Here Is Good

Happy 2014!!! Here we go ... !!! What will happen this year?!?! It's all very exciting to wonder about.

With almost the entire rest of the country in a deep freeze, and my home state of Minnesota being colder than MARS this week, I took it to be my duty to go to the beach yesterday on behalf of everyone who can't even go outside without the threat of freezing to death. I really didn't mean it in a rub your faces in it kind of way, just that if it was this nice out here, someone had better take advantage of it for everyone.

Which is the funny thing ... not many people were. I had the beach pretty much to myself, other than a giant dolphin party so close I could swim to them (if the water wasn't so cold). Those are the rewards (along with tan lines) that come with taking a few moments for yourself to appreciate the warmth, and where you are.

After listening to great music, having great thoughts and having a couple chats with great folks back home (not gloating, just chatting), I packed up to head home as it was kind of getting chilly as the sun went down. Not Mars chilly, but still.

On my walk home, I looked down to see once again, almost exactly what I'd been thinking, spray-painted on the sidewalk:

Here IS Good. And no matter where you are is good, if you make it so. Today especially reminds me of a favorite Camus quote that especially makes sense today, when so many people are dealing with the frigid air and feeling daunted ...

“In the midst of Winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible Summer.

And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” 

 BE the Summer. Here is Good.

 

 

 

Venice - A Great Place To Come Home To

I just got back from a whole bunch of adventures on the road ... Home to Minnesota, the MONSTER EPIC Lollapalooza, and going along on the road with the Jane's Addiction's Summer Tour. If you've read any of my stories while I was away, you know that it might be a drag to come back.  But not if you live in Venice.

My first stop was to baptize myself in the waters of Ocean Pacific off of Playa de Los Amigos. I swam all the way out to the red flags by the end of the Venice Pier, and then just floated there to soak up how absolutely beautiful it is, and how warm the water got while I was away!

Then, smack in the middle of Shark Week, I walked by an old man who just caught a baby leopard shark with his fishing pole right from the shore! (A great white shark was also spotted off of Venice - I saw and learned all of this AFTER my swim. I remain undaunted.) After being a bit of a tourist myself out there in the American summer, it was much easier to appreciate the gorgeous place I live, the perfect weather and sea breeze, and the tourists that want to visit here. An young Australian boy swam out to the flag with me, and I asked him if he liked living here after moving from so far away. He answered, "It's the best place in the world, in my opinion." Looking around at all the sunshine and blue skies and friendly faces waving and welcoming me back, it was hard to disagree.

Thanks, Venice, for making it so easy (excited even!) to come home after such a whirlwind of rock and roll fun. Ahhhhhh.

L O V E N I C E!

Today is so painfully beautiful outside there is just no way to be inside typing. So just enjoy the view ...


... Brought to you today from Playa de los Amigos (better known as 27th & The Pacific Ocean).

Ahhhhhh.