Spring is right around the corner, days are getting longer. Ever since I moved to the great little state of Rhode Island, I find myself longing for something different come the end of february. Last year I booked a trip to CR and that helped, this year I went out to WA for a snowboard and mountain biking trip, and for about 10 days that helped. This year is different though I am going absolutely looney, I want to get out of here bad. Sure there have been a few good runs of swell. Sure its been somewhat warm, but something feels off. If im in the water, on my bike, or on the mountain im happy. Anytime else, I want to gtfo. A few years back I dropped everything and moved to utah, it was great. I came back to get back on my feet and almost instantly the same thing started to happen. I have been up for promotion through work for the past year, declined a job in Santa Barbara because I am getting married in June and the lady wants to stay close to family until that happens, we are looking at Washington. Is it just me or has lack of real winter been affecting all of us?
Sounds like you need more hobbies for your down time. Congrats on the upcoming marriage and good luck!
Get used to these feelings. Marriage and then kids only makes things worst when it comes to feeling trapped. Women sucker men into marriage to fill their need to be settled and protected, while stealing our desire to explore and create….congrats on the engagement Duke!
I feel you. This Winter has been tough for me too, despite an abundance of work, fair surfing opportunities, and extraordinary warmth. Been trying to skate and create more but it's been difficult to find the time and commit. Last night I surfed the final 45 minutes of daylight. It was a bit onshore and not so great. But I was alone. The sun was radiating its last twilight rays while the moon was rising in the opposite direction, full with redness. I surfed until I couldn't really see. While I was changing on the boardwalk, enjoying the moonrise, I noticed orion, some stars, and a couple of planets in the sky. It's rare to see that where I live. All that sublime wonder made me feel great, and I thought to myself, 'what the f*ck am I doing here when I could live somewhere where this happens every day." But everydayness can be a prison. When something is constant it is mundane. Balance is the key to happiness, but what you balance is just as important as how. It seems to me you need to change the ingredients a bit. I know I do. As far as family/marriage/work goes, things don't have to be 'the way they're supposed to be." Our society is mostly an economic engine that runs on bullsh*t and exploitation. Seems to me that you've done a pretty good job of living a meaningful life despite that. So don't be too hard on yourself.
Word slash, My girl is good. I've drug her around the country without a complaint. She's given a ton up (career wise) to experience life with a dude who is chronically stuck in a "there's always something better" mindset. She deserves a year close to family to plan a wedding. We don't live conventionally, we enjoy bringing Cheap wine to fancy byob restaurants and aren't afraid to quit jobs because we are unhappy. we could give a fock less about cultural norms. I built a human sized Jenga game last week. I learned how to build snowboards from scratch I trained myself to do engine/brake work on our cars I have even been doing my best to surf my higher volume boards in low volume situations, trying to mix it up and find new flow. It's been a radical focking year, it's just the mundane winter that's a life suck for us. I've only had one painfully cold dawn patrol this year Gotta find that balance.
Sounds like you're doing pretty well. I hope that Santa Barbara opportunity pops up again. Or something like it. I guess if you frequently hit the snow/mountain, the mild temperatures can suck. I didn't think about that angle. My GF got me a daytrip to Mt. Snow this Saturday and all I can think is 'f*ck, its gonna be cold as hell up there.' I hope you built that Jenga game out of foam and not hardwood, haha. If you ever want to give it a shot down here, let me know, could probably get you some decent work. Or a beer.
It's spring fever dude. I'm over the 4/3 boots gloves hood. Looking forward to some good spring surf in a 3/2!!!
