My boy's most recent work...

Cemetery from Colby Macri on Vimeo.

A long life, yes

Karen's grandmother died yesterday. We will not lament her passing. She lived to be over 100 years old! This picture of her, me, and Karen was taken the very day, a few years back, that I asked Karen's granny what the secret to a long life was. She smiled and told me it was the cabinet of booze that she kept well-stocked.

And all this time I thought it was diet.

Fly high forever, Gran, wherever it is all the good people like you go!

Hope

When all the horrors of the earthquake in Japan began to unfold earlier this month, I, like a lot of other people, felt like maybe there was really something to the whole Mayan calendar thing, how maybe it really was the beginning of the end. After all, the calendar stops at the year 2012. It had been going since... well, forever, right?

It's easy to go down that road of gloom and doom. I said something to my cousin about it. She has always been the one to get me through my darkest hours. She wrote me one paragraph in an e-mail, and at first I was surprised at her seemingly lack of compassion. She said something to the effect that these disasters have been going on forever, and how it is a miracle that any of us survive sitting on this rock spinning through the vast expanse of space, a rock that is constantly moving, shifting, and changing. There are exploding fissures within, for crying out loud.

I thought about that, and read on. She said she believed that the Mayan calendar ends there because we are on the dawn of a huge change. She feels like yes, things are going to end, at least life as it has been lived. Things are bad almost everywhere, relatively, of that most of us will agree. But, what if we were on the dawn of a huge change... for the better?

I just read an article in TIME magazine this morning, and it brought me back to my dear cousin's theory.

In Japan, at the moment, it seems that something is afoot with the young people there. Things have been rolling along for too long, it seems, politically and socially. Too much political red tape is preventing volunteers from even getting to the people who need help right now. There is something afoot, and that may be something we should pay attention to.

The youth of Japan are fed up with the old guard and their old ways. But, they cannot blame only those in power. Lack of interest among them has allowed those in power to continue the domination and manipulation of the "half awake in a fake empire." Many never take the time to vote. Many have become parasites on the very system they abhor. Are we feeling uncomfortable, America? We should be!

What would happen if a vast majority of us woke up? What if we said enough is enough, there needs to be a change and now? As the article states, "Often it takes a huge crisis to make society change."

Let us all take notice. Allow yourself to believe and to speak out, and loudly. Believe in what you want to see happen to this gorgeous planet and to those struggling to just survive on it on a daily basis. Maybe we are on the dawn on an enormous change that none of us can even imagine at this moment, but it will occur only if we believe it can happen. The future is unwritten.

My boy's early work!

He did this one while in college. His friends from Pedi-Cab were the actors. I love this. If you can't see the whole page, hit the title and it will shoot you over to YouTube to see it full screen!

The Best Kind of Day

Yesterday morning I was at the urgent care clinic, trying to see if I was contagious enough to get the day off. No chance, the doctor said, grow a pair and get to work! He didn't use those exact words, but I knew what he meant. He even suggested that salt water would be good for me, but I told him the waves were no good.

So, as I lay there last night unable to sleep due to the congestion, I heard the buoys had suddenly come up to three feet at fourteen seconds off Jacksonville and ... WHA????

I had expected to take today to recover, to laze about the house catching up on movies, writing, and my plan for activities for the kids for next week's spring break off from school (help). All that went flying out the window when I gazed upon actual waves at the pier this morning. An unexpected little low pressure system had crept off the coast while no one was looking.

Mark, Andy, and I had an unexpected day of fun today.

The lines were glassy and about waist high with bigger sets and were so much fun that we just kept repeating ourselves all morning. Where was everybody? Victory went to the dedicated. We were in hog heaven. We all lavished the lefts that came rising up, pitching, and rolling on down the line. We all had a beyond memorable session.

My best two waves went like this... It came shortly after Mark paddled out. This super-friendly, stoked, young guy and girl had paddled out at the same time as me earlier, and were sitting a bit inside me. A larger left began to peak up outside, and I was in the perfect spot. I dropped in as the thing began to go vertical, and all I had to do was grab my rail and pig dog, setting my line for a pocket rocket slide to nirvana. The guy was hooting as I went past him and was smiling and talking to me as I paddled back out, amazed at the wave I had lucked into. Later, the same thing happened again, but on an even bigger one that was even steeper. I dropped in kinda late and the same thing happened. All you had to do was set your rail and you were in! Oh, and I can't forget that other right that Andy went left on that I caught the shorter right on that just wedged up and pitched out so perfectly that I just sat in it and smiled all the way to the inside.

I was battling some leg cramps towards the end, maybe it was the Sudafed and not feeling like my usual self. But, what a gift this morning was! We were all smiles, and Andy thanked me profusely, when we finally went in after the onshore wind came up, for calling him to let him know there were waves this morning. We just never expected to be surfing at all today, and sometimes that is the best way of all to go surfing.

Nicaragua yesterday

What???

Ticketmaster is EVIL

Never buy anything through Ticketmaster! I bought tickets to a concert that I was unable to attend and even paid the insurance, just in case.

OH, DIDN'T READ THE FINE PRINT, HUH? The smugness in the supervisor's voice was the salt in my wound.

Now I am out over $150! Do they know how hard a nanny works for $150? No! Do they care? Ha!

You need to be dying in the hospital if you want to get your money back from them, and even then you have to get a three page written and signed document from your doctor. Never give them a penny, trust me.

Thinking about great friends

Hey Jude

Take a sad song and make it better...

Andy and I had it all worked out, moving our schedules around so we could surf this morning.

Not such a good to do. It seems to nearly always jinx it when you plan, especially with surfing, doesn't it?

It looked small and dribbly early, but with all the stress Andy has been under, I talked him into paddling out anyway. We caught a few, and it always helps just to be out there, somehow. It was a beautiful morning, despite the yelling fisherman and Tom Coates yelling back, "Eat shit, assholes!"

We can work it out...

Biking on the first day of Spring

The surf was barely a foot today, so I went with Sean to ride the trails of San Felasco again.

I had a record number of spinouts (4), but they were all due to different things this time, and not nearly as bad as the two bloody scrapes of last week. Sean said I am improving every time. I made one difficult section on the first try on a new part of the trail that took him five runs to do when he was learning, so that was all I needed to push myself to spin out in the leaves and sand way too many times. It was all good, though, nothing serious, and all of them were stupid mistakes from going too fast on turns.

I love the rush of threading the trees so much. It is like getting barreled on a wave, almost. The landscape there is astounding. It seems like you are somewhere else. The forest grows more lush with every passing week. This photo is of a tree we pass every time.

Today was the first day of spring, and it felt like a fitting start.

Degrees of separation

I stood there at the kitchen window, watching him, as I was washing up a few dishes at the house where I work now as a nanny. The house is immense, five bedrooms, five baths, it even has an elevator. There has been a lot of work going on, renovations, and I have grown to know the painters, construction workers, and the maids.

As I watched him, I thought about his life. He looked to be about my son's age, and I studied his rough hands gliding sandpaper across the surface of the upstairs balcony wall. I wondered how he had ended up doing such hard work, and wondered how he felt about his life. We have said hello almost every day for the past three months or so, during the renovation of the house where I work. They have added rooms, and now the backyard is being transformed into a playground, with fresh sod, new fencing, new plants, and new brick walkway.

I feel a kinship with the hard-working among us. I am one of them. Nothing has ever come easy to us.

In the late afternoon, as I was carrying little Joe downstairs to get his shoes so we could go outside and play, I saw him again. There he was, down on his hands and knees, adding the last touches of white paint to the enormous storage area housing shelves, nooks, and cabinets. He looked up from his work for a moment and just looked at us, as I was chattering on and on, talking to Joe in that sing-song way I have that shows how desperate I am to make the most mundane tasks fun. "I wish I'd had someone like you taking care of me when I was a kid," he said with a smile that masked a certain sadness. "Wow," I said, "Thanks for that, you made my day." And he said, "I have watched you with the kids, and you are so good at this."

Yep, I have a kinship with the working folk. That kid's face, as he said those simple words, will stay with me for a long, long time to come.

I'm hungry, and I hate everything

Says Ron Swanson (Parks and Recreation). His frustration, in Episode 23 (Season 2), seemed to fit yesterday, somehow.

What is going on? Everything must have shifted with the earthquake. If you haven't felt it... well...as The National puts it, "We're half awake in a fake empire."

I didn't even want to go surfing yesterday. Everything felt off.

I went surfing today, and it felt like a gift. Karen hurt her shoulder and can't surf for probably a month. Andy is inundated with the trials and tribulations of dealing with his close friend/brother-in-law's motorcycle accident. Tom H. just learned that his son has diabetes. Karen's neighbor, who loves surfing, is dying and giving up.

Be happy if you can.

I surfed alone. I think this is a picture of me surfing this morning on the south side of the pier. There were several waves that surprised me today. I hadn't expected much. I find that, often, that philosophy opens a door to happiness. Find it when and where you can. And, know it when it is right in front of you.

Japan Earthquake Swarm Google Earth Animation

Jenny is moving back to Florida!

I have missed my little sister so much. I was so happy to hear that she is sick of the cold winters in New York. Today, some dickhead blocked her in at work and she said THAT'S IT! She is coming to look for houses in Florida this August!

The Afterglow

I felt bad out there in the water this morning, because I was taking the waves for granted. Maybe I was just tired from all the surfing and biking yesterday and just didn't have the drive for it today. I kept thinking that If only we hadn't had yesterday, today would have seemed pretty epic. It was smaller today, for sure, but there was still some of the magic. I was just too drained to appreciate it. I was just feeling blah.

I watched Andy get the best waves today. He was sliding into some pretty good ones on the eleven footer and was catching all the biggest ones. At one point, I watched him paddling for one really good peak and saw the infamous Steve B. start paddling for it, too. Oh, no, don't you do it! Steve nearly bought the wrath of Nanny McCree on that one, but luckily Andy started hooting him off, and he was spared for now. I see us having words very soon. It didn't help to hear someone tell him that he was getting all the waves out there. WE ALL CAN SEE THAT! But, can he share... or even see anyone out there?

It was crowded today, too, which was weird. Yesterday was Sunday, and no one was out. Today it was bumper to bumper, comparatively. Tom H. was even out on his SUP. What did I just say? SUP? What? Yep. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

I did get one fun right that Andy saw and I heard him say, "Nice" as I slid past him. It was the only one that really got me stoked. I really thought Andy was surfing better than I have seen him surf in a long time. Real style out there today, brother. That made me happy to see him having fun after all that happened with him last week. Surfing heals all wounds. You know the rules.

My kind of day...

This day was action packed, Pee Wee!

It started out with surfing. I checked the pier early, was the first one in the water since I was going to ride my new bike today with Sean, and I knew he was waiting for me to finish surfing. When I first looked at it, I was a bit disappointed. Three feet at eleven seconds was just enough to hint at possibility, but this looked so small.

But, as I looked at both sides of the pier, the lines were long and groomed clean by a perfect WSW wind, so I decided to paddle out and catch a few for an hour of so. By the time I paddled out, I realized it was much better than I had thought. I had called Andy and gave him a rather uninspired report, told him it looked small, but that there were some clean lines, and maybe it would be better to wait until the tide filled in. I told him it would probably be best around ten, when I would already be gone. I regretted saying that as I watched a perfect wave rise up and pitch and roll past me.

On my first wave, I realized I was in luck today! The form was pretty impressive, clean, and snappy. The waves had some punch, and I was glad I had decided to take out the Dominator instead of the fun shape. Boy, was I ever.

It just kept getting better, and then I looked and here comes Steve B. paddling my way from the north side. Ugh.

The sight of that guy always causes my soul to sag. He's a nice enough guy, but on that 12 footer he becomes an annoying wave hog - and today he was at his worst. He came up saying how great it had looked from shore and where was everyone and I wanted to say that he more than made up for the lack of people. But, that's mean. I hate to be like that. I didn't say it. I was civil.

So, the waves just kept getting better and better, and then Tom paddled out smiling. Next came Mark, and we were trading waves and just amazed that no one was coming out. It was like a dream. The waves were about waist to chest high with some random shoulder high ones to keep us stoked. Every one of us got a wave that will stand out in my mind as some of the best I have ever seen here. Mark got the biggest and best one. It was near the end, when the tide began to turn and come in, which resulted in the best moments of the day. I saw someone way out the back, paddling for this big right, it seemed head high at least as he stood. The thing just peeled off and pitched so perfectly. Then I saw that it was Mark, and I hooted as he flew past me. He was smiling so big. Then I saw Tom paddle for one that was similar, but was more lined up and fast. He took off and just flew right up into the pocket and I saw him sitting in the tube just feet in front of me, and he stayed in it. When he paddled back out I told him it was the best wave I have ever seen him ride. He was stoked!

Then came my wave! I watched as Mark tried to catch this larger, wedgey, pitching right - and then Tom missed it, too. I was in the perfect spot, luckily and just whipped my board around, surprised at my good fortune. It wedged up bigger as it hit the sandbar and I stood up and it just tapered into a perfect tube and when I stood up it threw over my head. I was hooting then, a total kook and stoked, not believing it was really happening. I had not had such a perfect wave since Playa Grande a month ago. It just kept tapering, opened up for a few cutbacks... I was in heaven.

The only downside, and there had to be one to make it real, was Steve B. I saw him snake around Tom so many times stealing another wave from him. Steve would always have some excuse why he had done it, and was so diplomatic and smiling, but it did not make it right or fair. Finally, when one came in that I was in perfect position for (and I can't tell you how many waves he had taken and hogged all morning to the point of ridiculousness), I paddled and he never even looked, just assumed it was his and dropped in right in front of me. I yelled as he stood up, "You've got to be kidding me!" He knew what he had done.

I thought for sure he would paddle over and give me some story about how he hadn't seen me, or how he thought I'd go left. Oh, no. He paddled away and stayed away, smart man. I was so ready to let him have the truth about how everyone talks about him being so rude and in his own world acting like he doesn't even see anyone else. And what a waste of a wave. He just stands on that plank and tries to regain his balance the entire way! Then will tell you all about his latest fitness plan and where he has flown to this week to sell yachts to the rich that he can't stand. Yeah, Steve, I am talking about you. No more Mrs. Nice Guy! Nanny 911 is after you now.

So, I finally went in, when the wind turned a bit more north, and it was getting so late that I knew Sean was going to be getting antsy to go ride the bike. We finally took off for Gainesville after a spat about how annoying it is to be the friend of a surfer.

My bike is the best! The trees are all filling in with bright green-yellow leaves, it was beautiful out there in the woods. That bike is so nimble and quick! Some of the trails were so sketchy, but to fly down them dodging the roots and rocks and hitting the banks is so close to the rush of surfing. I can't believe I would ever say that. I even tried the Conquistador trail, against my better judgement (a 3 black diamond), stupid! At one point, I was crawling up a rocky root infested hill that felt like it was a 90 degree angle evil thing and... am I going backwards? My right thigh felt like someone was stabbing it with a knife. I told Sean I AM DONE WITH THIS PART OF THE TRAIL! and he said to sit on a log for a minute, but I just got back on. By the end, I was glad I had tried it, as there is no where to go from here but up. Then it was off to La Tienda, the best Mexican food in these parts. Best salsa I have ever had, hands down. What a fun day...

Searching

This morning was a repeat of so many of my days. Searching everywhere for a wave worth paddling out for.

I checked the pier... gutless. Then I talked to Bob, who got me inspired enough to make the drive to Matanzas, but I was not to be rewarded this day.

The Summerhaven side had some pretty little green lines, but it was still gutless with one SUP making his way outside. Eh.

I went to the overlook, but it looked like little peaks along the line and even smaller, although it's deceiving there being so high up and far away from the break. The wind seemed a little too northerly, too. Matanzas does not like north in the wind. I decided to just head back to the pier and check tenth street along the way.

I ended up just going out there at tenth, tired of searching and knowing that it would probably be better when the tide filled in and I was somewhere else. Such is life for the addicted surfer. I think to be able to catch the waves when it's good, you pretty much have to be a bum or really rich. The in between means responsibility, and the trick becomes not to go insane, and to realize you can't ever have complete freedom. Well, until the dirt nap.

I paddled out and caught a few before I realized why no one was out as far as I could see. Later, I would look at the photos of mid-morning and die a little inside once more. Still, I keep searching.

One big mistake

He made it when he discounted Pee Wee Herman. Rule number one: if you want to be my friend, you must understand the enigma that is Pee Wee.

A really cool fact about Canada

Did you know that in Canada they can actually touch and grab you in the commercial haunted houses there? I know this is true. I went to one and saw a grown man nearly weep. For adrenalin junkies, it is the place to go.

Magic Evening Session

I was so mad that I had to go into work today at noon! I knew the wind would be turning more offshore all day while I was locked in the cafe, and it did. Once the sun came out, I was ruined. Maybe that is why the tips were so bad today. But, no way! I was soooo nice to everyone, they were happy, and I busted my butt the entire time never stopping except to eat a day old scone. When that group of about 15 Flagler College students came in, and all ordered separate tickets, and random smoothies with all these particular requests, it got insane. I was running all over the place like a she slave. Sherry has to find a replacement, and soon. I do not want to work another Sunday!

So, I kept on working hard while looking at the flags. DAMN! Offshore! I call the report to hear what I dread, "Waves are 2-3 feet with larger sets, good shape, with moderate WSW offshore winds. DAMN!

I want to go surfing.

WIll this obsession ever end? Yes, we know it will. That only adds fuel to the fire! DAMN. So, by 5 p.m. I am getting out of there, looking at the flags, hmm, lighter winds now. My phone is ringing a lot by the end, and Sherry is laughing at my surfing obsession and how my surfing friends are calling with an update every now and then.

I drive like a maniac to get to the beach. DAMN! Caught the bridge. I used the time to get my wetsuit ready.

I get to the pier, and YES it is clean as can be - and not crowded! I speed walk to the gross pier bathroom and change. No boots for the first time. But, I like my boots. I speed walk to the sidewalk and down the steps, ooooh, it looks good! I paddle out as fast as I can, it just tortures me to no end, the time wasted, and I wish for a ski lift to get me out there NOW because I hate to lose a minute of daylight.

Once outside, I realize I am scoring probably the finest hours of the day. I AM SO GLAD I HAD TO WORK! If I had the day off I would have squandered myself earlier and not been out there for the prime hours of the day, which seem to be the last two hours of light today, of this I am sure.

The shape of the waves was perfect, and my second wave was one of the best since Playa Grande. I dropped into a big wall, overhead, because I was fully extended and standing straight up when it heaved over my head and I was just perched there like... WHAT? IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING? And then, DOH! Something went wrong with my footing (I miss those boots) and I somehow miscalculated something, but it happened so fast I would need an instant replay to know what it was, but my board was suddenly flying out from under me and I was flying into the air. But what a moment... if I had a shot of the second before the goof. It was perfect.

The sunlight on the walls of water was epic. I just kept looking everywhere and seeing barrels and A-frames. Once the sun began to drop, it got even more surreal. The clouds were shaping up like a painting, and the colors made my brain feel like it would explode. I kept looking back at the sunset, OH MY GOD, LOOK AT THOSE PURPLE FRINGES ON THE BOTTOM OF THOSE CLOUDS! Look at the glowing vibrant red from the sun going down against the blackness of the trees and buildings! Look at that freaking wave! I caught this really good set wave, it just jacked up out of nowhere, and I thought I might get pitched, but no way, the Dominator held and I made it - just laughing so hard afterwards. I was so pumped.

These young guys were out ripping, and GT was talking to me about the epic trip we once shared to Playa Grande, Mateuse wetsuits, and how pretty it was out there. He is leaving for Costa Rica this week for a week of surfing. At one point, one of the rippers and I were sitting OUTSIDE when this huge weird wave just loomed up on us as we were stroking outside, semi-aware that something weird was coming, and WOW! We both looked at each other, our eyes bugged out of our heads, and I threw my board- knowing I could not hold onto it through that beast's wake. We came up saying, WHAT WAS THAT?? and laughing. I never saw one wave today as big as that freak pulse. It was twice the size of any wave that broke today, I swear. We could not stop shaking our heads.

I finally had to go in because I couldn't see anymore. When I got up to the showers, the young guy with the beard I had been surfing near was smiling so big and said, "How was THAT?" and I was smiling like I had just won the lotto and said, "OMG, that was so fun! And, what about the SUNSET?" He said, "Yeah, it was like the clouds had purple shelving!" We were stoked just to be there. Just to experience those moments in nature is what life is all about.

On the ride home, in my happy place again, I looked at the screen that shows my MPG and my little Prius was also turning on the magic. I kept watching my mileage get better and better, all the way back home. It went from 47 MPG to an amazing 54.7 by the time I pulled into the driveway. Savor the moment, yes!

One hour is better than nothing

The winds were picking up steadily from the S-SW early this morning. Andy and Tom were already checking it and the reports were not sounding all that great. I was slowly getting ready, since I was hoping the wind would bend more to the SW in time to catch the north side of Matanzas at high tide. I knew all the factors coming together was a bit much to hope for.

Tom said it looked soft and disorganized on the north side and, after yesterday's fun that I missed, nothing was looking too inspiring to Andy either. So I trundled off to check for myself, since I was getting pretty desperate for a surf. Tom left another message that he was just going out at the ramp, and Andy ended up just going home.

I drove to the ramp. It looked about shoulder high with no one out, but the drift looked a bit strong. Checking Summerhaven was futile, it was a soggy mess. I decided to look at the north side, since I could see Tom's van was there along with a few other surf vehicles.

That was worth the effort! When I came over the boardwalk, I saw a good right peel off, open, and pretty clean. That was the best wave I had seen anywhere. I paddled out, watching Tom catch a pretty nice left. There were some sizable ones, surprising me, and they were jacking up with some punch behind them, making it well worth the paddle out. I had two rights that opened up all the way to the beach, which made my day and turned everything around. After awhile, the wind began to turn more south, not good, and people started showing up, so I went in. I think the next plan is to see what happens after the front moves through by the end of the day. Maybe there is a sunset session still possible, if that wind bends more SW-W, and the swell holds...

I put the money down...

on the Trek Fuel EX5 today!

After riding the trail again today, and only falling once, I felt ready. I think this may be my new addiction. It sure feels like a sister to surfing, if there ever was one. Flying over those roots and rocks, sliding through sand and leaves, and making all those curvy turns between trees and along pine needle-laden paths in the forest is a rush that rivals surfing closer than anything I have tried yet.

Of course, as soon as I got off the trail there was a message that the blown out mess of this morning had cleaned up enough to make me miss a decent surf session this afternoon.

Oh well, I think it was almost worth it. We went to Bikes, Etc. afterwards, and Mike made me such an enticing offer on the 2011 model that I just couldn't refuse. Especially after the test ride in the parking lot. I should pick it up next week, woo hoo!

Stimpy, sometimes I really miss you

The hardest thing about my job

is keeping up with the intellectual capabilities of my charges.

What's with the surf?

Getting edgy. It's a broken record this winter, either flat or blown out.

But, I love my job.

Tick Tock - student short film for CMF (Campus MovieFest)