Play Money, Rockport, Texas December 2019

During the week before I moved from Texas I made it a point to re-visit my favorite places. One of them was a peaceful, little cove on Copano Bay with stellar sunset views. It was such a relaxing spot that I made it a point to swing by there at least once a week.

On my last trip, I espied this green rectangle from a distance and though it looked a little funny I was hopeful that I would get my wish and find a bunch of money. Technically, it was $100,000 (which is a lot of money to me). It just happened to be play money.

Once again, I was reminded that though the universe conspires to help me, I need to be a lot more specific with my wishes!

T-shirt, Tampa, Florida January 2020

I presume it is easy to find meeting space and the club meetings must be short, since there is nothing to discuss with anyone.

Guest Book, Sarasota, Florida December 2019

I did my best to do as commanded, I complimented the book and gently stroked the page. Never got much of a reaction but I presume it was pleased?

Sign at Myakka River State Park, Sarasota, Florida December 2019

After working in the environmental education field for two decades (and being a bit of a word nerd), signs like this really make my skin crawl.

I’m not alone in my reaction. I recently had a chance to visit with two of my former colleagues and we ended up swapping work-related stories: In answer to a question about a mushroom on a nature hike, Jeff replied, “Well, technically, everything is edible. Once.” Which is in a similar vein as one of Julie’s favorite sayings, “The poison is in the dose.” Because even water can kill you, if you drink too much of it.

There is a huge difference between poisonous and venomous: if you bite it and it kills you, that’s poison; if it bites you* and kills you, that’s venom (so yes, you could eat a venomous animal, if you were exceptionally careful, but I don’t recommend it). Then again, you’re dead, what do you care?!

*Or breaks your skin in some other manner.

Electrical Cord on Playa Carmen, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica October 2019

So, I presume this is part of a wave power project? Huh, I always thought it would be more complicated than that.

Beach Debris, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica October 2019

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen one of these in the wild (or anywhere, to be honest). I remember the days of carefully compiling my favorite songs onto a cassette tape. Not fondly, but I do remember them.

I don’t miss the rewinding. Or the flipping. Or the accidental unspooling which signaled the demise of hours of painstaking craftsmanship. Any old school audiophile will understand my pain, as the creation of a mixtape, is, to quote Rob from the movie High Fidelity, “a delicate thing.”

Though I’ll hand it to Maxell, they had one heckuva ad campaign!