Thursday, December 25, 2008

The Times...

It isn't the New Year yet, but I am working from now until then so it is probably about time to look back. As the virile legend Ron Burgundy noted, Bob Dylan once said "the times they are a-changin'." For me they really are. I look back at this year and see nothing but change, from unemployment to employment to unemployment again and now back on track and working like crazy. I went to England with a side trip to Wales, and I drove from LA to Seattle with nothing but a radio and my sparse thoughts as entertainment. I probably surfed less than I have in a single year than any other since I was eleven years old, but I feel as comfortable in the water as ever. I met some great people and a couple bad ones, and the same goes for women.

Overall I chalk it up to a year of extremes. Luck was either very much on my side or not at all. Streaks were enjoyed and spited. I think all of this reminded me of a valuable lesson learned several years ago now: things never stop changing, but one must maintain a stable state of mind. The clock forces the pendulum to continue to swing, but the base of the pendulum always seeks the bottom. The best course of action, it now seems to be, is to blaze one's own trail with his eyes on the final product. I have no idea what 2009 will bring me and I am extremely grateful for that. I welcome any lessons and goodies you have in store for me, coming year. In fact, I can't wait to get started.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

LA's Unexpected Lessons

The last couple of months have been trying for me in a few ways. I am working two jobs and an internship totaling precisely seven days per week of responsibilities. There hasn’t been much issue except for the occasional fatigue and the wonder of how I don’t have more money. Still, it’s good and I’m happy with the way things are going. It is much better to be doing this than to be unemployed.

A couple days ago I surfed some fun little waves close to my house. Many people know that this is a rare thing to occur and I was really stoked. I was sitting in the water thinking about the fortune under which my life operates. Earlier this year I met a friend who told me that I needed to look at what I have and what I am getting versus what I don’t have and what I’m not getting. I watched the sun come out through the clouds around 8:30 this beautiful December morning. I am mostly healthy, able to surf, ride my bike everywhere, and I have a great group of people around me.

I got out of the water and saw an eighty plus year old man doing tai chi near where my bike was locked and I thought, this guy is living. This was no young man, but we was on the beach doing the same routine he has likely done for decades. I don’t practice tai chi or really aspire to, but I was just finishing the routine I have done for, now, over a decade. A lot of good is around me and I am glad to be enjoying it.