YONDER BREAKS

I've written before that messes are a big part of my life, as I spend much of my day cleaning up all sorts of toys, food, etc. It comes with the territory of kids. But lately I have been finding myself spending a lot of energy trying to make sure the kids don't  make messes in the first place (so I don't have to clean them up, or enforce them cleaning up, which is another beast altogether). Sometimes I worry, however, that I am breeding OCD, type-A people that won't be comfortable with things out of order. This is especially true in our kitchen/dining area, where I have always been pretty adamant about keeping things clean. Yesterday, Waverly was eating lunch and tried to switch chairs. If there is one child I am not  worried about becoming OCD, it's definitely her -- messes are her comfort zone . Well, as she moved from the outside chair to the inside, she accidentally fell between the two and onto the floor. In the process, she flipped over her lunch plate, and...

I used to be a pretty determined guy on a skateboard. I would try tricks for hours, endless attempts, over and over. Usually my friends would stand on, watching, often video taping the tries . As I've scanned those old clips, I've apologized for making them do that; but at the time, all I wanted was to land that trick. Even though I probably took it too far, I look back on that time as character-developing -- it's good to be persistent, and skateboarding was where I learned that. Now, an older Rick who still skateboards has chilled out a bi t. I've learned that beating my body and getting frustrated over a skateboard trick isn't as important as it used to be. It makes my sessions more relaxing, but sometimes I lament the fervor with which I used to skate. But sometimes this relaxed approach to boardsports goes a little too far. Sometimes you need  to push yourself, and today was one such day. Glove box fix for a broken toe. I broke my toe about a month ago ...

Point Dume never disappoints. Even on flat days, the cove is beautiful enough to captivate and inspire. I've only been three times, however, but each one was enjoyable, despite tiny surf the first two. My last surf session was a welcome turnaround, with head-high-plus sets. But sometimes good waves will show you things about yourself you'd rather not see, and on this last Dume day, I had one such session. Usually when I surf I'm the guy on the outside, catching the leftovers. I'm not very competitive, and popular breaks tend to get crowded with people that will jump right in front of you to catch a wave, and then get mad at you for being in their way. I just don't like to deal with that, so I paddle where it looks half-decent and let the current take me where it will. But during this last Point Dume session, something changed. I paddled right to the top of the lineup (This is usually highly offensive in the surf world, but Malibu is its own beast, and there u...

I've been thinking more the last couple of years about a legacy , and leaving something that exists beyond myself. This has usually manifested itself in creative projects -- songs and stories I want to write that I hope future generations will enjoy. Naturally, this can be a daunting task, as so much content is created every day that really only the best of the best is ever remembered long term, right? And then I thought about the faraway future, hundreds and thousands of years from now...what art from today, this century, this millennia, will even be around anymore? Little to none. The thought brings the whole house of creation down in a lackluster smash  of futility. Is this desire to create for something beyond me even right? I'm sure it's natural, to want to be remembered for something you did, but is it biblical? -- Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yoursel...

I used to really love surfing where Sunset Blvd  and the Pacific Coast Highway meet. It's a great spot with easy breaking waves, free parking and is easily accessible from town (just a mile or two past Santa Monica). You can get that marvelous Malibu rock break without driving an hour to the pier , or beyond, making it one of my favorites in years past. Though I have often championed the spot, until yesterday, I hadn't surfed there in about five years! The last time I was there was for a failed "sunrise at sunset" surf session we attempted. On that fateful morning, the waves lapped against the rocks at the monstrous height of about twelve inches, so we headed to Dockweiler instead. (I actually wrote about the whole thing in a book chronicling my seven years of falling in love with surfing in Los Angeles. I'm seeking representation/publishing, if you know anyone... wink, wink .) Yesterday I had a couple hours to try and catch a short-term Malibu swell we were g...