The New Beach
(okay… I wore my iPOD while running today)

depending on the moment the beach can be two different places

the beach can be a tranquil place where a person can soak in the sun and be awestruck by the power of the ocean

then there are other moments
painful moments on the beach….
moments that are common not just on the beach but exist any time when in public

cigars…..
cigars and pipes are basically billboards of an individual’s personality
that person’s billboard reads loud and clear... “I AM AN ASSHOLE!”
and maybe in smaller letters… “what are you going to do about it?”
even with the breeze on the beach… cigars do not belong in public

the type of person who smokes a cigar is the same type of person who chooses the the rival team as their favorite team...
come on you know that guy…
I grew up in a Redskins town… and I know so many people who were Cowboys fans they all fit this description
they are not bad people…. I can most certainly see each and every one of them out there smoking a cigar

jet skis
the Gulf of Mexico is a big place
so why do these boneheads feel that they need to cruise up and down the coast… just 20 yards from shore
the sight
the sound
the sound
the sound
did I mention the sound
and the smell

honestly… I am not sure if a jet ski could be much fun for more than a half hour
okay… the redneck is strong in me… but after a few donuts… maybe an hour of donuts... it is pretty much over
if I were to rent a vehicle I would go for a sailboat or a sea kayak…. but if I went for a power boat…. it would not be at the expense of others
that sound of a weed wacker is more than we all really need to deal with
at least the weed wacker will be gone in five minutes leaving things more beautiful
the jet ski leaves the smell of exhaust, an oil spill, and a ringing in my ear

and finally

iPODs , Cell Phones, and Blackberrys
How did we ever walk on the beach without these devices?
even grandpa and grandma are zoned out on the cell phone
there was a time where searching for shells and panning the horizon for dolphins was enough
now people are existing elsewhere

sure make your call, check your email… then come back to the beach
come back to the beach or stay in your office
your plane ticket and your condo rental are expensive... make use of the beach while you are there

as far as the iPOD goes…
I wore the iPOD when I went running
perhaps I wore my iPOD to drown out the sound of the jet skis
or maybe this is just another example of my ever existing hypocracy
but....
as I ran down the beach with my iPOD I never lost my focus
never for a second did I space out to such a point where I was tripping over the people around me

the world is rapidly becoming an uglier and uglier place