blogging from Jacksonville Beach

well, here we are! i'm writing from Panera Bread here in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

the drive down wasn't too bad... mapquest said 17 hours, but effect of some bad traffic and snow in the appalachians (not to mention a generous number of rest stops) put the trip at about 18.5 hours. needless to say, i was pretty wiped out when we arrived.

i couldn't believe the snow as we drove through virginia! it was pretty bad in the mountains there... strange that it was worse as we drove south! but by the time we came out of the mountains the temperature was up to about 50, and it was great from then on.

can't believe how warm and beautiful it is here! yesterday it was 78 and sunny, and had to actually turn on the air conditioner in the car... how awesome. i've been out in the water just about every day... kayaked the first two days; it's a bit tricky with the waves, but you get used to it. the water is still pretty cold, so the wetsuit i have is really handy. there were quite a few people in the water over the weekend, but today was a bit windy, so not much action... tried some boogey-boarding today, but the waves weren't too good (the broke too quickly)

i watched 'open water' on the drive down--wow, what a great movie! a low-budget indie film, but real sharks and no over-the-top special effects or gore. definitely had me keeping an eye out when i was in the water!

this climate really reminds me of growing up in california... being able to wear shorts and t-shirts just about the whole year-round. man, i do miss the weather...

sure are a lot more older people down here... you really notice it. also, with so many people retired and not working, the traffic is pretty much heavy all day long.

i see a lot more people down here 'living it up', so to speak. rent a little pad a few blocks from the beach. maybe work 25-30 hours a week, spend all the rest of the time on the water, at the clubs, or drinking beer and playing foosball into the wee hours of the morning on the front porch. i guess if i just wanted to relax and enjoy myself, that's one way to go about it!

i'm thinking that the people who remain in the colder climates (e.g. michigan) do so for: a) family & friends, b) career jobs, or c) are really huge hunting or snowmobiling enthusiasts. that seems to sort for a particular kind of person i think... mostly good qualities (except maybe c.)

however, i've noticed that the people down here in the 'south' are a lot more friendly than up north. people say 'thank you' a lot more, and eye-contact with a 'hello' isn't so unusual. reminds me a bit of the characters from 'a streetcar named desire'--the coarse, brutal north and the genteel, refined south (or that's what i remember from high school). i guess the hospitality is a remnant from the old southern culture, but i suppose it will change as more northerners continue to move here.

julie and i watched 'the notebook' last night on DVD. i really liked it... at first it had me rolling my eyes--just a bit too cutsie & cookie-cutter--but by the end i was into it and even got a bit misty-eyed.

i really want to watch 'saw', against all my better judgment. my dad said it was great... this is a dilemma... i know i'll thoroughly enjoy watching it, but i also know i'll end up thinking 'i really didn't need to see that'... alas. what would grace wilson do? i always ask myself that.

well, enough for now... thanks to the free wi-fi here, i'll have a chance to write again soon. hope everyone back home is doing well, and hope things are warming up!