on a dark side alley in Waikiki, there is an entrance to a parking lot. and right where that green electric charging station is, there use to be a 3×3′ parking booth. it was just big enough for a cash register and a stool. so basically, it was made for one man to stand in there. that man was me. i was 18 at the time working in that little parking booth full time. i finished high school and had no direction in life. college wasn’t even in my mind. so basically, i was lost. i tried to join the Army but that didn’t work out. i tried to join the Air Force but that didn’t work out either. my girlfriend at that time use to sit in my VW bug all day making sure i was a good boy. she even made me sell the only surfboard i had. we would fight, eat hamburgers, and drink x-large cokes every single day. at 18, i thought i had a dream life. haha!!!
BUT then, that’s when my sister started dating Tony Moniz. Tony took me surfing a few times and i was hooked again. i quit my job, enrolled in college, and most importantly, broke up with my girlfriend. i became happy again, i became free again, and i became a surfer again! from that time on, i lived in Japan, learned Japanese, did the pro tour there, traveled the world, and met lots of friends that are family to me.
so every time i pass by that parking lot, i tell the story to whoever i’m with at the time. and i always say “if i didn’t start surfing again, i would probably still be sitting in a parking booth somewhere in Waikiki. my girlfriend would still be watching over me, we’d still be eating hamburgers and x-large cokes. so basically, Tony Moniz and surfing saved my life. and if i can help you if you’re stuck with no direction in life, i would love to help you.”
so yeah, i went from rock bottom to living a dream life. and all i needed was a spark to light my fire. and my fire to live life to the fullest is still burning HOT!
The Pump Out!
i was walking around in Waikiki last night at 8pm. usually this street is packed with people but not now. how are these shops going to survive this pandemic???
this is the famous Beachwalk Avenue. nobody walking here.
woke up early and paddled out to Diamond Head. i was the first in the ocean and i couldn’t believe nobody was out! that was round 1 of joy. then i went for round 2 of joy this afternoon at Ala Moana and i was the only foiler! omg, 2 rounds of joy today!
speaking of joy, check out the cool surfboard stand Toda-san’s cousin made for him. so cool!!! Toda-san asked me if i wanted one but i told him that somebody would steal that in Hawaii. yeah, i’m not joking! by the way, nice board Toda-san!
Surf your Dream! miss you guys and hope to see you soon…
