So lots of things to talk about. One is that my trip home to Christmas was a total success. Christmas was great and a blizzard snowed me in for an extra five days. At first I was devastated and frantically called every airline looking for an earlier flight than the one on the 31st that I'd been moved to. Flights were an average of 500$. I had just started my job at Gulfstream at was nervous that I'd lose my job. Once I called my boss and heard "Well, you didn't make it snow.", I relaxed and enjoyed my time with my family. I consider it the best gift I got this Christmas (and I got some cool stuff). When I came back my job welcomed me and asked how my time at home was. I'm very lucky.

I've been walking on the beach a lot. It's only a five minute walk from my house and when I have nothing to do I stroll over. I love living near the beach. I could spend hours there. I've learned that I'm very good at choosing a line to walk in that keeps the wash of the waves less than an inch from my feet so my shoes don't get wet. Rachel always tells me that I operate on a different plain than other people. When I walk on the beach I feel like the water, the sand, the shells and the birds are all on the same plain as me. The water will wash up and go back the moment before my foot comes down and my shoes don't get wet. I'll sit and stare out while the sun sets and three times now I've caught glimpse of a dolphin on manitee in the water that no one else seems to see. The beach is a really magical place for me. It always gives me the feeling you get when you read a poem that you really understand except there are no actual versus on the beach. It's just salty air, strong wind and rhythmic sounds synced with the feeling of knowing its possible to see something extraordinary. I'm really going to miss the beach. I won't miss having sand in my socks though. I really, really hate that. -lj