You know something is up when I start blogging more than once a week. So I went back to the doc yesterday and was officially diagnosed with a fun case of STAPH! Yeeehawww. Not the best news in the world but at least we know what it is and can start fixing it. I am trying not to stress out about it, just trying to take it for what it is and make the best of the situation. Luckily this far in my career I haven’t experienced many injuries or illnesses that have kept me out of the water for long periods of time. Knock knock on wood. This week has gotten me to sympathize with those who have tho. Being an athlete and living an extremely active lifestyle it’s the hardest thing to be restricted to minimal physical activity and bed rest. Somewhat depressing. I suddenly have so much time on my hands to think and overanalyze. If you haven’t realized by now from reading all my blogs I struggle with dealing with my emotions at times. Stress, loneliness, excitement, depression, extreme happiness. I am all over the place. I want things to be perfect, I want to be the best so I am always worrying, I don’t just chill and relax. It’s really hard for me. I just have so much energy and thoughts that I need an outlet or I start to self destruct. Eating becomes a bad habit of mine or it has in the past. I’m really trying to not let myself go there this time. It’s just easy and makes me feel good. It fills that emptiness. Surfing has always been there for me as an outlet but sometimes it’s not enough. Despite having a world title I deal with these feelings and it is one of the most challenging things for me. It’s weird, you would think I have everything together but I don’t. Sometimes I feel people expect me to be a certain way and make like everything is “picture perfect” but it isn’t. I’m just being honest. It’s the year of honesty, that’s the word I chose for 2012. To live my life with my heart on my sleeve and to be more honest with myself and others. On a happier note, I feel really loved at the moment, wink wink;) He just left for school again but I don’t know, I have faith it’s going to work out this time. I have been listening to the song Ass Back Home by Gym Class Heros on repeat. Check it out!!
So do I have a story for you… I recently had the best and worst trip ever. It all started when I decided to enjoy the sunset at the beach before boarding my flight last thursday evening. I was lying in the sand when a swarm of sand fleas attacked my under arm. It itched like crazy but I didn’t think much of it. Three days into my trip one of the bites grew bigger and more painful so I went to see a doctor. They gave me some meds that I ended up having an allergic reaction to. I got the fever and chills and a burning rash all over my body. I was out of the water for the last two days. On the way home I got sick again so I checked into the ER in LA. There I got an IV and they cut open my infection to release some of the pressure. Disgusting!!! I made it home the next day, went to another doctor, and he cut it open some more to drain. So gross! I am small kine losing my mind. I am waiting for tomorrow to hopefully be released back in the ocean. In the meantime I have been watching TV, hanging with friends, cleaning house, biking, walking, pretending to be a photog, and catching up with emails and phone calls that I have been neglecting for sometime now. I have to say getting sick was worth it tho. I got barreled out of my mind the first three days of the trip, doing step offs into perfect 4-5 foot sand bottom barrels. No better feeling in the world.
I had a dog for 24 hours… wait maybe less than that. I don’t know how I talked my dad into buying us a puppy and a kitten on the same day but I did. Cayla, Dad and I went to the Humane Society the day after Christmas in search for a new friend. My dad wanted two cats so we were going to help him pick them out. Of course when we got there I stumbled upon the cutest little three month old black labrador retriever and I just fell in love. He was so mellow and sweet and just looked like he wanted a home. I didn’t even think twice about how much attention and care puppies need and if I would be able to give that to him or not. The reality is I can’t! I travel too much, am on the move constantly throughout the day and honestly don’t have the patience. I mean I can’t even handle a boyfriend and they are potty trained. Anyhow it was fun for almost a day and I promise you I really did have good intentions. So let me fill in the gaps a little more. We ended up buying a little kitten as well. We named her Misty and the puppy Leo. We had just gotten home and I was playing with Leo on the porch when my sister decided that she wanted our new animals to meet. Cayla opened the sliding door and the cat saw the dog and immediately darted across the porch and leaped into the jungle. Say what? Yeah… that really happened, all in a matter of three seconds. The good news is the cat came back when it got hungry, I found the dog a good home and peace is restored to the valley. 2012 I am keeping things simple.
So I had the best surf session of my life yesterday. I couldn’t sleep at all last night because I was just so excited thinking about it. I spent the afternoon surfing Backdoor and Pipe. It was only about four feet but no one was really out and I was able to catch a few. For the longest time I have heard guys brag about getting barreled there and I was finally able to see what all the hype was about. There is no better feeling in the entire world than committing to a steep drop, standing up and feeling all the speed and power beneath your feet, pumping and not thinking you are going to make it and then feel the whisp of wind as you are released from the tube of water. Wow. I have officially caught the bug. Besides that the winter season has been a little funky. There have been moments of greatness but for the most part there has been weird winds, the wrong swell direction, too big or too small. I took my ski out with some friends the other day and tried to tow. Figuring out my new tow board and getting everything dialed for when its the real deal.
The north shore is starting to empty out. As soon as the Pipe event finished most of the pros vanished and the vibe more or less mellowed. So stoked for John John and his win at Sunset as well as the triple crown. My heat at Sunset was pretty wave starved again and the one good one that came thru Sunny (Garcia) caught. I found a couple small waves and was able to at least do a decent turn. I was stoked, halfway thru the heat I was advancing! Kind of a bummer with my end result but I was realistic about the situation.
Surfing aside I have had some epic moments. Surferpoll was a fun occasion. Got to get all glamorous, hair and makeup, high heals, dress. My little sister and dad were my dates. I was pretty stressed out all night worrying about what I was going to say at the podium. I tried to be funny, don’t know how many people caught on to my sarcasm but I tried. Thank you to everyone who voted! Went to my first UH football game at the stadium, helped out at the Rell Sunn Menehune contest, hiked more than a thousand stairs to the top of Koko Head with Bethany, attempted to make a gingerbread house (unsuccessful), and also volunteered with Mauliola and took kids with Cysticfibrosis surfing. The highlight of it all was recently watching Cayla do her first runway fashion show modeling Sofia Beschen’s Chama swimwear line. She did amazing! I have to be honest I was nervous for her, thought maybe she’d trip or wouldn’t be able to hold her composure but she rocked it! I was cheering and screaming at the top of my lungs as she strutted her stuff, such a proud big sis:)
Christmas is only less than a week away, can you believe it? I have only gotten half of my Christmas shopping done and am not really looking forward to going back to the mall and standing in all those crazy lines again. Urgh! Doesn’t really feel like it’s the end of the year already and am having trouble feeling the Christmas vibe. Maybe I’ll hang some more lights today, or go into town and check out the holiday displays to get in the mood. I guess what I am realizing is that I don’t need presents, or trees, or lights, or funky sweaters to put me in a good mood. Everyday is a gift and I am completely content with the love and people I have in my life.
The north shore season is finally in full swing. Everyone is here, the first comp is over and done and the waves have finally arrived. As you may already know I was invited to compete in the first two events of the mens triple crown. Pretty darn cool I must admit. It is still so frustrating tho that all the women’s events in Hawaii got cancelled due to lack of sponsorship this year. I want our events back! All the girls are ripping harder than ever but our tour is possibly in the worst state it has ever been… So Haleiwa didn’t go as well as I would have liked. I ended up in fourth to Roy Powers, Ian Gentil and Cory Lopez. The heat was a bit wave starved and I wasn’t aggressive enough to mix it up with the boys and catch the few that came in. I think I was more disappointed that my performance was so weak in that heat more than anything. Hopefully I can use this to fire me up for the next comp at Sunset in a few days. Congrats to Taj who ended up winning the event!
Happy Thanksgiving by the way! I hope you all shared it with the ones you love and ate a lot of yummy food. To be honest my day was a little hectic trying to organize and prepare my first thanksgiving dinner at my house but it was so worth it. All of my New Zealand friends are here on holiday and spent the evening with my family and I. We ended up sharing songs, laughing, having a dance party, and just soaking in each others love and energy. It really was a beautiful evening and one that I will hold dear to my heart forever. So much to be thankful for:)
