I woke up this morning and rolled out of bed saying, “Goodmorning sunshine, Goodmorning ocean.” It feels so good to just roll out of bed whenever I want and start the tea kettle and have a liitle bit of a routine. I am so happy just doing my dishes and wiping the countertop clean. Keeping it clean for myself. Having a studio makes me want to keep it spotless at all times. I want my little space to shine. Everytime I brush my teeth or use my netti pot I wipe down the sink with a sponge after. I have made my bed everyday. I have never been a religious bed maker. I have arranged my space to be separate “rooms”. There is the kitchen, a dining area, the office, bedroom, bathroom, outdoor balcony and changing room (walk-in closet) with plenty of space for yoga and hula hooping. All within 325 sq. ft. If you come over, I will gladly give you the grand tour.

I am back to drinking hot water with lemon in the morning. This used to be my daily practice, I even remember searching out the complimentrary coffee stands in the hotlels I was staying to just get my hot water and lemon. They usually had lemon for the tea drinkers. But, this practice was forgotten by me for at least the last year. Its funny that the first morning here, that is what I went for. I had not made a plan to start drinking it again, I just woke up and was like “Oh, I have lemons, I can just do that.”

There is a cement block dock right next to the door from my building that opens on to the sand. I immediately thought, “ohhh, I can do yoga there!” So this morning that is just what I did. Most of the block had a big puddle on it and it was all sandy, but it was still a nice level spot for me to lay my mat right facing right into the ocean. I have barely done any yoga at all recently. I got really sick and was too week to do it and then once I got some strength back I just could not motivate myself as my health was still not up to par. I thought, “I will start up again when I get back to California.” Then I got here and was shuttling around, helping my friend with her store and just not creating the time and opportunity to do any. Then I thought, “ As soon as I get into my place I will start again!” Once I got in though, I was so focused on making the place mine by arranging and searching out the perfect items and the perfect placements that I once again forgot to create time. This whole time I consistenly looked up schedules for all of the studios near me, but I would dismiss the classes for fear that they would be too fast or too strong for me right now, since I haven’t been practicing regularly. So, this morning I did it! I got out there and even when my feet started to freeze up I kept going. It may not have been a super long practice, but I did what my body was calling for and I did it in the fresh sea air, with the sun shining down on me.

Then I came in and broke out my Omega juicer! This machine has not been powered up in forever! I often tell myself that it is too much effort to use, so I don’t. I used to juice everyday. I even brought the juicer on tour with me when I was doing sound (pre-joyologist days) and had the production manager advance my veggies for me on the rider so that they were waiting for me at load-in. My favorite combo is romaine, kale, green apple, lemon, and ginger. It is the perfect balance of sweet and spice with out being overly sweet and you get all your greens without the “green” taste. I remember making combos of carrot/beet/apple/ginger/lemon for others on the tour that liked to dabble in heathfulness but were not able to withstand the greens. On one show day in Chicago, the promoter was trying to cheap out of a lot of things on our rider, but our production manager leaned into him and the next thing I knew they were delivering me the biggest bag of carrots I had ever seen. There was no room for me to take the carrots along to the next city so I went to work juicing that bag of carrots and then walked around the venue offering fresh carrot juice to the employees as they were setting up to open doors. I don’t think they expected that from the touring production crew.

My main must do for today was to get my taxes out to my accountant. I want to see that reiumbursement check (I hope) as soon as possible. The post office is maybe a mile away, a nice stroll on foot. I had forgot how much in touch you are with your surroundings when you are on foot. I paused to look at menus and glance into store windows as I walked there and back. Places that I have passed many times in the last few years when I was in this area, but was now seeing everything with new eyes.

I stopped in a local surf shop, one that I had visited before just to look at the apparel, to buy a surf leash and wax for the used board a friend gifted me. One of the shop boys asked me if I was doing all right, so I went ahead and asked him if I was getting the right length of leash and if it was cool or cold wax season, now. I kind of felt like a dumb-ass asking these questions, because wouldn’t a surfer know the answers? I make up that the surf world is an exclusive club and they make no room for beginners. I always have to overcome fear when getting in the water, fear not for the water, but for what people who may see me will think. It’s pretty silly, because every surfer was a beginner at some point and the only way to get better is to keep doing it. Anyhoo, the guy was super friendly and did not kick me out of the store for asking such a “stupid” question. When he checked me out (my purchases, not me) he took my credit card and said, “Are you Tricia? Nice to meet you.” At first I was thinking, “UM, yeah I’m Tricia, is this your theft screening? To ask the customer if that is their name?” I left the store and then realized that he was probably just being nice and introducting himself to a fellow a surfer (me) in that way. Regardless of why he asked me if Tricia was my name, it made me feel welcome in my new neighborhood.

So many people were out on foot, bike, rollerblades, you name it. There were groups of super fit girls and guys at the volleyball courts, kids playing in the sand, people just out and enjoying the sun. I really feel at home here. Yes, I was already familiar with the area because of my friend’s coffee shop (Planet Earth Eco Café) but just because you are familiar with an area does not mean it is for you. Well, this place and I are getting along very well.