Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

It's strange how we pick what we are afraid of. Like me, I'm scared to death of roller coasters and can't think of a single reason to get on one, but real life threats...well those things can be different......
My body stiffened as I listened to the words of my newly found friend. Was he kidding or was I getting ready to do something really foolish? I was kneeling down on the ground by my truck, waxing up the board I had just purchased from him. a 10'6" Mickey Munoz tuflite longboard, it was the monster longboard I always wanted to try. Perhaps this board contained the right amount of volume and curves to get me on the wave on some of the tough off-shore wind days. Today just happened to be one of those days and I had traveled 1 1/2 hours to meet him at a beach I never surf at. It was head-high and only a few guys were out. We stood there for a bit, debating going out here or driving an hour to a better spot. I just couldn't wait an hour and even though those waves out there were not inviting me to bring this huge log out and play with them, I just had to try it out then.
So, it was while I was waxing and getting pumped up about going out that I heard the words behind me: "My God, I don't think that guy even sees the shark in the face of that wave with him."
I sat back on my heels and thought, "It all boils down to if you feel lucky, punk."
I stood there for another 10 minutes and never saw a shark, went out and got stoked on two head-high waves and hauled ass back to shore...I can't really say why my heart was racing, but I gladly then drove an hour to another spot where they never heard of sharks.....

Finding Peace

"Because Daddy would rather spend it on his bimbo!"
Words overheard while working in the yard, wishing I had my iPod and was listening to some good tunes instead of the neighbors. It has been a real eye-opener, watching the woods around us turn into McMansions. Watching the dirt road get paved and then watching the parade of fancy cars for the big parties, and then watching the For Sale signs go up, soon becoming "Reduced" and "Pre-forclosure" and then finally hearing the arguing couples.
The downturn in the economy has been a favor to me, showing me what was real and what was pretend. My family, the mountains and the beach, those are all real and they stayed the same, regardless of how much money we have or things we possess. I've decided to invest in the one thing that matters besides that, and that is my health.
I said "Good Morning!" as I saw my neighbor walking her dog the other day and she just glared at me. I don't blame her, I just wish she could take a trip to the mountains...