Summer comes early to SoCal

I think I’m feeling a bit of wanderlust. I have really been enjoying driving around lately, even in LA traffic, and that’s making me think maybe it’s time for a road trip. I don’t know where I want to go, though. There’s a Grapplers Quest in Vegas the weekend of May 9, and that could be fun. Or maybe I want a complete break from the regular routine, which would mean avoiding grappling in all its forms, not to mention eschewing the burpee and the thruster. Maybe I should go to some kind of spa or something. Well, I’ll tentatively shoot for the weekend of May 9 and see what I end up wanting to do.

This urge to travel could have something to do with the fact that it’s balls hot in SoCal right now. Triple-digit temperatures. So it feels like summer. And summer is when I hit the road/air/water, it seems. I have for the past 3 years, at least. I do have some fun trips planned this summer: to Virginia once or twice, to Canada once or twice, and to Boston in May. But I am feeling a twitch RIGHT NOW. I suppose I could actually hit the road this instant, seeing as how I tend to be pretty successful at avoiding working and generally answer only to myself. Right now, I’m thinking it’s naptime, but maybe I’ll leave after I wake up. And have some lunch. While watching Judge Judy (she’s not gonna watch herself).

I’m feeling a little nostalgic for the Jersey shore. I grew up going there and have lots of fond memories, which were jogged some when I went to see Bruce Springsteen in concert last week. Amazing, amazing show, and while he didn’t sing Jersey Girl (with the line, “Cause down the shore everything’s all right”), he sang enough about the shore to remind me that I’m clear on the other side of the country, where people go to the “beach.” The beach is fine, but it ain’t the shore. People at the beach are really put together. People at the shore have enormous hair and say, “Oh my gawd.” People at the beach live in Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica. People at the shore live in Weehawken and Trenton. People at the beach eat filet mignon and bananas Foster (okay, not really). People at the shore eat hoagies, bomb pops, and salt water taffy. People at the beach do capoeira and gawk at celebrities. People at the shore play putt-putt and gawk at the syringes and trash that wash up on the sand. People at the beach enjoy sunset dinners at cozy neighborhood bistros. People at the shore spend evenings tromping on the boardwalk and drag racing across the causeway.

I’m sure you can see why I miss it, my beloved shore!

I will be on the east coast in May, as I mentioned. I’m going to Boston for the Wearers of the Green ceremony. I got in touch with my college pal Naomi, and not only am I going to stay with her, she is also going to be my “date” for the event! I haven’t seen Naomi since we were both at our friends Jen and Pat’s wedding in London almost 2 years ago (many of you LOVED all the detail I included about it), and I haven’t been to Boston since I was in college, or shortly thereafter, when it was the closest civilization to my small-town undergrad institution. I’m assuming this is why my small-town undergrad institution is hosting the event in Boston rather than in the small town. It’s going to be at the Westin Copley Place Hotel, which is right around the corner from Dartmouth Street. So that’s kind of fitting.

I need to buy a cocktail dress to wear to it. Funnily enough, two of the guys at my academy, who shall remain nameless, have volunteered to take me shopping. They are in touch with their feminine side. And I recently got a great haircut from another of the guys at the academy. They are multi-talented, these tough grappler dudes!

Okay. I have more to write, but am serious about that nap. Back in a little while.