The unexpected

When I do my annual writeup of the highlights and lowlights of the past year (not for public consumption, just for me), I know what I am going to title it: The Year of the Unexpected.

Because there's no way, this time last year, I could ever have imagined all that's happened in 2008. No way I would ever have thought I would be where I am.

The best things in life are so often unexpected.

This week, they included: Stopping into the Steinway piano store on 57th St. on a whim and getting to play a truly extraordinary nine-foot concert grand for an uninterrupted hour.

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/1/24951.html

And today, it was a surprise surf session in a snowstorm.

Actually, the snow had pretty much stopped by the time I got out. But I will never get over the thrill of walking through snow to get to the water. (If I get tired of it, shoot me; it's one of those thrills, like watching a sunset out of an airplane window, that no one alive should ever tire of.)

The wind was light and north, and the only way to describe the waves today was lazy. They were small and slow, my favorite kind. I could ride as many as I could catch, and it wasn't difficult. Despite the snow, the air was warm, even the water seemed warm for December. I did perfect popups and then worked on trying to keep my balance as the wave closed out, as they do so quickly here. I was able to do that better than I ever have before. And again, and again, until dark.

I don't know what 2009 will bring, surfing-wise and otherwise; I do know that it won't be what I expected.