The shape of a W
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The week started very much on the up and up, thus the beginning of the W. As the week went on and I had to travel down from my very comfortable location in Pomona, where I had met many friends, the first drop in the 'W' occurred. For one I knew nobody - again - and for two I was busted by the cops - again - for parking my van in a public space. (The law in Costa Mesa as well as Claremont is 'no parking over night in a public space if you have sleeping quarters in your vehicle.') Things got up and going again as I found some fellow friends from the tour that I was able to meet and hit with, thus the next upward point in the 'W'. Then the second big drop occurred - I lost horribly in one of the worst matches I've ever played... I'm still getting over it. I was totally sore and just... sluggish... that I don't even no what to say, other than my body just didn't recover well at all from the early week's workouts. Moving on to the last part of the 'W' - the best part. I had an incredible weekend of bagpiping and meeting friends. It all started yesterday with holding up signs and giving out free hugs with my newest Couchsurfing friends who put me up in Pomona. We did this at a street festival going on here where I am now in Huntington Beach (remember where Rob and I crashed the 4th of July block party?... same place.) While doing it I noticed a fellow talking with various street musicians and assumed it was the coordinator... it was, and yes, he let me play my pipes there at the festival. It went over pretty well, but he immediately invited me back to play again today from 12-2. Next was the gig at a church an Italian friend I met in Claremont a week ago asked me to play for. It was a church cookout and it went over phenomenally well, thank God. Next it was back to Huntington Beach where I was to meet a new Couchsurfing friend at the German 'Old World' Oktoberfest. We had a great time and I ended up playing my bagpipes with the German band... that was interesting... the crowd seemed to really like it though. After that I headed back home and I was on a total high as I was blaring my 'Sing Along Songs Disc 2' that I made a few years ago and singing loudly right along. I pulled in to a spot on 8th street in Huntington Beach (a block from where I played my pipes in early July) only to be greeted by a funny fellow who heard me pull in with my Johnny Nash blaring and so he offered me a drink. I couldn't turn it down, so I met these two roommates who are only a couple years older than me - Chris and Jeff. Jeff, the one who offered me a drink, had just arrived earlier yesterday from China, so he was a bit out of it... but in a funny way. We all had a good time hanging out, but then I remembered that I had told my new Couchsurfing friend Sarah that I would go running 9 miles with her in the morning... so it was time to get to bed. So today I woke up, went running instead of finding a church to go to, which I rarely skip, and then hung out with Chris and Jeff again before going to the festival to play from 12-2. After the festival I hung out with Chris and Jeff again before going to a cookout I was invited to by some of the friends I met at the party crashing back in early July.
And that is what I just got back from. Oh what a week of ups (^\) and downs and ups (/) and downs (\) and a grand finale of ups (////) all in all to make one beautiful W.
Signing off...
~ Nathan
The week started very much on the up and up, thus the beginning of the W. As the week went on and I had to travel down from my very comfortable location in Pomona, where I had met many friends, the first drop in the 'W' occurred. For one I knew nobody - again - and for two I was busted by the cops - again - for parking my van in a public space. (The law in Costa Mesa as well as Claremont is 'no parking over night in a public space if you have sleeping quarters in your vehicle.') Things got up and going again as I found some fellow friends from the tour that I was able to meet and hit with, thus the next upward point in the 'W'. Then the second big drop occurred - I lost horribly in one of the worst matches I've ever played... I'm still getting over it. I was totally sore and just... sluggish... that I don't even no what to say, other than my body just didn't recover well at all from the early week's workouts. Moving on to the last part of the 'W' - the best part. I had an incredible weekend of bagpiping and meeting friends. It all started yesterday with holding up signs and giving out free hugs with my newest Couchsurfing friends who put me up in Pomona. We did this at a street festival going on here where I am now in Huntington Beach (remember where Rob and I crashed the 4th of July block party?... same place.) While doing it I noticed a fellow talking with various street musicians and assumed it was the coordinator... it was, and yes, he let me play my pipes there at the festival. It went over pretty well, but he immediately invited me back to play again today from 12-2. Next was the gig at a church an Italian friend I met in Claremont a week ago asked me to play for. It was a church cookout and it went over phenomenally well, thank God. Next it was back to Huntington Beach where I was to meet a new Couchsurfing friend at the German 'Old World' Oktoberfest. We had a great time and I ended up playing my bagpipes with the German band... that was interesting... the crowd seemed to really like it though. After that I headed back home and I was on a total high as I was blaring my 'Sing Along Songs Disc 2' that I made a few years ago and singing loudly right along. I pulled in to a spot on 8th street in Huntington Beach (a block from where I played my pipes in early July) only to be greeted by a funny fellow who heard me pull in with my Johnny Nash blaring and so he offered me a drink. I couldn't turn it down, so I met these two roommates who are only a couple years older than me - Chris and Jeff. Jeff, the one who offered me a drink, had just arrived earlier yesterday from China, so he was a bit out of it... but in a funny way. We all had a good time hanging out, but then I remembered that I had told my new Couchsurfing friend Sarah that I would go running 9 miles with her in the morning... so it was time to get to bed. So today I woke up, went running instead of finding a church to go to, which I rarely skip, and then hung out with Chris and Jeff again before going to the festival to play from 12-2. After the festival I hung out with Chris and Jeff again before going to a cookout I was invited to by some of the friends I met at the party crashing back in early July.
And that is what I just got back from. Oh what a week of ups (^\) and downs and ups (/) and downs (\) and a grand finale of ups (////) all in all to make one beautiful W.
Signing off...
~ Nathan
posted by Nate | 2:24 AM
3 Comments:
Keep you head up bro. Also, be sure to be fresh and rested for your matches. Workouts are important but if they get in the way of that they are counterproductive.
I know you are glad that Neil is off the van, but I for one was really, really enjoying his antics. You must have the patience of Job. I would have been more like Tony if not worse. I would have gone to church on that final morning and insisted that Neil join me. Would have done him good. And me too I guess, :)
The shape of a W..what a great metaphor. Your so intelligent.
You had some pretty busy days and met and hung out with lots of people!!! That's great!!
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