TWIW

Thats "This Week in Whittier" for all you non baseball fans out there who didn't get the connection to one of my favorite shows as a kid (TWIB or This Week in Baseball). Back when we didn't have cable and therefore no Sportscenter (or a time I like to call the dark ages) Saturdays were a time for sugared cereal, cartoons, and TWIB. TWIW was the best I could come up with, as This week in Johnsons doesn't really ring, and as fitting as it may be This week in Tyler abbreviates in an unflattering manner. The great thing about TWIB was that it was on every week. Spring training to the world series and everything in between. Even during the "dog days" of the summer when you thought nothing spectacular happened there were highlights to be aired, bloopers to laugh at, and of course some rookie getting a cream pie in the face. So you could say it is motivation for me to sit down and recall whats new in a week I would call uneventful on the surface.

I continue to work as a substitute teacher while I wait on my Chiropractic lisence. But that subjects really been overdone. On the days I don't have jobs I try to get to the beach while it is still in my back yard and not halfway across the country. I got the bright idea that i wanted to surf Malibu a couple more times before leaving and it had been a while. (What this really means is I had forgotten why it had been a while). I went by myself Friday afternoon as my workaholic brother was too big a wuss to fake a mid-day flu bug on a pristine late spring SoCal day. "We have a deadline", "My co-workers are depending on me", "I am a total hack slave to the man", "Blah blah blah I suck" is all I heard. There's really only one possible response to such brotherly insubordination, the "you used to be cool" text message. Doesn't work on Evan as well as it would work on me (he was and always will be the responsible one) but at least he really knows what he is saying no to. Its not just a beautiful day surfing a famous point break (more on that later) he is saying no to his carefree youth......and that stings.....I know.

Malibu is Malibu. There's no changing it. She is so enticing. While I haven't really traveled the globe in search of the perfect wave I have never seen a more consistent wave than Malibu. Every set like the last and almost every right can take you all the way from Point Mugu to Santa Monica (at least is seems that way). There is just one caveat, you must first sell your surfing soul. To surf Malibu for any period of time you must become the biggest snake in the world. Let me esplain. Its the utter machine-like consistency that does her in. One long wave that will extend all the way around the point is just that.....ONE WAVE. Add three dozen guys who ditched work early (like real men Evan!) and you have yourself a free-for-all. Takes some getting used to and after a few hours in the water I had not had my fill, but my arms were doing something Evan couldn't....punching out at 5.

Lucky for me Erika was out of town (for her sisters graduation) and Evan was house sitting on the westside. So we tried it again Saturday morning. Problem with Saturdays in Malibu is that quaint pod of three dozen becomes 5 real fast. I left with my fill of Malibu, even if I didn't get my fill of waves. All was not lost however as there was one shinning star. I was introduced to Pinkberry and in doing so Evan redeemed himself.

With Erika still gone until Sunday and my body on strike after two straight days of surfing (who do you think you are Mark Spitz?) I was ready for one of mine and Erika's guilty pleasures. We have a great bed. It is by far the most comfortable bed I have ever slept on for more than one night (that title goes to Grandma Johnson's feather bed). Any night sleep is generally good on that bed. But the guilty aspect of this occasional pleasure is that if you think you sleep well with two in this bed sleeping on it alone is like what I imagine some people pay large sums of money to the Columbians for. Really the only way to describe it is narcotic.

Erika arrived home safely Sunday night and we both got to go back to work trying not to inflict bodily harm on the swarms of high schoolers we are in charge of refereeing.

I am still getting the hang of my favorite new toy. The Nikon camera I bought as a combined graduation present from both parents. Its a lot of fun and its an easy way to feel like you have some artistic talent. I think I will add a couple of shots I've taken in the last week. Here is one of my friend Dave (lives down the hall and has been #1 homey since high school) I admit this one has been tinkered with a little on the computer, but still fun to do.

This one is my latest attempt at a blur shot. the trick is to lengthen the shutter speed and then pan the camera to follow the subject . Kinda cool as the goal is to get your subject to come out clear and the background blurred. Evan taught me this a while back....see I told you he used to be cool.
Removed Per Request

That's pretty much it for TWIW. Aside from our ongoing feud with UPS (Long story short we have a pending insurance claim from Christmas and when its time for a delivery they only come when no one is home and won't leave things at the door no matter how many different tactics we try.) things are pretty boring here in Whittier.
Now go put your empty cereal bowl in the sink, put your blanket back on your bed, and get started on your chores because TWIW is over.