I spent Saturday 8/09 through Saturday 8/16 in most glorious homeland of New Jersey, at the shore. We (my nuclear fam, my sister and her girlfriend, and my aunt and her nuclear fam) were at the beach all day, every day; I was barefoot 90% of the time; I sat around, watched cable TV (one of my roughly bi-annual doses thereof- we don’t have it at our house- it’s always interesting to see what’s up in the world of TV programming); did some long put-off artwork; went to the boardwalk twice (pretty quiet this year, I must say), where I played several good rounds of Joust and Ms. Pac Man; and ate TONS of good food, including about half my weight in cannoli, cheese twist and Italian bakery cookies. We did a three-team family scavenger hunt one night- that was a blast.

Finally, on Friday, after a week in which it was unusually placid, the ocean got really enjoyably rough, with waves about as big as they ever get at the NJ shore. I spent about eight solid hours in the water on my boogie board that day, flying on wave after huge wave. It was an awesome day. I actually had a weird experience that night: I got back to our beach house and took a shower, and when I closed my eyes while washing my hair, all I could see was rolling waves! It was so real, they were right there in front of me in living color- it was like I was still out in the surf! I’ve often experienced a bodily/balance sensation like I was still in the ocean after spending hours in it, but this was the first time I’ve experienced such a strong visual imprint on my mental “screen”. The waves were still there when I closed my eyes in bed that night!

Back to work today, and it totally bloooooows….bah!
My sis and I are trading back-to-reality gripes via email….

Anyway, what about your summer vacay stories, fellow ‘brainers?
Anything cool to report?

That sounds like the relaxing vacation I need. I just had the 8th through the 17th off, but it was hardly a vacation. I moved out of my apartment & into my house. On the bright side with the time off I was able to really get settled, but I still would like some time to sit back & enjoy it. I did take a vacation in May to Chicago to go see my beloved Cubbies so that was nice. They won all 3 games I went to.

atlantic city is the only place i have ever seen dolphins in person in the ocean. weird

Ha! That does seem funny...

Last week, we saw dolphins, bull rays, and many, many red-tentacled jellyfish (my son got stung once! ).

When we were visiting my dad in Fl back in June, we had an awesome dolphin encounter while swimming in the Gulf- a pair swam by us, only about 12 feet away, in shallow water.

i've had something similar when I used to surf. nothing like being in tune with the ocean. I do miss it at times but I don't miss getting dragged to the bottom and spit out.

It’s so true; I rarely feel more content than when I’m in the ocean.
And yeah, there’s nothing like being walloped and rolled ass over end underwater…at last surfacing with a gasp to find another monster about to crash right behind you.
Awesome, in the most literal sense of the word.

i'm going to barcelona on friday, but only for the long weekend unfortunately

should be nice though

Go visit a little beach town called Sitges. Real party town on the beach. Just outside of the city and I don't have to remind you of the bathing attire of the beautiful Spanish women;)
I spent a glorious summer there.

I love that synesthesia (or whatever it is) when your sense of balance re-enacts the ocean after some time in the swells. It often happens to me in the shower too (usually with eyes closed and ears full of water), but I've never gotten the visual!

I'm spoiled by the tropical winter waters of 33139, the Pacific is just too cold to go in the water for me out here in 95437 during the summer.

Sounds like a great vacation!

Now that you've recharged back in the Motherland you can brave another Vermont winter.

cool, thanks for the tip i'll keep it in mind, although i'll be with my wife so discreet viewing of said women will be in order.

i think we're about 5 minutes walk from mar bella beach, bit far from the city but the metro should be good.. plus we like to walk!

lucky, by the way, getting to spend a whole summer there! better than my london summer... oh dear

EXACTLY, dude!

It's no joke- up here, we really do depend on great summer weather to recharge and sustain us for the 6 or so months of solid winter. VT summers are usually freaking glorious, with lots of sun and outdoor fun-times..but not this one! The weather has sucked outright this year! Before we left for the shore (praying we'd have good weather down there (we did)), we had, no shit, over thirty days of seemingly endless, all-day rain and grey gloom- so utterly depressing! Unprecedented rainfall here...major flooding, roads destroyed, and of course the crops of many farmers in the various valleys are fucked. I know it's not as bad as many other weather-devastated areas of the US have been hit this year, but still...if this is a sign of VT summers to come, as many are predicting...

Thankfully...we've come home to two sunny days, thus far....