It really sounds great from the outside but the reality is unless you get into some money somehow, your probably going to work hard in life. Work is hard but being homeless is harder.
If you don't start a career, you may have more time to surf up front but soon you won't be able to turn down work in order to pay your bills. Like said above, you will have to work harder and longer in order to make a living. I have a job where I go in at 7 and out at 4. Work from home one day per week so I get to surf after work almost all year and every weekend. 5 weeks of paid vacation/sick combined. decent salary so I can buy new boards, suits and go on trips (although I haven't been on one recently). But like mentioned above, not a lot of time to do all of that stuff because of work, family etc. From the fall of 08 to spring of 09 I was laid off when the market tanked. It seemed like a great time to go on a trip or something but at that time I didn't want to shell out the cash being unsure of what the job market was looking like. Definite catch 22 there. I could've surfed everyday all day but instead I was looking for jobs, doing anything I could to make a little money and, in general, worrying about what was going to happen. I hated that feeling. Even while surfing I didn't feel like I could really enjoy it.
Yeah, this is the question for every surfer... I didn't become a "surf bum" or anything, but I sold everything I owned and bounced to SoCal almost a decade ago... It was the time of my life. Surfing Baja every week. Surfing every day all year long. It was my dream come true... But while doing that, I had to work hard... I work 50 hours a week now, and have for a while now.... But I changed into an industry that allowed me to get wet everyday... So, it was the BEST decision for me. But I worked harder than my 9-5 friends the whole time... Now I am 30. Just got married. The wife is 2.5 months pregnant and this is uncharted water for me... 5 years ago, there was ZERO chance that anyone on the planet would convince me to ever leave San Diego to go back to Maryland... at that point, I was convinced that this was how I would live forever... surfing, raising kids and continuing on with what I do.. When i found out wife was pregnant, here was my thought process... 1. Ohh my god, I think its time to move back to OC MD... 2. After researching housing and the job martket, I realize that not only do I not have any family left in OC MD, that there is not a whole lot of year round employment... 3. Then, after about 2+ months, I have actually been entertaining moving closer to family in, GASP.... The Baltimore Area.... I guess the point is, that everything you do, you will have to sacrifice. If you have surf everyday, you probably arent focusing on your career as much as you could... If you are able to spend time with your kids, and your parents, and your kids cousins and all that, then chances are, you sacrificed a lot (the ocean, surfing a lot etc) to get there... I am a 30 year old, at the prime of my surfing, surfing every day in San Diego, enjoying the weather blah blah... And at this time next year, I could be 2 hours inland, in 20 degree weather, staring at a webcam from some house in Baltimore County, with too much to do to even get to the beach.... We all have the same stuggle... I will advise you that it is much easier to do when you are young, so if you have these feelings and want to go after it... Do it now before its too late... If you put off your dreams for too long, you will end up being 45-50 years old before you get in the water a ton, and by that time, no offense, but any aspirations for hucking airs and getting shacked all day seem to turn into waist high cruises on a long board... So, do what you gotta do before its too late. Nothing lasts for ever. Your life will change. Your priorities will change, so dont get stuck in something before you get to venture out.
Give me a shout. I'm here. If you need contacts in the Towson area, I know quite a few people. You been watching me through my window?
You choose your path. There is nothing out there that actually declare you have to do one specific thing. You take on the loans, you choose to sleep in, you choose your career, who you let in your life or not. Dont spend money on nonsense...... I'm not here to tell you how to live, but dont let yourself be restricted to staying inside the box. Its better to have the memories.....instead of saying I wish I did, I should have done , why didn't I try.... that. Keep in in your head that you only live once, and do it all.
Would you rather... Hey guys! Everyone should watch this documentary whichever way you feel, because this guy really done it! Peace! Surfwise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IwTvj1MhNg
My life goal: make decent money and be able to catch the after 5pm waves and make enough to travel to the best breaks on vacation. I'm still in college, but if 5-10 years from now I'm not making a decent living, I'm going to move to Costa Rica (the most beautiful country I've ever been to) and surf all day/make money however i can.
I think the best point brought up in response to this question was the one in regards to family. If you're into having kids/wife/money, then go do that, and keep the good job and surf when you can. But I think a lot of water people are on the opposite side of that spectrum. It's no question if you're under 30 and single... hustle money and stay wet. I really do think society and media has the majority of people living in financial fear though. I know times are hard, and I can feel it as well economically, but if you're hard working and half way intelligent and young... who cares... live it up and worry about responsibility later. I've always stuck to my guns when it comes to one thing, and that is, I'm not even THINKING about settling down in any way shape or form until I turn 30. Then I'll think about it.
DONT DO IT. Go on and raise a family in SD and live a positive outdoor life with your family. Life inland sucks and it is a ***** going 3 hrs to a beach and the beaches are EC and freezing. There is nothing to do inland except spend money on bs and find out that you are having no fun. Unless youre making bank in MD. STAY.
you would still have too work or eventually again.After uncle sam takes his share depending on how much u win you arent left with enough to live on for the rest of your life
