The Beach

As I sit here enjoying the cool weather, I cannot believe that I was at Virginia Beach on Monday and found it too hot!

Oh, fickle me!

Well, while I enjoy being at the beach, I don't actually enjoy swimming in the ocean.  At least not the ocean water on the coast of the United States.  When I was in Bermuda, the beach water was very inviting.  I could see my feet when I looked down in waist deep water.  That's my kind of beach!  Nevertheless, I don't like the feel of salt drying on my skin.  It's like being in an outfit that is shrinking while you wear it.

I also have - have always had, in fact -- an issue with body image.  Even in my very thin days I felt fat in a bathing suit.  Now that I am considerably larger, the idea of walking down the sandy stretch just seems horrifying.

Ultimately, the beach scene is not necessarily for me.  Still, I yearn for the cash to rent a place on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  A place with beach access AND a pool.  And all the family with me -- kids, brothers, wives, nephews, parents.

As I look at the cool weather outside, I am thinking of the beach and how it invites relaxation.

Privacy

This country is certainly in a twist about the President's plan to keep track of whom we call.  Frankly, I don't care.  I know the bigger issue is where to draw the line, but I cannot help but be concerned with the fact that we focus on nonsense when bigger issues are being ignored.

Take for instance, identity theft.  No one seems to be terribly concerned about it.  There are companies that prey on us looking to protect us from identity theft, but I am not aware of a genuine plan that actually keeps us safe.  Furthermore, there seems to be no quick, direct fix to getting your identity back once it's been stolen.  This is a real issue that we need to face.  What does this country do?  We make a comedy about it (which you can probably get on Netflix now).

I wish this country weren't filled with such namby-pambies.  If we want the government to protect us, we need to recognize that to do so requires us to allow the government to track what we do.  We cannot have it both ways.  Once we understand that idea, perhaps we can move forward and start dealing with the things that matter to us all.