I will be the first to admit that I am a person of extremes. My pendulum swings wide, so my challenge in life is to strive for moderation, balance. Since returning to Sarasota I’ve been slowly sinking into a mire of my own making. It started when I had to tackle the mountain of work waiting for me – that took slightly more than three weeks and for most of that time I was glued to the desk in my bedroom, slaving away at the computer. Just as I’d finished the last of that work, the weather turned rainy and gray, trapping me in the house for another week or so. By yesterday I was feeling truly terrible – lethargic and lacking an iota of ambition, my butt sunk into the recliner and my eyes glued to the laptop. I’ve known for years that I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a condition where lack of adequate exposure to sunlight causes mood swings. If I don’t get enough sun I begin to suffer mild symptoms of depression. I’d been stuck in a gloomy apartment with gloomier weather and my SAD was acting up.

Fortunately, the sun came out this morning and I knew that a day at the beach would be my best medicine. I drove the two short miles across Sarasota Bay, through St. Armand’s Circle, and on to Continue reading →