Where's the Surf?

  Okay, I've been out of commission for the past week from wearing this outfit- minus the jacket

at last week's Costume Party.  Of course, I didn't feel the need to cover up my cute Little Bo Peep costume with a warm, pink, furry jacket even being at an outdoor party during a somewhat cold evening.  Consequently, I ended up catching a horrible cold plus a bonus ear infection.  I rarely get sick so when I do, I'm devastated.

So... you're probably thinking, what does all this have to do with SUP?!  Well, being sick I had to force myself to be somewhat sedentary in order to recuperate.  Which meant... no water time for me (boo hoo).  On the bright side, I got plenty of rest, finished some chores around the house, did tons of mind-surfing and finished a great book, "Surf is Where You Find It" by Gerry Lopez.  It's a collection of some of his best surfing journeys and the lessons that came out from them.  If you don't know Gerry Lopez you're not a true surfer.  He is considered "Mr. Pipeline" because he rode it like nobody else can.  It was refreshing to read that even a big wave surfer goes through the same types of fears and concerns that I go through when I'm in the surf.  Granted, there is no comparison to the size of waves I surf compared to the big waves that Uncle Gerry hits but the mindset seems to be the same.  I've learned a few things from him such as the importance of knowing how to read the ocean and playing smart.  I just assumed that big-time surfers would jump into any waves but he reads them well enough to know when it can be a dangerous situation in certain parts of the water.  I've also learned that I have a TON yet to learn about surfing.  I couldn't get past the lingo.  Surfers definitely have their own language when it comes to talking about the surf.  I don't think there is a dictionary for it.  You learn the language when you immerse yourself with experienced surfers consistently and read about it like I do.  Anyway, I highly recommend this book.  It has motivated me to surf even more.  It has motivated me to find SURF anywhere I go.