Adventure - Part I

On Monday I drove up to Seattle to see Mika! I've been waiting, waiting, waiting for Mika to do another tour, and was excited to get tickets to two shows this time around. (Harder to find multiple shows close enough to go to on the west coast than the east coast.) So the first show was in Seattle, and I decided to cross another one off my Life List and stay at the Ace Hotel for this visit.

I arrived a few hours before the show and checked in and fell in love with my room. Ace Hotels are such a cool concept, and I figured they would be well-executed. I stayed at the W in Seattle this summer, and I have to say, I prefer the Ace. I know. To keep things cheap, I opted for a room with a community bathroom/shower. Having issues of the OCD variety, this was a big step for me - I've done this a couple times in Europe, but not for years. It turned out to be a great option and made it very affordable. I hung out in my awesome room for a while getting ready for the show and just taking in the coolness. Later I went out in search of food and ended up at the Virginia Inn where I had awesome pumpkin ravioli and a great martini. Heaven. I walked around cool downtown Seattle, visited Patagonia, and pretty soon it was 8:00 and time to make my way to the theater.

One weird side note: Last week I was screwing around on the Internets following different links and found myself at a website that sold some cool, arty stuff. I looked for retailers of this stuff and found that a shop in Seattle called Schmancy (cute, huh?) sold their products. I made a mental note to visit the store while on my trip, but forgot to look up directions or anything. Well. While looking around for the concert venue after dinner on Monday, I found Schmancy exactly next door to the Moore Theater where Mika was playing. It's weird, no? That happened to me once before in Fukuoka, Japan. I'd written down the name of a shop I'd found online (Juliet's Letters - love, love, love), forgot to map it before getting to Fukuoka, and ended up stepping out of my hotel and seeing it across the street. I mean, those are big cities. (Ok, now we know why it's called Long Story Longer.)

An English dude named Gary Go opened the show, and he was really quite good. He's very funny and had some great songs. I had a "The future is now" moment during the show when he was singing a song that I liked, but I couldn't quite understand the lyrics. I took out my iPhone, googled what I could make out of the song, came up with the title, went online with iTunes, and purchased it before he even finished the song. I love progress.

Mika's show was fantastic. I just don't know what makes me happier than his music. The show had a space theme, and everyone and everything on stage glowed white. He sang all of the older songs and most of the new ones, and finished with an encore consisting of Grace Kelly, We Are Golden, and Lollipop - some of my very favorites. There were balloons, glitter, and confetti, and it was just incredibly fun. Also, this tour is apparently over 21 only, which made a big difference to the vibe. When I listen to Mika's music, I feel completely carefree. My mind usually races 24/7 - it's just how my brain works - so it's a rare gift to be free of all thoughts. And the crowd he draws is the coolest. All I can compare it to is when I attended my first David Sedaris reading, well over ten years ago. He wasn't well-known and it was a small venue in Portland, and when I sat down in the crowd and started chatting with folks I thought: These are my people. That's what I feel at a Mika concert. So I sang and danced and bounced with everyone else until late on Monday night.

On Tuesday morning I got up at an ungodly hour after a lousy, lousy night of sleep to meet the one and only Sizzle for breakfast. I checked out of the hotel at 7:00 AM, planning to drive up to Canada after breakfast, and went to my car to unfortunately discover that someone had broken into it. Such a bummer. They broke a window, trashed the inside, stole a bunch of stuff (including most of my clothes for the trip and a present I had for a blogger meet up), and got into the steering column in an attempt, I guess, to steal it.

I cried like a baby when I discovered my car - I wish I didn't, but it was some kind of perfect storm of no sleep, immediate worries about the cost of fixing it, and feeling alarmed/creeped out by the thought of someone sitting in my car going through my things. They left huge, greasy hand and finger prints all over everything, and it made it extra-creepy to see exactly where they had put their icky mitts. I called my BFF in Washington, DC, and explained the situation through hiccup-cries and a lot of cursing, and then tried to pull myself together. (I have to say, the guy at the Ace Hotel was incredibly kind and helpful - refunding part of my room cost and helping me make phone calls. I owe him a thank you note, at least.) Sizzle was nice enough to still meet me for breakfast, and I have to admit, I had a good time despite the circumstances. I adore Sizzle and love that she shares my "no such thing as TMI" policy. We had a nice time before I headed back to the hotel to deal with my car, which took 9 hours and really, truly sucked.

This story is too long and I'm only one day in. More later.

All Good

• A week ago I got up at 5:30 in the morning (I still can't believe it) to make it to the coast for a surf gear sale. The used gear was going for super cheap, and I was really wanting to come away with a wetsuit and a board. I ended up not getting a board (the biggest was 9'6" and I'm just not there yet) but I got the best, almost-new wetsuit ever, and it just happens to be the one I've been renting all these times, so it practically has my butt-print in it. And I not only got the Bro Deal, I have a feeling I got the No Job Broke Ass Deal, because he sold it to me for a price that defies reason. My very own wetsuit. I'm going to hug it and squeeze it and call it George.
• I dragged myself to yoga last Saturday, even though I didn't want to one tiny little bit, and ended up having the best yoga session ever - better than I'd even hoped yoga could be. The poses felt amazing, each one making me feel more calm and centered than the last. When it was finished I wanted to run around and high-five everyone in the class, and then french kiss the teacher. It was amazing.
• I went surfing on Tuesday. First I went to traffic court with my bathing suit on under my clothes, and then I went to the coast. The waves were too big for me - I knew they would be - but I'm discovering a certain twitch that occurs when it's been more than a few days since I've been in the water, so I had to try. The beach was completely deserted (I saw one single person later) which I'd never experienced before. I went in for three rides before surrendering to reality. It was just a matter of time before something bad would happen. I was extreeeeemly bummed to not get more time, but proud of myself for not being dumb. I put my board up and then just went swimming in the big waves for a while. It's no surfing, but it felt great to be in the water.
• When I took my gear back, the owner of the shop told me he'd been thinking all day about how to get me a board. ! He said he doesn't want to sell me a beginner board, he wants me to have a 10' fiberglass. You guys. So . . . he said he's going to California in a few weeks and he was going to put the word out ahead of time to try to find me something down there. I'm trying very hard to not get my hopes up, and even if he finds me a board, transitioning away from a softie will be another frustrating learning curve, but, dudes - I am going to be one happy surf baby if this comes together!
• I went to the Nelscott Tow-In Classic in Lincoln City on Thursday. (Pictures of where I watched from the side of the road with binoculars and cute boys in wetsuits below.) I think the facts are: there are waves too big to paddle into, so surfers are towed by a jet ski into the wave. The waves that day were over 30'. (Remember how 8 or 9' makes me cry like a little girl with no lunch money?) The competition is also scheduled as happening sometime between October and December, and when the waves get big enough, the surfers are put on 48 hours notice until they know for sure it's going to happen. To hear on Twitter that they got the green light for big waves on Thursday - I don't really know how to describe how exciting it was! This was my first chance to see a competition in person and I was in awe the whole time. I'd like to say more about this, but it would just be a collection of words like "dude" and "stoked" and I'm not sure it would really communicate how inspiring it was. It was like watching human dolphins. Ok, I'll stop. You could feel pure happiness in the air. Ok, that's enough. I could hardly stop myself from just screaming with joy! (But I did.)
• I saw Mike Birbiglia at the Aladdin on Saturday. I love Mike and how he uses his own tragic experiences and turns them into something to laugh about. At the very end he told a story about his sleep disorder that had me laughing so hard I simply could not stop. I love that. This was the second time I've heard the story about him getting hit by a drunk driver, and it took my breath away again. I'm left thinking about it for days again. He's so smart and so real; there's something about his stories that really draws me in. What a great evening.
• I love going to concerts. I've been to one zillion of them over the past 25 years, and they're so good for me - the most fun I have is at a show. Years ago I made up a dream list of artists to see - maybe 20 people - and this week I'll see the last name on the list! Who knew? On Wednesday night I'll see U2 in British Columbia, and tonight and Tuesday it's Mika in Seattle and BC. I'm excited! I guess it's time to make up a new list.
• The baby is coming! Probably this week. Cutest Nephew will soon have a brother or sister (and possibly a new nickname), and my heart will have to grow two sizes to accommodate both kiddos.

About-Face

A lot of surf baby stuff has happened in the last week or so, and I'm sorry, but I want to get every little detail down here.

I've been wracked with insecurities lately. It's felt lonely and pathetic. I've been isolating myself from friends, being a hermit inside my place, eating marshmallows for breakfast. I've thought about blogging myself out of the hole, but I haven't wanted to post because - who am I kidding? I'm no writer. I've thought of getting off my ass but I haven't wanted to go to yoga or out for a run, because - who am I kidding? I'm no athlete. And I've been feeling really insecure about my surfing - actually, in my mind it's been in quotes: my "surfing" - because I'm terrible at it. I even (I regret this still) skipped going out on Monday despite (rare) perfect conditions because I was feeling so totally insecure and self-conscious about my shitty surfing ability.

But the thing about all of that is that it gets old really fast. It's all frustrating, and definitely worth a pint (at least) of Ben & Jerry's, some tears, and a dramatic call to my sister, but after a while you're just missing good surf days and being a real whiner. So I'm trying to Knock That Shit Off and just move forward.

Now I have a pedicure to attend to, but more stories coming soon.

What Do You Think I Fought For In Omaha Beach?

A World War II vet tells it like it is:

Thanks to Joe.My.God and Bren.

Good Mornings

There's a tree directly in front of my big bedroom window and the leaves are now all bright red. Every morning the sun shines through my window and I wake up to find everything washed in light pink. The whole room glows. It feels like a big surprise every time I open my eyes.

Alone

There are times when I feel a bit lonely and my house seems too quiet and I wish for someone to be here with me. This is not one of those times. Lately I've been enjoying the solitude of my life so much. My apartment is small - the smallest space I've lived in for a long time - but perfectly cozy. I am surrounded my stacks of books and warm blankets. I like a clean house (that's called an understatement) and my house is frequently clean and easy to keep that way. I love my balcony - I recently planted a yellow mum out there and it brightens the whole area. I keep the guest room ready for friends or family; it's nice to have a place for visitors. In the mornings I get up and make eggs and toast and curl up with the kitty on the couch. I have a great view of the sunset each night. I like coming home after a day away, and it feels peaceful to step inside. Most days I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for what I have here. It's a perfect space for me.

Another Great Day

After a last-minute change of plans this morning, I headed to the beach for another day of surfing. Anticipating a surf day is awesome, but unexpected surf days are pretty great, too. I woke up at 9:00, which is the crack of dawn for me lately (don't hate), and was out the door by 9:30.

When I drove up to the surf shop, the owner just shook his head. He said, "Again?" You know it. A lady I've never met started filling out my paperwork to rent gear, and he came in and took over saying, "She's one of ours." Again with the bro deal. I was loaded up in five minutes and made my way to the beach. It was pretty empty (I'm so glad all the good people waste Sundays in church) and I was in the water quickly.

It was small again today, which I really like, but at first I had to work to find anything. I did do a lot of paddling (I can feel it tonight) and practiced messing around on my board while waiting for the waves. There were several other girls with boards and it felt great to have girl power out there. One woman was pretty close to me when we were both trying hard to find something to ride, and she kept looking and me and shaking her head. It picked up a bit (maybe 4') after a while, but the whole thing looked and felt like Waikiki (except for the ice cream headaches) - just glassy and rolling waves. It was so beautiful. And quiet. Jules has declared my knees off limits - no more riding on both knees; I'm committed to at least one knee and one foot from now on - but she wasn't there today, so it was knee rides all day! I had a couple of great ones - just long, curvy rides. It feels so nice to cruise in sitting up so tall. I can't imagine what taking a long ride on my feet will feel like. I did try to do more, but it just wasn't happening, so I mostly flopped around and really played with my board today. I love balancing on my belly, feet crossed, legs bent at the knee, and chin in my hands. The board just rolls over the baby waves and it feels so peaceful. I could almost sleep like that. I haven't had many days that mellow here. I enjoyed it.

I surfed for about 1 1/2 hours and then got out to rest and get a granola bar. When I was walking up to the sand a guy gave me a thumbs up and said I was hitting it hard out there. I was taking waves pretty aggressively - just trying to ride everything! When I got back in the water for the afternoon, I was surprised how quickly I tired out. I told myself I'd take five more rides, but after I did, I told myself: just five more. To be honest, I never wanted to get out of the water today. It felt awesome.

When I returned my gear the owner and another guy at the shop were helping me and questions about my situation came up. I told them I don't have a job. They said, "What do you do?" I said, "I surf and screw around, I guess." And then I said, "I used to be a banker." What a show-stopper. Maybe not many bankers surf. I hope I can leave that behind someday soon.

So tonight I'm tired and feeling really grateful that I was in the water today. It's supposed to get real big, too big for me, later this week, so I'm already wondering if I should get another day in tomorrow . . .

Stoke!

I don't know what to tell you. I had a great session today and I need to talk about surfing and all my friends are in bed. I can't help it!

So I'm just getting over the plague and still hacking like a 20-year smoker, but I had to get in the water today! It's been 2 1/2 weeks since my lesson with Julie, and I was aching to get in. I called Jules and she fit me in for a lesson, so I packed my cough syrup and was off for the beach. When I rented my gear (dude, $10 off this time - I am totally in on the bro deal) the owner told me that next week they're selling off ALL THEIR USED GEAR and I might be able to get the exact stuff I use each week at serious discount. I froze and said, "Like what?" Dudes. The prices are crazy!

I can't even tell you how pumped I got about this. Besides being unemployed, I'm currently looking for jobs that pay less than half of what I used to make. My mindset is basically that it will be a miracle for me to ever again have cash to blow like I used to. I constantly think through when I might be able to buy gear and have guessed it's maybe a year out, if I'm very lucky. Wetsuits are crazy expensive and boards are astronomical. And the specific gear I use each time I surf is going to be sold next week for the price of a massage or two. It's too good to be true. I mean, it's a freakin old wetsuit that doesn't even fit perfectly, and the board is the biggest, ugliest, most god-awful thing you ever saw, honestly, but I'M SO PSYCHED! GEAR! I bought a year-long pass for the beach (it's a fee park) so this means I could actually go surfing for the cost of gas money. Too much.

Ok, calm. So next week I'm going to be getting up crazy early and making it to the ocean before the crack to stand at the door of the shop to try to get my gear before someone else does.

And how could a session that started like that be anything but awesome? So I levitated to the beach and met Jules for our beach talk. (Again - top secret stuff. World problems were solved, secrets of life were spilled. That's all I can say.) The water was gorgeous - as clear as I've seen it - and small, which is so perfect for me and my scared ass. Again there was no undertow - it just wasn't the same ocean that gave me a beat down before. There were a hell of a lot of jelly fish - I didn't take one ride without seeing at least one - and I think I nudged a crab. Ew. The water was perfect, although cold. I got my first ice cream headache the first time I went under . . . it's going to be a long winter. I think I rode a few green waves, one in particular, which is new for me. So far, I'm a whitewater girl. But we wandered out further than normal in search of longer rides and that was good to experience. Weird to feel a wave under me without hearing it coming first.

We set goals for each session, and I met my goals for today, which were basically to be patient with myself coming off two weeks of no exercise and illness, and to improve from my last time in the water. The holy grail is to get both of my goddamn feet on my board, but I'm trying to enjoy it all. I worked on turning my front foot perpendicular to the board and pushing with both hands off my right knee, but I only made small progress with both of those. I did take one ride where it just worked - charge forward, plant my right foot, turn and pop up - and both feet were on the deck. It didn't last long, but I had enough time to pump my fists in the air. :) God, this is fun.

I tired out fast, an hour or so - such a bummer on a gorgeous day - and didn't surf after Jules left. I just returned my gear and drove home with a huge smile and a killer October tan on my face. Tonight eHarmony guy #3 came over for a movie and he was nice enough to indulge me with my latest from Netflix - Step Into Liquid. Well, holy crap, what can I say? Who cares about the guy, that movie was perfection! I don't know what to do now but put it in again and watch it all night. It's the coolest, most spot-on surf movie/documentary I've ever seen - it describes the feelings and the connection with the water better than I thought possible. And the best part is that it's all about the total joy that comes from surfing - they include surfers of every age and every single skill level. I could hardly contain myself during it - I let out a few hoots and hollers. Also? Laird Hamilton. Yum.

Incredible day. I feel so, so lucky to be learning to surf. Is this really my life? Pinch me.

With A Bullet

• Tough week, ladies and germs. I am STILL SICK and feeling pretty rough. I'm not usually a headache girl, but I've had a pounding headache in one eye for over a week. I'm coughing and hacking every five seconds and am getting kind of disgruntled about the whole thing. I've been down for about ten days now and finished my antibiotics early this week. What gives? We're having beautiful weather in Portland and I don't want to miss the sunshine. Boo. Wah.
• It's a few days shy of one month since the 5k with my bro, and I haven't laced up my tennies (sneakers for you east coast folks) even once! I can't believe it. What gives?
• Until this morning. I finally laced up my tennies and did 3 miles at the school track - mostly walking and hacking and spitting, just a little running. Question: what am I supposed to run in as it gets colder? A wind breaker? I warm up and get hot very fast, but it's too chilly for a t-shirt anymore. What do I wear in January? Still just a wind breaker? I'm new to all this.
• I did get a big boost yesterday when my prize came in the mail from Patagonia. Dudes, the kind folks at Patagonia (hi Kasey!) sent me the very cool book (signed!) which I started last night before bed and which gave me good surfing dreams, and also threw in two rad stickers and a surf video! Score! Honestly, I've been bellyaching all week, and it was really fun and inspiring to get the package. I'm on chapter three of Amy Waeschle's Chasing Waves and it already has me dreaming of big waves. (Or at least riding with two feet on the board.) I noticed last night as I lay in bed reading that I was smiling the whole time.

Home

I spent last week in Central Washington visiting my mom and her husband. My mom is sick so I helped around the house this visit. It's a great feeling to take care of your parents, even in small ways, after they've given so much to you. It was a great visit.

Before driving back I stopped in the Bavarian village of Leavenworth and beautiful Icicle Canyon and enjoyed the pretty flowers and gorgeous mountains. There's something special about the place you grew up, isn't there? Even the dry air felt familiar and refreshing. Central WA will always be home.

Since returning to Portland I've been sick as a dog. Yesterday I slept the entire day until 5:00 pm (you heard me) and today I slept off and on until 6:00! And I'm still beat. I've been watching wave reports and was hoping to get out and do a little surfing tomorrow, but there's no way that's going to happen. Cross your fingers I'll feel better before the clouds come later in the week.