nine things: mia

Mia is one of my favorite people to surf with! She is so graceful in the water and has a smile so infectious you can't help but be happy when you're around her. And not only in surfing, she's a beautiful person inside and out. Love you Mi!

Here are her 9 things :)

1. The Perfect Cup of Coffee.  It can be a hand-crafted latte, or a simple freshly brewed cup o' joe at a diner.  It can be sipped in the solitude of the early morning, or enjoyed with friends for an afternoon break.  It's when the beans, brewing, and even cup come together for a moment of almost magic - giving a sense of belonging, a feeling of 'home', no matter how far afield you are.

2. Surfing eggy-railed board with fat-ass fins.  I've watched loggin' videos for so many years but only recently had the privilege of owning a noserider - with a traditional profile of straight lines, a big fat square tail, and soft 50/50 rails all throughout.  Just one ride on my friend's log with a D-fin setup and I knew this was it for me.  It wasn't a subtle nudge, it was more like, THIS IS IT.  It was the feeling of a slow, drawn out turn and the projection off the end of it, the stability and the freedom to playfully walk around, and smooth sailing across the face of the wave, section be damned!  The world around me brightened and joy bloomed in my heart.

3. Gus Gus - my big black lab and Belgian malinois mix doggy.  He's my new best friend and loyal companion.  I never knew owning a dog could be such a rich experience.

4. Mama Cez - my ally and confidant. Like Gus Gus but with fewer ticks (and with a meaner Mah Jong game)

5. Owner jeeps - customizable, trusty, affordable :)

6. iPhone cases - they protect that which is most important...

7. The Philippines - it's just the best place in the universe EVER

8. The idea of camping out with all this cool camping gear and having a coffee in the wilderness.  I don't actually do this but that doesn't mean I can't obsess about it, right?

9. The gift of Faith. I was raised Catholic, raised to ask God for help when in need and to thank Him when in abundance - a way of thinking that I grew up taking for granted.  Recent years saw this paradigm and this "faith" tested, and I was forced to dig deeper and understand before just blindly accepting.  It's been at times a painful, tumultuous process but one that continuously helps me learn and grow.