Finding Your Spot

Over the last 5 years I've had the opportunity to live near a beach.  I've found a spot that makes me happy.  The people there created a foundation of friends for me as my family re-located.  Sitting in the ocean waiting for waves brings a smile to my face.  Being covered in sand after a long morning of beach volleyball reminds me of being a kid.  It's also a great chance to spend time with my boys, who run around in the sand for hours. 

True Democracy

My favorite feature of the beach is the people you meet.  I've met astro physicists, salesmen, nuclear engineers, cops, publishers, park rangers and people with no job at all.  Guess what?  Nobody there cares what you do for a living!  We talk about surf, play volleyball, make fun of each other and grin about the weather.  The beach is a democratic vortex where pedigree is rendered useless.  It represents the best of American life.

On Surfing

I began surfing two summers ago.  It's a hard sport to learn and I'm proud to be 100% self taught.  Over two years, I've spent so many sessions getting dumped on my head, paddling like a drowning cat and asking a lot of questions.  I can now claim to be a competent surfer.  If you haven't learned to do something new in a while, I'd recommend it.  You'll need to be curious and humble.

Beach Volleyball

In the 90's beach volleyball was the shit.  NBC show-cased beach tournaments that rivaled golf and tennis in the second tier of major American sports.  They marketed a beach lifestyle and I was hooked.  Being from the valley, my volleyball playing was limited to gyms and parks with sand courts.  Twenty years later I'm playing real beach volleyball every week.  Funny how an early impression becomes a lifelong pursuit.

Family Time

I've found a glitch in the matrix.  I can take both kids to the beach (and off of my wife's hands) for four hours on any weekend morning.  They run around like animals while I play volleyball.  We build sand castles, dig for crabs and collect shells.  Everyone wins - mom gets alone time, the kids run off extra energy and I get exercise and competition.



So when you see me trudging up these steps covered in sweat and sand; my backpack full of snacks, duffel bag with sand toys, one kid on my sholders, and one running up ahead of me

know this - I couldn't be happier.