longboarding...no fear?

I'm a coward. I've known that for a while, but it always amuses me. Luckily, being a coward doesn't stop me from being brave, though it does make it harder. Longboarding has been really cool this summer, since I'm not exactly comfortable speeding down hills. Don't get me wrong, it's exhilarating. It's just like heart-attack fun.

My old housemate, Chelsea, helped me learn how to go over those rain gutters all over La Mirada, the ones that go across a street and are about two inches wide and two inches deep. It's pretty easy if I don't just get scared and bail. The thing is, as plenty of you probably already know, it's all about having the speed. If you're going fast enough, gravel, rocks and even rain gutters can't stop you. But if you're not going fast enough, and if you're not committed enough to the board, either the board stops and you fly, or you stop and the board flies.

It kinda reminds me of what another friend of mine, Christina, said to me back in Jr. High. I was briefly - ever so briefly - on the soccer team, and I was trying to kick the ball away from her. I failed. Several times over! Afterwords, she told me I just had to commit, to choose when I was going to take it and fully take it. None of this dancing around.

And so, being me, I think of life, and my future, and being brave about going for new opportunities with enough speed and energy and commitment - instead of being hesitant or uncertain. I just had to giggle to myself, because I'm not a great longboarder, soccer player, or ....liver??? No, I'm not a great liver :) But I think I know how I can get better, at all of the above. Besides, practice makes perfect, right? As long as you're giving it your all, at least. Well...and as long as you're not being all perfectionist when you say perfect. Heh.