Thursday, June 27, 2013

belle of the brawl


An evening watching the Atlanta Roller Girls. They rock!belle of the brawl by Jeff*
belle of the brawl, a photo by Jeff* on Flickr.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

lure of the beach


I'm an urban person. I live, work & breathe in the city. I sunburn easy; I'm not even a good swimmer. Still, I love going to the beach no matter what the season. Why? Everyone has their own subjective reason. My own rambling thoughts:
instant print version - View from Under the Umbrella

Life has enough challenges for many of us. Going to the beach & sea represents a therapeutic change in atmosphere for me. My fair skin and bald head already tells you I can sunburn quicker than you can say "antidisestablishmentarianism" but dressing down into swimwear creates a physical break from the daily routine. If I have a hat and umbrella (or some shade) I am golden all day. If one finds a quiet moment to take part in some skinny dipping than the feeling of total shedding of oneself and bonding with the water is wonderful (without causing a ruckus or freaking others out). I love the smell of the salt air and the sound of waves against the shore; I find it invigorating.

I enjoy observing families enjoying each others company and individuals of all shapes & ages shed their day-to-day outer shell into something (usually) less pretentious. Sometimes there are boardwalks or a simple path to the street. No matter what, one can take in a different kind of real-life theater different than what one sees on the streets.

If I approach it properly, the beach can slow me down and let the stress ebb from my mind & body.

The Pulse of the Beach, the Lure of the Water