California : Day 2

So I've been reading "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert between the Tom Robbins novels that Julia gave me. I'm really enjoying this book. The first third of the book, Eat (while she was in Italy) was my favorite. The Pray part (while she was in India) was just okay, and now the final part "Love" (while she is in Bali) is just wonderful! The medicine woman, "healer", gives Elizabeth a cure for her broken heart.

Fail-Proof Broken-Heart Curing Treatment:

Vitamin E

Get much sleep

Drink much water

Travel to a place far away from the person you loved

Meditate

Teach you heart that this is destiny

I love it! And it's oooh so very true. Another tidbit that I'd like to post is from Elizabeth's indian Guru. It's about happiness.

" People universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck,

something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough.

But that's not how happiness works.

Happiness is the consequence of personal effort.

You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it.

You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings.

And one you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it:

you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever,

to stay afloat on top of it. "

With all of that said, I'm very happy!! Jbird (great, life-long friend Jay Oliver) picked me up at the Santa Barbara airport and we headed straight to the beach. We surfed waist high, clean waves...just the two of us. We surfed until the sun completely set, and I was so content, knowing that I made the right decision to stay on the west coast a bit longer. Jay and his woman Toy have a great house in Lompoc, CA. They have three dogs: Lulu (and old, blind, deaf very sweet bulldog), Ruby (a cattle-dog who's sole goal is to kiss you as many times as possible), and Osa (a part-wolf puppy with nothing but energy and love). They also have a very rambunctious new kitten and a very loud parakeet.

Jay is at work now, and we just finished a late breakfast and some delicious coffee. I'm going to play with the dogs, sip some tea, play some music, read Tom Robbins and think about my next blog. Hopefully Jay and I will be able to get in a surf session before dark.

Happiness is something I've created this week, with special help from my great friends (whom I consider family).