"retreat!"

So, this weekend was amazingly awesome.

I learnt to surf and play poker (texas hold 'em style). The whole event was way less spiritual than I expected, and way more social than I could dare to hope. But as a result, it was definitely not a retreat from worldly thoughts, nor the rest for body and soul that I was starting to look forward to. I got zilcho homework accomplished and knocked my precariously (un)balanced sleeping habits way into the morning hours.

For the sake of time, and to get to what happened on Monday, I will keep this to a brief bulleted list.

-Played many vicious rounds of pit, eight people a pop
-Had awesome roommates that kicked butt in catchphrase, guys vs. girls
-Had awesome roommates that kept me up until 1:30/2am laughing
-Woke up in the dead of night (5am) and crept downstairs in the dark, by myself
-Went surfing, at 5:30am
-Swam in the cold pacific, lugging a board four times my weight, at 5am

(these are separated because they are monumental firsts in my life)

-wore a wetsuit, for the first time. (coincidentally at five in the morning also)

(btw? wetsuits seriously work!)
okay.. i need to take a break here and talk about surfing.

surfing is awesome. especially that early in the morning. the sun hasn't risen so there's no need for sunblock. the beach is devoid of life but the ocean is full of really good, older surfer men and a couple women. but like, NO teenagers. It's too cold to not be wearing a wetsuit so everyone's modest! The physical exertion of paddling out to sea is so great, I think it's gotta be one of the better work outs, for your entire body. But the coolness of the water keeps you at a perfect temperature, and you end up feeling mega-rejuvenated/refreshed and ready to go. Which is another really cool part, you finish surfing? and it's only 8:30am! Most of you probably weren't even up at that time on a Saturday. so you go home and eat breakfast, after just working your abs and your biceps, and generally feeling very good about yourself.

highly recommend this sport. at five am.

back to my list though..

OH! no, one more thing. Two things about my first surfing experience that I found funny, a) i got my wetsuit because the girl before me threw-up when she put it on. poor dear. and that caused b) me to have to go out after the first group of surfers left the shore and before they came back and the next group suited up to go. in other words, i walked in to the sea all on my own without instructions, support, or someone strong to save me when i started to drown.

i tried for a long time to paddle past the breakers to the other peeps but, i wasn't strong enough so i eventually gave up and was walking along the shallows to go back. but steve saw me and came in and beckon. kinda guy just stayed by me as i tried one more time to paddle out and, for whatever reason, it was really easy that time. course.

but it was nice cuz then he and i ended up floating out there in companionable quiet. he had one reeally good ride, the best of his life so far, he said. it was neat to watch. i caught three or so myself but, not standing up by anymeans..

anywho....

bulleted list.

-almost played football for the first time, but didn't
-"did homework" with kenny in the shady grass but ended up talking for two + hours about all manner of fascinating subjects instead. (ranging from the japanese language and culture, fencing, writing, acting, our life aspirations, etc.)
-hit the ball once during beach volleyball and it ended up scoring our team a point (but ONLY because magnificent Ben, the Russian, is insanely fast and could hit the thing back in bounds and then run in time to spike it.)
-had chic-fa-le and chiplote for the first time
-stayed up til 5am (yes, this is the same day as getting up at 5 for surfing..) learning to play teax hold 'em with a bunch of guys and merary.

poker.is.fun.

The whole weekend was a blast and I'm glad I went but everything comes with a price and the price for this weekend was missing my best friends move-into-college-dorm day. Which was doubly bad of me because I didn't give her much warning that I wasn't going to be there. Not that she didn't have six other lovers supporting her and crowding her space but she was displeased with me (which, psychically, i could sense...) and (more on that psychic bit later.) she even told me last night on the phone that she would've told the other girl to stay home so she could spend the time with me instead. aaw! i lub you jueunhae.

i actually need to finish this so i can go return her text with a call and get the college to finish dropping the classes i dropped so i dont' end up registered for TWENTY-SIX UNITS! O_O

Love to all!

-jay