More than Words

I often like to get up early, usually with the sun. This with much to the chagrin of people within earshot of the kitchen. But, I like the morning, a lot. This is a time of peace for me. Every morning I brew espresso and go through the process of steaming milk. I have developed a bit of a love for coffee. Good coffee. I then move usually to the deck, overhanging the canal, that eventually leads to the ocean, and pull out the Kindle. Here I browse the opinions section of the New Your Times. Here I take note of what the likes of Friedman, Krugman, and Kristof have to say and then return to the front page to catch up on what's going on in the world. But yesterday I came across an editorial in the Townies section by THAD ZIOLKOWSKI. His commentary for that day was on surfing, so it naturally caught my attention. More specifically, it was on surfing in New York.

I've always been drawn to cities, big ones. However, I've also always have been drawn to the sea. So there is something in particular about surfing in New York City that intrigues me. I can't say that it's where I want to be, but it is somewhere I would like to explore. But I can't help but wonder why I want to explore there. I've never been to NYC. I've never surfed in 30 something degree temps. And while I live in Miami, I don't think I realize the scope and magnitude of the density of people and the sheer vastness of the city. But, then I dive deeper into Thad'd column.

"When the urge strikes me in April, I have two tricks I use to overcome my subtropical reluctance to re-entering the stingingly cold Atlantic. One: I put the wet suit on in my warm house instead of at the chillier beach. And two, I go on what Australians, those great innovators of surf slang, call a “regardo” — that is, I head for the beach committed to paddle out regardless of how poor the surf turns out to be when I get there." 


I realize, I can relate. I get what he's saying. He writes in a way that makes me feel the urge and need to experience what he's experiencing. Is Thad Ziolokowski the best writer out there, probably not, though I think he's good. Will his words relate to you, maybe, maybe not. But what I take away most from this article has nothing to do with surfing, or NYC, or cold April mornings. It has everything to do with words.

"But I find the apartment blocks looming over the Rockaway shoreline depressing, and by driving another 20 or 30 minutes I can cross out of New York City and arrive at a beach in Long Island where there are dunes and rose hips and red-winged blackbirds. That day in April, the parking lot at my bucolic beach town — which shall be nameless due to having already become too popular for its own good — was nearly empty. Not a good sign."

It's his words and the words of many others of my favorite authors that lead me to do what I do. The trips, my job, adventures, etc. I write because I enjoy it. I've written some good blogs; I've written some poor blogs. But that's not going to make me stop writing. I write to try to relate my experiences to you. I try to write as  kid from South Alabama who moved to a foreign country-err, I mean Miami. I write about the things that I feel are important to talk about.  But I hope, and I like to think, that you can relate someway, somehow to a tiny portion of this. So hopefully, this blog will transcend the words that make it and spur some sort of........well, something.