Those Old Ways

Sometimes, I just want to be cool. Wasn't Junior High, like, forever ago? It has morphed and evolved, become more refined, dignified and nuanced, but it's still there: the the truth-or-dare secret desire to be just plain cool. When I go surfing, I often feel like I'm in Junior High. Sometimes, I am the sixth-grader who can never be good enough or sometimes, I am the eighth-grader, on top of the whole wide world, with dominion over as far as the safety officer will let you go. I have moved past friendship bracelets and tomagotchis (well kinda) on to single fins and surf reports. I don't have to be the best at tetherball but I do have to be the best at crossstepping. I don't chase boys around anymore, but I do cut them off from time to time. Competition, comparison, judgement, stratification, and playground elitism: from homeroom to homebreak. When I get in the water, it is as if I put on my old Adidas with sharpied harts and slip back into being 12. Except now I am supposed to be all grown up.

Margaux the artist/noserider.

MARGAUX. from Shaper Studios on Vimeo.

Can't wait to be back on the bench...

Goose Chase Gray

Friday after noon goose chase: Went looking for my buddy on the cliffs. White board, black wetsuit. I give up. Ran into some other friends who convinced me to come down. But wait, my board is being repaired as we speak. So Molly graciously offers me one of her boards. But its in her room up the hill. Run up to my apartment, grab my wetsuit then my roommate drops me off at Molly's room. Brake into her room and pick up her board and carefully maneuver it around the three sets of stairs then start the trek down the hill. Jonny! Thank goodness for that maroon Vanagon. So I once again accept a nice offer hop in with Jon and finally arrive back at the cliffs. Then I found all of the friends I could not find before. It was a lovely twilight session. After a while the all-encompassing-gray scared off most of the crowd and silvery waves we left for the brave few. Silver slide. Nice way to end a great chase.

Islands in San Diego

Islands - "Hallways" from Lex Halaby on Vimeo.

Come Thursday March 15 to see Islands at Queen Bee's Art and Cultural Center. It's gonna be rad.

The Goodwin Project

The Goodwin Project

The dream of everyone who has ever read Karouac has met reality with a bohemian fairy tail family. They left their home in Kauai for a beautiful journey of exploration and expansion. Growing in reciprocity with nature, they move from nation to nation, ocean to ocean and living with land and water. Their website paints their ideals with wonder filled aesthetics. I have such a huge crush on them.

You know it's bad...

when you write a whole social philosophy paper based on surf culture.

Board Shorts Film Festival

Board Shorts Surf Film Festival from Hayley Gordon on Vimeo.

Come.

The Hotdogger Woman

Nothing like a little Linda Benson in your life.

Surfing 101

Often people come up to me and say, “teach me how to surf” as if they were just asking, “pass me the salt.” Unfortunately, learning how to surf is nothing like being handed salt. It takes a lot more than a day of lessons and a push on a wave. It takes a lifetime to learn and it takes over your life.

So if your little heart is set on becoming the next Kelly Slater, here’s a few things you might want to know first:

Get in the water. Before learning how to surf you have to get to know the ocean. It’s like dating. If you go all in at once, it probably won’t last long. You have to get to know each other first. Take it slow. Swim, play, hang out, before you make the big commitment or you wont know what you are getting yourself into. Figure out what she likes, how she moves, go at her pace. Get to know her without any boardly distractions. If you have never swam in the ocean, trust me, having a giant piece of fiberglass isn’t going to make it any easier.

Watch Endless Summer. This movie is the most fundamental step in getting to know the world of surfing. Surf films in general are great ways to keep learning while stuck indoors. Brush up on your surf history.

Have someone help you pick out a board. Difference in board varies drastically depending of location, price, person, style, etc. It is best to barrow one first, then you can then move on to your own board when you know what you like. You don’t want to get stuck with the wrong stick.

Research. Make sure you know what’s up. Know where to go and what to do. Again it is beyond helpful to have an insiders opinion. You want to know which spots are good to start out in; it makes all the difference. The wave-type and crowd-friendless can make or brake a session, especially when starting out.

Be humble and respectful. It is easy to get in other peoples way. Look out for other surfers, especially the ones who have a sense of unearned privilege. Surfing is a lot more fun when you don’t get yelled at.

Don’t quit. If I haven’t talked you out of surfing by now, you must be determined. If you want to really learn you have to keep being that way. It takes a lot of time. It’s not just a “teach me” and I know it, kind of thing. It’s a keep falling, keep eating sand, keep waking up too early, keep freezing your butt off, keep embarrassing yourself, keep learning, kind of thing.

Keep learning. There is always more to know.

Best of luck.

A Little Dane in Your Life

DP from Andrew Gough on Vimeo.

DP from Andrew Gough on Vimeo.

Beauty and Grace

Wonderful moment of Lauren Hill captured by Haley Welsh.

Paper Surf

This is nice.

Surfing Rincon from Maddie Joyce on Vimeo.

Pencil it In

I lost my planer and life is a mess. Actually, life is grand. Just sometimes when I decide to go surfing I forget that I have to run a meeting during that time, or something random example like that. I have been learning (over the last five years or so...it's a long process) to manage my surftime. One thing I have learned is that people generally don't appreciate it when you don't answer your phone for hours or show up to dates late and wet. Many claim that, "surfing is not a sport; it's a lifestyle." It reminds me when doctors on TV say "this is not a diet; it's a life choice." There may be some truth in both of these sayings but neither sentiment is truly captured in these kitschy slogans. However, if the way of the surfer is taken to heart, it does tend to penetrate the everlooming schedule. Dates and plans lost, surfing takes over the mindset of time. Punctuality tends to drip down the list of priorities. Gringos often call this "Latin time." Aka: Latino/a's are always late. But it is more that being late; it is the mindset that time should not be the only thing that structures our day, there is so much more to living than when. The trick is to squeeze this timeless mindset into the schedule of a iphone-oriented culture and squeeze a "lifestyle" into a session between work and a date.


Photo credit: Alex Swanson