“Yep, the Griswolds are back!”
Been back here for almost a week now. Didn’t take long to get back into the swing of things. This place has really come to feel like home. Living out of a backpack for about a month during my sojourn to the States, kept me at a theoretical arms length. “I do not live here anymore,” echoed in my head from time to time whether it was enjoying the game of golf (albeit crappy) with my dad and Darren up in Oregon, surfing (albeit short lived) in Huntington Beach with Ryan K. and Ryan D., or sitting in a café (albeit over priced) in Los Angeles. My home is on the other side of the world right now, in a tropical climate with a bunch of people that speak a different language than myself. These things are obvious, but interesting to muse on when realizing how small this place really is. It was most apparent on my last morning in LA., while gearing up to go to the airport. As I showered in the last of what was six different residents that were my home away from home during my stay. It hit me: first, how great my friends and family are, that I could hop from place to place and never once worry about having a place to stay. Second, was within the hour I was to board a plane heading to Tokyo, and on to Bangkok all on the assumption that an email had gone through and someone would be there to pick me up at 11:00pm when I was to arrive. And if not…I’d figure it out then. The point here being, that I take “this” trip as I would a bus heading down town. Actually I’d probably be more concerned about the latter of the two. What I’m saying is, there are flights heading out of every major city to just about anywhere in the world, and it’s as easy as stepping on board one of them…it really is. Sometimes we (especially Americans, Cavemen…and maybe Eskimos) think of the rest of the world as being so far away, a complicated place to get to, and a difficult place to navigate. But it’s not. I swear I’ve hopped on a plane to Malaysia less prepared than I have for a trip to Manhattan beach. None of which are that big of deal.
So, is this entry really a subtle (or not so subtle) plea for more friends and family to get over here and visit? Yes, shameful isn’t it? But think of it more as an encouragement to view the globe as yours. It’s all yours to checkout, the same as that Farmer’s Market on Sundays, or the church your neighbors keep inviting you to attend. Just go…it’s easier than it sounds. Okay? So I don’t want to hear any more excuses. And if not here, somewhere else is good too.
I do want to thank all of you who hosted me while I was back in the states: the Mariani family, my brothers- they each had the pleasure of having my happy-ass on their couch or guest room. And Kasey and Pauli, who lent me their couch and car. All ya’ll rule!
Highlights of the trip include catching up with my 6-month-old nephew Finn. He had a lot more to say this time around, which was nice. Babies are the only people that we will willingly sit and listen to them ramble incoherently and actually enjoy it. Hard to imagine that Finn will be a year old by the time I will likely see him again. Time does fly when measured by the physical growth of a baby to an infant. Parents probably have a different take on this while knee deep in dirty diapers, wiping what seems to be a never-ending incursion of baby-ass. Just glad I never got stuck with that duty…no pun intended. Well, okay it was intended.
Aside from being able to spend time with my super rad family, the change in temperature alone was a highlight, and heaven sent! Something about not soaking your shirt through with sweat moments after putting it on…a little bit of a relief, yes?
Southern California in the summer time lived up to its name. I attended at least 5 bbq’s 6 bars, 2 of which were outdoors, went surfing, and had a mock-bonfire around which a spontaneous music session broke out complete with the sonic love from a harmonica in the key of C. It was good ol’ American music.
Pepper this with an afternoon at the movies (“Broken Flowers,” could have been 30 min shorter. Other than that it was good.), sitting in traffic, listening to KCRW, having drinks at the Standard downtown, checking out the hipsters at the bourgeoisie pig…what more could I have wanted? Oh, well I’ll tell you. Getting in free to the X-Games with Ryan Doolittle and splitting a keg of Budweiser (also free) in our own private suite watching a bunch of gnarly cats pulling off tricks that could break your neck just by watching them. That’s what I could of wanted. Oh wait I got that too. Dude named Jamie Bestwick won the gold that evening, landing the first double tailwhip flair. (Had to go to EXPN.com for that one. I was too drunk to remember anything other than its awesomeness.) Basically he did a back flip 180 with two spins of the bike's backside while, umm…four feet above a half-pipe that probably measured a good fifteen feet off the ground…? Any x-game expert wanna correct me on this?
In closing. It was so good to see everyone…”turns out not where but who your with that really matters.” 100 laughs and about 10lbs of burrito and burger later – I’m back to the noodles and rice, and loving that too.
So, is this entry really a subtle (or not so subtle) plea for more friends and family to get over here and visit? Yes, shameful isn’t it? But think of it more as an encouragement to view the globe as yours. It’s all yours to checkout, the same as that Farmer’s Market on Sundays, or the church your neighbors keep inviting you to attend. Just go…it’s easier than it sounds. Okay? So I don’t want to hear any more excuses. And if not here, somewhere else is good too.
I do want to thank all of you who hosted me while I was back in the states: the Mariani family, my brothers- they each had the pleasure of having my happy-ass on their couch or guest room. And Kasey and Pauli, who lent me their couch and car. All ya’ll rule!
Highlights of the trip include catching up with my 6-month-old nephew Finn. He had a lot more to say this time around, which was nice. Babies are the only people that we will willingly sit and listen to them ramble incoherently and actually enjoy it. Hard to imagine that Finn will be a year old by the time I will likely see him again. Time does fly when measured by the physical growth of a baby to an infant. Parents probably have a different take on this while knee deep in dirty diapers, wiping what seems to be a never-ending incursion of baby-ass. Just glad I never got stuck with that duty…no pun intended. Well, okay it was intended.
Aside from being able to spend time with my super rad family, the change in temperature alone was a highlight, and heaven sent! Something about not soaking your shirt through with sweat moments after putting it on…a little bit of a relief, yes?
Southern California in the summer time lived up to its name. I attended at least 5 bbq’s 6 bars, 2 of which were outdoors, went surfing, and had a mock-bonfire around which a spontaneous music session broke out complete with the sonic love from a harmonica in the key of C. It was good ol’ American music.
Pepper this with an afternoon at the movies (“Broken Flowers,” could have been 30 min shorter. Other than that it was good.), sitting in traffic, listening to KCRW, having drinks at the Standard downtown, checking out the hipsters at the bourgeoisie pig…what more could I have wanted? Oh, well I’ll tell you. Getting in free to the X-Games with Ryan Doolittle and splitting a keg of Budweiser (also free) in our own private suite watching a bunch of gnarly cats pulling off tricks that could break your neck just by watching them. That’s what I could of wanted. Oh wait I got that too. Dude named Jamie Bestwick won the gold that evening, landing the first double tailwhip flair. (Had to go to EXPN.com for that one. I was too drunk to remember anything other than its awesomeness.) Basically he did a back flip 180 with two spins of the bike's backside while, umm…four feet above a half-pipe that probably measured a good fifteen feet off the ground…? Any x-game expert wanna correct me on this?
In closing. It was so good to see everyone…”turns out not where but who your with that really matters.” 100 laughs and about 10lbs of burrito and burger later – I’m back to the noodles and rice, and loving that too.
posted by Joel at 1:42 PM
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