Session 7126: Single Toy or Multiple Toys

I've met people from two school of thoughts,

• School A: You should become good at only one type of board.
• School B: You should try different kinds of board.

Yeah, both do make really good sense. As a Jazz musician, I have not really touched any other instruments other than a keyboard. Even then I think I am too wide spread, I am into Hammond B3 style organ playing, but I also touch Piano styles too. Yet, I just must say that there is just a lifetime learning for the mastery of piano playing that even if I practice every day all day, it would be a very little hope that I would ever hit the Bill Evans nor Bill Charlap level.

For surfing too. There is just a life-long learning to get the mastery of long boarding, or short boarding. If I am switching back and forth between boards, let alone various types of short boards, I totally agree that I won't ever become better than Wingnut, let alone one of the top winner at a local surf contest in Linda Mar (I am getting there though... hehehe).

But wait a minute...

My purpose of playing Jazz is not become Bill Evans, and my purpose of surfing is not become the next Wingnut or Machado.

I am "the rest of the Jazz Musicians" and I am the "rest of the surfers."

What's wrong with that notion? I say, "there is nothing wrong with that."

My main reasons for doing any of them is to just relax, have fun doing something other than I do at work. Frankly I don't care how much I suck at both music and surfing. It is definitely fun to switch between long and short boards. It is definitely fun trying to do Jimmy Smith riff on the B3 patch on my Korg as well as trying some slow ballad with the piano patch. It sucks big time, if you heard it, but I am having a lot of fun.
I am not here to collect bucks from anyone.

You might ask, then why do I compete?

I compete because it is like my annual piano recital from my local piano teacher. It is an opportunity for myself to compare how much progress I am making (against myself), and a bit of pressure and a sense of urgency gives me an incentive to try a bit harder. I sometimes need a bit of a kick in the butt.

So what you should do.

Don't listen to anyone, especially my Jazz and this blog. Listen to your own very heart.
Unless you are going for a pro, in that case, the whole different set of rule applies, stop reading my stuff now, you should just strive to have fun!

Surf Report

Stopped by at K Ave on the way back from work. The waves were not taking much shape, and once I got in, there is the infamous backwash this spot is famous for. I take off and the waves clogged up, splash back at me. It almost got dangerous to the point... would have knocked my teeth or broken my jaw if I kept at it too much.

But why does it matter to you? You should just go out and experience your own fun waves!