2009.09 - Cape Cod

What I don’t miss

October 1, 2009

I don’t miss watching the clock… I love the mellow, no-cares pace of vacation.

I don’t miss summer weather… I love this early fall vibe – mix of sun and clouds, temperatures ranging from the high 50s to low 70s.

I don’t miss having cereal for breakfast… I love the fit-for-royalty repasts that Donna and Byron serve up every morning.

I don’t miss spending hours surfing the net… I learned I can actually survive with just a quick run-down of the news and check-in on the social networking sites (Facebook, my Netvibes RSS feeds, Twitter feeds).

I don’t miss watching TV… I love reading – heavy academic reading, light fantasy, books about religion and spirituality, magazines about decorating (I’ve got a little of each going depending on my mood).

I don’t miss commuting… I like driving for no reason other than to see the sights – and the winding tree-lined roads in this neck of the woods are a far cry from Route 202.

I don’t miss working… I could get used to an academic life – not the “publish or perish” kind, but more the teaching and research kind.

I don’t miss sharing the beach with tons of people… I just love having it all to myself – surreal and peaceful and just plain gorgeous.

Sure, there are things I do miss – first among them being closer to my family and friends and having people to talk with as I go about my day. I miss my house and having my own cooking for dinner. I miss sharing my thoughts with professional colleagues. I miss my ergonomic keyboard. I miss my daily half-cup of chocolate milk.

But I am having a wonderful time… thanks for checking in on me.

Today’s adventures took me down to Mashpee Commons (a big outdoor shopping mall about 45 minutes away from here). While there, I admit to contributing a bit to the economic recovery…

Since I was in that part of the world, I did my daily beach walk at South Cape Beach, which is on Vineyard Sound. Perfectly quiet – not another person on the beach during my hour-and-a-half-stroll. The waves on the Sound have a different voice than the ones on the open ocean – these are the rhythmic, lapping kind, quiet and soothing. I made it back to Paine’s Creek Beach for sunset… and there the tide was out so far, I couldn’t even see the water (although I could hear its gentle whoosh in the distance)!

Another great day on Cape Cod. Wish you were here. Here’s today’s photo gallery.

A beach all to myself.