since when has the danger in an activity ever deterred me?
So the fun begins when upon arrival to jump school we are ushered into a small room with a tv in the corner. They weigh us in and hand us a large packet to read and sign. I thought when I went to “jump school” that it wasn’t so much about reading like grad school, but more about learning to jump out of a plane. However, after reading the packet about as big as my text books I signed my life away for the chance to free fall from 12,500 feet. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself when the bearded man on the little tv in the corner told me all about how I couldn’t sue them for anything, including “if [I] were to be walking through the parking lot on [my] way out and were to slip and fall on a banana peel, that would be considered a skydiving related activity.” I just don’t know where they came up with the example of slipping and falling on a banana peel, but hey if you are going to sign every one of your rights away, you might as well beware the banana peels hanging out in the parking lot. So after signing my name and initials about 100 times, I got to make a video about not suing anyone ever. Not sure how many ways I can say I understand the risk of skydiving before they believe it, but hey they arent even insured anyways.
Life signed away, it was time to suit up and step out of a perfectly good plane. I am given a sweet bright blue jumpsuit to wear, but something just doesn’t feel right when the zipper is in front (all you surfers out there know what I mean). So geared up and no instruction in hand we load on up in the sketchy little plane and head out for our fifteen minute ride to 12,500 feet. On our way up one of the formation jumpers on our plane was asking my instructor about how his blacking out in the air was going, that’s always something that gives you confidence when you are about to leap out of a plane with this person. The time comes we slide to the edge and the first moment of being nervous hits me as I look out the edge of the plane at 12,500 feet to the ground. This only lasts a moment because the next thing I know I am leaping out of the plane and hurtling toward the earth at 130 miles an hour. It’s the greatest rush I have ever experienced in my life. Heading out the plane there is no way to really explain what it feels like to fall at such a speed unless you have been there yourself. 5,000 feet hits and I pull the rip cord, in an instant we go from a free fall to a nice and easy drift. I get handed the controls to the chute and I go crazy going left to right and right to left, even the little things can be tons of fun. I hand the controls back over and we come in for a nice easy landing. I did it, went from 12,500 feet to sea level in about 5 minutes. I can only hope I hop on the accelerated free fall program and 9 jumps later I am ready to ride solo like Iyaz. If this isn’t really living, then I don’t know what is….

Number 51

Have you ever been walking into your favorite fast-food restaurant, and just before you make it to the door you hear someone ask you a question “Can you spare some change?” You don’t recognize the voice, but at the same time you know exactly what is going on. This guy (based on broad generalizations) is dressed a little shabby, half the time has a great big bushy beard, and is always wearing several jackets. Yes, I am talking about that homeless guy that hangs out right outside your local Burger King. Yet, how often do we who are more fortunate than others give them some money or even give them some of the food that we are there to get?
Myself, I have always seen these people, but rarely think to give from what it is that I have to them. Have I become that callused that I won’t give just a little bit of what I have? It’s not like it would be difficult for me to give a dollar or buy an extra burger, but I still just don’t give. As part of the 50 things that I am doing for other people, I decided that I wanted to make a point of giving to the next homeless person that I saw some food; whether that be some of my own food or making a point of buying some extra. I wanted to provide to someone that has less than me.
Once again, Ben was with me when I decided to take care of this item of things that I want to do before I die. We had decided to make a run to Burger King for lunch, so I offered to drive on over to the BK Lounge. As we approached the BK Lounge we made the executive decision to walk inside due to the drive-thru always taking much too long to even be worthwhile. As we were making our way to the door, an older man asked us if we could spare a quarter, as neither of us had a quarter or any cash on hand we politely answered that we didn’t have anything. As soon as I was inside the door I realized that this was my opportunity to give this guy a nice little meal. I got up to order and made a point of ordering an extra burger that I had no intention of eating, but I was happy to pass on to this guy. As I waited for my food I began to get that feeling of nervous excitement you get right before the birthday kid is about to open the present that you gave them. Will they like it? I don’t know. But what I do know is that I will feel good because I went out of my way to provide for this man. As we get our food and leave the BK Lounge I step outside and I am ready to deliver the burger to this guy, but he has moved. I felt such disappointment to not have fulfilled my plan. On my walk to my truck, I see the man has not gone far; we pull out and drive up to the corner where that man has moved to. I passed the burger to Ben, who then passed it along to the man. While we drove away we kept looking back to see if he had opened the burger to begin eating it. And even though we never saw him open the burger, I know that even this little thing could make a big difference in this man’s life.
It is interesting how those times when you do something for someone else you find the most joy in your own life....