Here I am once again facing a weekend, and it sure feels good. Wednesday night I did end up going to that Piebald show and it was pretty good, but they did not play enough songs that I knew. A band called Minus the Bear played before them and they were way too Math rock for me. But the venue, called the Scene, had a Galaga machine so I played that until I got the high score on the machine, so that was cool. Last night a work friend of Tracey’s from Ohio was in Cali visiting and came over for the evening, so I took off for the night. I went to Mission Beach to get some Fat Boys pizza, so good. Then I went to Emerald City surf shop and bought a new beenie hat. I walked on the board walk to get a look at the surf and I ran into a girl I work with, she was out long boarding (on skateboards, not surfing) with some friends, so that was cool. Then I went to a taco shop that is right on the corner of Mission Blv across from the roller coaster (for those familiar with the area) to play Galaga. They have a great machine there, rapid fire button, but I could not crack 200,000 pts, but it was fun. Then I went to Borders to finish reading Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard. I have seen the movie, so it was cool to read the book.

Tonight Tracey and I might go to Dave and Busters and have some fun, or we might just hang around at home. We might also go see Love Liza, an indie flick with Phillup Seymore Hoffman in it, looks very good. I need to get some surfing in this weekend, and get Tracey out there as well. Got an email from Larson today, he is definitely coming down, either Monday or Tuesday, so I can’t wait for that. My parents get back from Africa on Sunday, they have been gone forever it seems, but it sounds like they have had a good time. Have a good weekend all.

Hey Mike, have you seen that add for the new Contra game on PS2? Looks really good.

Today I am very tired. I stayed up too late watching one the Band of Brothers DVD’s. It’s really good and I recommend them, plus they have Ron Livingston in them, the guy from Office Space. He also had a short part in Adaptation and was funny. Last night Tracey and I went to this cool Bible study down in Chula Vista. A few people we knew from Toledo who moved out here were there, and that was cool. Piebald is playing tonight and I want to go see them, but I’m so tired, not sure if I will be able to pull it off, but I really want to. I’m looking forward to getting back out and surfing this weekend. Also, we may meet up with Larson somewhere up north at a Sanctus Real show this Sunday, could be very interesting. Mike, you are out of control on the Math stuff.

Today I am listening to Ash and feeling good. What do I have to complain about? Nothing. Everyday I wake up and think I am in a fairy tale. Do I deserve to feel this good? I don’t think so, but alas God has blessed me anyway. Everyday I am reminded that I do not deserve the Grace of God, yet he freely gives it to me, why? It is a great mystery. No matter how bad we are or how much I screw up, His grace is sufficient for me. Crazy.

Speaking of crazy, the Don Cheadle NFL add where he is talking about what crazy really is was the best commercial during the super bowl, in my opinion. I am sitting at work dreaming of surfing. I think I might cut out early and try to hit the waves before sundown, although today is my bball day down in OB, ah, decisions, what to do? I didn’t have these dilemmas in OhSoHio. Tracey and I plan to never move. As far as were concerned, we are home. Living here feels like home. Sometimes I get bitter thinking I should have lived here my whole life, and I want to get mad. But I don’t. People who are locals here don’t have the same appreciation that I have. I have actually talked with people who have lived here their whole life. They are not overtly impressed with SoCal. They take it for granted. I have been dreaming of this place since I was 11. That’s 17 years of wishing and hoping. I wouldn’t love this place as much if I had been here my whole life. I needed the darkness, degradation and depression of being raised in Ohio to become what I am today, living the life and enjoying it. Ah, I’ll get off the SoCal soap box now.

Justin-that was a crap call on Mouton with the carry. Man, that was a good game though. I was out of control also, yelling at the tv and everything. Sorry they lost. But they will be a force in March. Also, just for future reference, if you don’t open our mail, and you just write on the envelope: Forward to (put our address on it) and put it in the mail, they will just forward it to our place and you won’t have to spend any extra money. Gonna try to see Confessions some time this week.

Ok, a full weekend to report. Friday, went to see Adaptation and overall I liked it, but very weird. Saturday Tracey and I went to Torrey Pines State Park so I could surf and she could hike. The water was very rough and choppy and the waves kept coming one after the other, so the conditions were not very good for a beginner. But I went in anyway. The waves were 4 to 6 feet, so I did not go out very far, for fear of my life. I basically tried to catch the smaller waves as they were crashing near the beach and just ride them in laying down, which I did. I was out for about an hour and got thrown around pretty good. I did stand up on the board a few times, but nothing too dramatic. I caught this one wave (laying down) and it was going pretty fast, I say that the beach was coming up quick, then the wave threw me in front of it and the nose of the board hit the sand and threw me off pretty hard. I thought I was going to go face first into the sand and rocks but somehow I did not. I also thought I was going to pull a Jenkins and break board on one of my first waves, but I just cracked the nose a bit, very small crack. So I learned that I need to bail before the nose hits the sand. But it was awesome to get out there and do it. The cold water was not that bad with my wetsuit on. Water temp is 59 degrees right now, not too comfortable. I can’t wait to get back out. I was going to try to surf OB early Sunday morning, so I drove down to check it out, but they were actually having a long board competition and the waves were like 6 to 8 feet, so there was no way I was going into that anyway.

On to the super bowl. I went to a party with some friends from my office. Tracey stayed home because she was not feeling very good. I’m glad the Raiders lost, but at least make it a game, geez they sucked. The commercials were not that great either, in my opinion. Oh yeah, Saturday night Tracey and I went to see Chicago, that’s all I want to say about that. It was a full weekend and it sucks to be here at work on a Monday. I hope your weekend went well.

Mom and Dad-Glad to continue to hear that your doing well and having fun, be safe!