Gorgeous starburst fireworks. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/duaneschoon/3389256448.

Oh yes, it’s HOT in Florida right now. Most days you could probably fry that proverbial egg on our sun-baked sidewalks. But that’s not the kind of sizzle I’m talking about. It’s the smokin’ hot lineup of events planned for Independence Day that I’m talkin’ about!

A weekend of festivities kicks off with “Powerboats By The Bay,” a collection of souped-up racing boats on display at downtown’s Centennial Park on July 3rd & 4th, followed by a spectacular fireworks show over Sarasota Bay at 9 p.m. on the 4th. Although the fireworks can be seen from almost anywhere in the downtown area, in-the-know Sarasotans head for the Bayfront near Island Park, where the the dazzling pyrotechnics create mirror images in the calm waters of the Bay.

Mosaic of pyrotechnics, as seen from Sarasota's Bayfront Park. Photos courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/markus941/729113535.

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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 Read the rest of this entry »