Other People's Surf Blogs

I need to stop reading them. (Are you listening, Whiff?) Now I'm a bit nervous about this upcoming swell. It's not that I'm scared of the size. At home, I know where to go to handle a good-sized swell . . . unless it's the Big Wednesday kind. (Remember? I watched for awhile and then went skating.) But I don't plan to be home tomorrow. My company, as I said before, gives you a paid holiday on your birthday; luckily, you can take that day within 30 days of your birthday. Since my birthday was last week on a day when our department is busiest, I opted to take my birthday on June 19. That's tomorrow. The day of the so-called good-sized swell. My plan is to surf San O. That's my plan. I'm sticking to it. I think. Unfortunately, a certain other blogger's nervousness gave me pause, making me wonder if I should, in fact, be nervous too. I'm not even going to blame all of this on him. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I surfed San O on a big day. It wasn't pretty. Frankly, I don't want a repeat of that. I know my surfing and wave knowledge is much better than they were a year ago. Still, I'm a little nervous. I'd hate to make the trip only to be too nervous to paddle out. I guess I won't know anything until I get up in the morning and check whatever current surf reports I can find.

Yes, I did surf yesterday. I really have very little to say about it. I was back at RPB. Same old, same old. The waves weren't bad. I suppose, as usual, I was expecting better. I think I'm finding it hard to let go of the past. The weekend warrior thing is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I don't know how to keep all of this in perspective. Yes, I'm lucky to be able to surf, especially when one considers that I didn't start until I was 39. I'm also lucky that I surf well enough to satisfy expectations of myself that, as a 43 year old who now works a 40 hour a week job, I no longer have a right to have. I recognize all of these things. Nevertheless, I'm torn. I miss my freedom. I miss surfing uncrowded breaks on the weekdays. I miss watching the clock only out of curiosity. (Now I look at it to see if it's break time, or lunch time, or time to go the hell home.) You know, I think I just miss being outside. The majority of my workouts are indoors. I hate that, but it's better than getting fat and out of shape. Oh, woe is me, right? I'm cool. It's my blog. This is my pity party. Aren't you all glad you were invited?

Anyway, the plan for tomorrow is San O. All three of us are going so it won't be an all-day thing. I'll try to get in a few hours in the water. Then we'll head back.

To all of you dads, have a good surfing Father's Day. If you don't surf, just have a good one anyway. Your kids appreciate you. They may not show it, but they do!