the influence of one

This week, I was sitting in the Rockaway lineup. It was crowded and there were a few waves rolling through, so most of the dudes were pretty serious-looking and competitive about getting on the good ones. I paddled for a wave and this voice yelled "GO FOR IT!" That encouragement powered me through, and I caught my funnest wave of the day. As I paddled back out, I saw my cheerleader: a 10-year-old fellow on a short board. We chatted for a bit, and he explained that he had been surfing for as long as he could remember. It was his birthday, and all he wanted was a video game, iPhone 6, money, and clothes. (I chuckled at that.) All the while, he hooted when sets came through and cheered when strangers flew down the line. It was rad! Slowly, there was a palpable change in the lineup: Guys were cracking smiles, shouting at each other to go, hollering at others' nose-rides, and striking up conversations. It reminded me that surfing is all about fun, and one attitude can really make a difference. Thanks, young friend, for teaching me that lesson.

weekend vibes

Summer's here and, despite the rainy, cool weather, I'm taking full advantage. I finally didn't have to write this weekend! On Friday, Monkey and I had a rare girls' night in. We posted up on the couch with snacks and watched a cute movie (Begin Again). On Saturday, I headed out to Gilgo with Sarah and Kim. Although there were no waves, we went for a long walk on the beach; rode cruisers around the neighborhood; played bocce and barbecued (all while Tom was toiling away on his house). The next day, I slept in, and surfed Rockaway in the late afternoon. Around 5:30, the crowds thinned and the winds switched offshore. The water felt soft and refreshing, and a rainbow appeared overhead before disappearing into a pink-and-purple sunset. So magical! I even got home in time to make dinner and bake a batch of oatmeal chocolate-chip cookies. Finding balance in my life is an ongoing process, and I'm making strides!

6 things

I've been up to lately…

1. Went to visit Erik's family in Northern Virginia. I'm so lucky to have in-laws that I truly love. I always wanted a sister and now, by marriage, I have five! One of Erik's sisters has a menagerie of interesting animals, including two parrots, a gecko (above!), and a crazy dinosaur-like tegu lizard.
2. Appreciating New York. There's nothing like a weekend in the 'burbs to make you appreciate your exciting city life. :)
3. Bought a new mattress. Our old one was a hand-me-down and, after tallying up the numbers, we realized that it was 20 (!!!) years old. So we scoped Sleepy's and then ordered the one we liked online for a fraction of the cost. It's like sleeping on a cloud. (Insert "A Whole New World" soundtrack.)
4. Surfing Rockaway. The waves have been fun lately, so I've been spending all my free time at the beach. I also got a locker down there, which has been a revelation. No more lugging my board on the train; hallelujah!
5. Catching up on life. After a string of trips and fill-in gigs, I finally have a stretch of staying put at home. I'm loving it! I've finally been tackling all the projects that I kept putting off: Cleaning out my closet, organizing my file cabinet, adjusting my investment portfolio, etc. Next up: Scheduling all of my checkups.
6. Having little city adventures. Of course, life isn't complete without some excitement. We've been doing fun activities, like checking out art installations, taking archery lessons, seeing the new Whitney, and going for city rambles.