Shower

Oh Shower,
How I love it that every time I turn you on, you get wet and steamy. Your warmth draws me nearer every time I'm around you. It makes me want to climb inside you, to feel you surround me with your wetness as I do. I get hot just thinking about you. You are always there for me, mornin', noon or night. You never cease to please me even when we are together in the great outdoors you are fantastic. Whether your on my back, chest or face you never cease to amaze me.

Thank You from the bottom of my heart.
Satisfied Bather

Red Cross

Fall Surfing

I drive the 20 minutes to my favorite spot. A lil known spot that me and my local friends surf. There used to be only a few of us teenagers. Now there are grandfathers, fathers and kids. Plus all their friends. I crest the hill and look at where we park and walk to "our" secluded beach and there's only two cars and I recognize them both. I am lucky today. Most are with family or who knows where. Today is a good day. I park get out of my car and don't even bother doing a surf check. I can hear the waves breaking from where I've parked and it is 400 yards to the top of the cliff. I agonize over getting into my wet suit. But dislike being cold. I strip in the warm car, put on my towel and stand outside to put my 3-4 mil winter suit on. It reminds me that I'm getting old and need to hit the gym and do some cardio. Am I getting heavier or is this damn wetsuit getting smaller. I tell myself "it must must be thee latter." As I walk down the trail I notice just how crisp this Autumn day really is. The sun is out and it's probably 62 degrees, with not a cloud in the sky, the wind is coming off shore. (Just the way I like it!) the grass I walk through is only 4 to 6 inches hig since we haven't had much rain (yet). California poppies are starting to grow a few have flowers on them. I continue on past a grove of eucalyptus trees that open my sinuses. Ah I'm finilly at the cliff's edge and a look at the surf. It's 1-2 foot overhead and I can hear them crack as they break. The wind is blowing the tops of the waves in a fine plume of spray that comes back down to the water in a rainbow colors. Only four guys out! I now run down the fifty foot cliff trail that is all dirt, as I do so I look to see the last wave of the set. I glance at my dive watch and notice the time. Look up and down the short beach that has not a soul on it. I hit the water it's gunna be cold jumping. I get waist deep and I jump on my board that my brother made just for me. The first wave to duck dive is always the worst. Here I come ice cream headache. It's not so bad after all. Probably because I see my friends having fun riding a wave together and I'm smiling. Paddle, paddle, duck dive, paddle, paddle, duck dive... Repeat for the 75 yards out to the reef we call Sewers. Not a pretty name for a really pretty place. It once had a sewer pipe that ran from on shore to 2 miles out and dumped sewage back into the 70's. I make it out with not getting to pounded by the set waves. Timing is everything. 6 wave sets every 15 minutes. My four friend and myself don't speak, we just nod at each other with smiles on our faces. I wait until the next set comes. They are off to try and catch the first ones. I paddle over to where I know the biggest of the set will break and it does. I'm the only one in the right place for it. It pulls me up and I want to go down. One last push and we find the place where I should be. It is harmonious. I jump to my feet, drag my right hand. All the while I am hearing the crack of the wave as it breaks then the whooshing sound that the white water makes. It is right on my tail of my board. Trying to get me. I shift my weight to go up into the face of the wave a bit and stall, by putting weight on my back foot. Slowing down the wave catches up to me and I can see the spray going over my head. Then the sound that is only heard in this tunnel of water as it rushes over and around me. It starts getting deeper and greener with flashes of white wash. Time slows.......I feel the foam bubble at the back of the tube by the way my board starts to get unsteady under foot and I know it's time to put on the accelerator back on. All weight forward and pull my back hand out of the water. I speed up and I come back out of my dream state of a tunnel where time seems to slow. I am on the face of the wave now and want to get to where I can see the top of this wave. Weight shift again, move my back foot to the inside rail and push down. I'm going up to where it's steep, where the wave is just starting to break. The spray is coming from both the wave breaking and my board. I weight shift and head back down watching a nice 6 foot rainbow of spray go over the back as I free fall down the face. This part always seems to go by fast. The wave is only 30 0r 40 yards long, but I'm reeling with energy from it. Today is a Great day!

Life's work

"My purpose is to not let my work life interfere with my life's work." Jeffism 10/01/02

Staying on the Middle path is the Warrior's Path.

Why do we rely on tomorrow as if it is a given?

We try to find some kind of security in a world where our sand castles are destined to be swallowed by the ocean of time.

A lot of people have spoken recently about a reality that is untouched by disappointment and suffering. (Disappointment & Suffering) is what we all need to feel complete. We also need this to Grow.

As a Child we all craved a feeling of protection; we needed that simple comfort. As Adults we've been trained to take care of ourselves, but we still have those childlike needs.

The true inner strength we all have is our capacity for clarity. And what can we all be clear about? Well, let's start appreciating our next breath. Why? It's the most real thing we have! Our minds and others might scoff at such a simplistic approach, but our hearts know better.

Does it really take one of life's many mishap's, thee loss of a loved one or a trip to the emergency room to realize our human frailties and recognize our true Strengths.

Let us use our remaining time here to focus on the sweet reality of this beautiful thing called Life. Not what happens in Life; Just simply Life itself. Yes, wonderful things will probably occur for and to us, followed by tragedy. And then followed by wonderful once again. These cyclic dramas have replayed themselves for Eons and will continue after we "pass-on", "leave the building", "find out what's on the other-side of this life."

The Middle path, however, is for the Warrior.

And what does this Warrior fight against?

It's Enemies are Fear, Anger, Jealousy and Doubt. The Victor reaps Peace and Inner Harmony. The Soul can then finally feel at home. Even in an Ocean uncertainty, our individual boats can stay securely afloat and enjoy the stars above. Sailing through this life; the salty, refreshing mist of Clarity can fulfill our Heart's desire and Our journey can become thee Wondrous Adventure it Should Be.