Surfing Today

Fisherman's Blues

More random lyrics, this time from the Waterboys

Waterboys

I wish I was a fisherman
tumblin' on the seas
far away from dry land
and it's bitter memories
castin' out my sweet line
with abandonment and love
no ceiling bearin' down on me
save the starry sky above
with light in my head
with you in my arms...
i wish i was the brakeman
on a hurtlin fevered train
crashin head long into the heartland
like a cannon in the rain
with the feelin of the sleepers
and the burnin of the coal
countin the towns flashin by
and a night that's full of soul
with light in my head
with you in my arms...

And I know I will be loosened
from the bonds that hold me fast
and the chains all around me
will fall away at last
and on that grand and fateful day
I will take thee in my hand
I will ride on a train
I will be the fisherman
With light in my head
You in my arms...

Light in my head
You in my arms...

Light in my head
You...

With light in my head
You in my arms

IN-N-OUT in LA

Back in LA and on my way to work in Tustin. Going through the huge drive thru line at the fabled in-n-out burger place to have my first INO burger.

Out to Dinner in MI

With the crazies...

Venting

Well I ended up missing my connection in chicago on the way to Detroit. American Airlines seemed to go out of their way to suck. They almost intentionally delayed the flight out of LA. Then they said there were no other flights to Detroit after 9:30pm. Then they said we could pick up our luggage downstairs, but the downstairs people would have none of that. Then they gave us hotel vouchers to a hotel that would not accept their vouchers. Had to go back to the airport and be sent to another hotel which was 20 minutes away from the airport. There were around 20 people with missed connections and not a single one of them heard the word "sorry." The customer support desk gives you an 800 number to call to complain to a series of automated machines or some guy in India; you pick!
If you ever wanted to know what hell is like, it's the place where the only airline is American Airlines, the only phone carrier is at&t, the only cable company is Comcast and the only department store is Sears; all the customer support lines are wired directly to Mumbai and George Bush is president.

In LA airport

Surfing (Wiping Out) USA

I went surfing today. Wonder of wonders, I found a road-side parking spot. Got into my wet suit, surf board under arm, headed for the ocean.

Malibu beaches are supposed to be beginners friendly.  And they sure were. Meaning that I wasn’t the worst surfer there. Oh, who am I kidding, I was. Any surfer who falls of his board, just sitting there waiting for a wave has got to be the worst surfer around. In my defense, those things are pretty tippy.

I spent an hour, paddling out, seeing a good wave, paddling hard, catching it, but any attempts at standing up resulted in an immediate and ungraceful fall. With me and the board rolling and thrashing around in the white water. If you’ve ever tried standing up in a canoe and remain stable, you should try standing up on an 8 foot long laminated piece of foam.

So I learnt my lesson: Stay close to the beach and catch the white water and just try to learn to pop up (surfing term for standing up). I think I did it once for about 3 seconds. My personal best.

After 2 hours of this merciless beating, I took my lumps (literally)and crawled out of the sea, exhausted and panting. As I walked back to the car, wet and weary I noticed the admiring gaze of the drivers. “Look at that surfer dude! Must have been surfing hard. Looks like a real old pro. Peace man!”

Cool. I think I’ll get a well-worn short board, one the pros use; walk around the beach with it under my arm and shout out surfing tips to the people in the water. Make up surfer talk “Sit back on the board! Catch the curl before the rip cuts the crest! Look for the break and push hard for the ten!”

I just hope no one ever sees me the water.

8:00 am on 405

Seven lanes of clear sailing. Alas it only lasted 5 minutes before the gridlock!

Only in CA