North Shore (Actor's Wanted) - the project

Talk Story Everyone,

I watched one of my favorite movies again last night, North Shore. A cult classic for sure. You either love it and have seen it hundreds of times, or, you've never heard of it. It's pretty much that simple.

But, the thing is, what I'm reflecting on today is not so much the movie, but about one of the actors. John Philbin. He played Turtle. Unarguably the most memorable character of the movie. Or, at least, the most endearing. Turtle rocks.

Now then, what interests me so totally much is how John got the role, that is to say, how I understand that he got the role. I read  and or heard that he needed to get in shape to play the character and he did it in about 3 weeks, which utterly stuns me and blows me away!!!  During that time, from what I understand, he not only got his body shredded so perfectly like it was in the movie but he also learned the Hawaiian pidgin surfing language. What I like to think of as, Surfish.

So, being the romantic that I am, that story, regardless of how accurate it may or may not be, at least in fantasy, utterly and totally truly inspires me. What could be done in 3 weeks, not only with the body, but also with the mind and spirit? That is what thrills me so. And, to top it off, and to add magic and wonder to it, what can be done right now, in THIS next three weeks starting this very night!!!  In other words, what if I had an awesome chance to play a cool role like John did, only, the girl version, of course, a female Turtle, the wahine shaper's assistant. Ah, what a beautiful and fun dream. How would I go about it? And what would I try to do? So, for the next three weeks, starting with tonight, I'm on a quest, just to see what I can do during this three week time table.

That brings me from now, today, December 3rd, to, interestingly enough, Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24th. What an awesome goal and project is that!!!

So, starting tonight, I'll see what I can do to get my body shredded like John did (wow he looked great as Turtle), as well as to fully embrace Pidgin Hawaiian and Surfish. I know it's called Surfonics and even Surfspeak, but I must say, and, you read it here perhaps for the first time, Surfish sounds so much cooler. At least to me.

Now then, what to do? Diet. Exercise. Language class. And embracing the spirit of surfing as a totally embracing lifestyle. Those four things. For the next three weeks. Oh, and of course, surfing as much as possible day and night, naturally.

For diet, I'll drop my normal fish tacos (typically I eat those 2 or 3 times a day - I've done that for about the last half a year or so, by the way) and try to focus just on fruit, and as little of that as possible. After all, if I was truly trying to get a role like John did, and, if it  required me to be as "surf looking" as possible, well, then getting shredded is the way to go., and, I don't know if it required John to go to extremes in his diet, but, I want to, just to see what will happen.  I do so wish that I knew exactly what John Philbin did, so, John, if you or one of your friends happens to be out there and reading this (and golly, I rather hope that you are), let me know, okay, I'm really on a fun quest here. Inspired by your character in the movie. We're talking pure magic and total supreme stoke to the max!!!

Why this quest and why now? Well, why not!!! I see Christmas time, at least to me, as a time of Santa. Yep, I admit, I believe in the ol' guy. To me, he was and is a shaman. The shaman's shaman, actually. The head kahuna, in a way. I love Christmas, I always have, and, I've always seen it as a time of miracles and magic ever since I was a little girl. Christmas time to me is a time of wonder and joy and happiness and fun and silliness, all rolled up into one. It's a time, to focus on good things. And thus, my movie role quest for what could me more magical and impossible than that? To get the role of the perfect surfer girl in some totally awesome once in a lifetime chance surfer flick, what could be funner?

I really love this idea. I'll exercise as much as possible every day, I'd imagine I'll try for at least 6 to 8 hours of hardcore exercise, more, if I can, I'll have to see how my body holds up. I'll see how it plays out with my torn acl and torn meniscus, of course. I am, in a way, simply following Doctor's orders.

You see, as I may have mentioned in another entry, my Surgeon is going to see me in January and he told me to hit the North Shore and surf for all I'm worth, and told me that I'd either be able to do it and utterly rip or I'd literally rip my knee apart in the process. If it worked, and, if I can indeed shred the North Shore, he said, my knee will have demonstrated that it healed. And, if not, well, that's the time for surgery he said. Hmm. I'm, for the record, sort of hoping for the first one.

So, given my Doctor's advice, and having watched the Director's Commentary of North Shore last night, I came up with this plan.

I'll prepare myself the best I can to surf the North Shore, just as if I really were going (and who knows, maybe I'll get a cool Christmas present from someone (maybe even if I"m lucky from one of you who happens to be reading this) to go, hey, it's Christmas season, miracles can happen!!!).

I like the idea of seeing myself training for an acting job like John did. It makes it fun, challenging, and I truly find it motivating. And, I find it truly magical that I came up with this idea today and it is three weeks to the day until Christmas Eve, the time of true miracles and magic for a Santa believer like me.

My diet, I've already covered. Drink tons of water. As much as possible each day. Eat a little fruit each day or at least every few days, focusing on pineapple, mangoes, and papayas mostly (what could be more Hawaiian?), and pretty much keep it to that to the best that I can.

As for exercise, naturally, it will be surfing and surfing related exercises.  I do wish I knew what John did. I'd find his workout inspirational, I so totally know. Well, I have hopes that someone out there will know what he did and how he did it and be able to shed some insight for me. Please :)

In the meantime, I'll do all that I can. I'll surf as much as I can. And,  do balancing exercises on my indo surfboard on top of my bosu ball, balance on my balance disks and Swedish ball, and of course swim, paddle, do pushups, pullups, dips, situps, squats, kneeling twisting pulldowns and kneeling twisting pullups, as well as mountainboard and mountainboard with my kahuna big stick and things of that sort as they come to me. I do love Laird Hamiliton's workout in his awesome book Force of Nature, so I'll probably follow that as much as I can too because it's such an awesomely laid out program, and who could possibly be in better shape than Laird Hamilton, who also, by the way, was super in North Shore.

For study of non-language, I'll focus my time on studying my tide books while I eat or have orange juice with my coffee drinking friends at breakfast. Naturally, I'll be thinking of fruit and water for perfect skin tone for my acting role. As for language study, I'll read my surfing dictionary Surfin'ary by Trevor Cralle as often as possible and also study and totally embrace my book on Hawaiian Pidgin called Pidgin to Da Max: 25th Anniversary Edition by Peppovision and  Douglas Simonson. Both books are like so totally necessary for what I'm doing.

And spiritually, why I'll simply live surfing in all I do and in all that I think about, 24/7. As 15 said in the movie Point Break, "Surfing's the source man... swear to God. (I love that movie to, by the way). I love that quote, and, it's how I see surfing. More so, I"ll fully embrace that idea as I train for the next 3 weeks. Those simple words from Point Break inspire me. As does the full program I've laid out here. 

Full immersion in diet, exercise, language, and spirituality, what fun. A bodaciously awesome project this will be, I'm sure. More so, I'm utterly stoked beyond all reason. And, naturally, my Christmas is going to be all surfing related. I hope my friends are reading this, and hopefully all of you out there too in case you want to send me Christmas presents, why not, right? Anything and everything surfing oriented please. That's my Christmas list wish from all of you, whoever you may be and where every you may be from. Hmm, a red string bikini, surf wax, tide books, surfing dvds, surfboards - of course - that goes without saying, perhaps a surf t-shirt or two, maybe a new fun beach towel, ah the fun of dreaming. Anybody with extra stuff that's just sitting there, an old board, perhaps? Why not donate it to the cause. I'd love a skegless , finless, wood board like in the movie :) After all, I utterly love Riding Sliding Ass. I'm addicted to it, I admit it. 

Well, that's about it for tonight. My three week Surfing Movie Project Christmas  Quest has begun.

Smiles and hugs everyone,

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley