'Cause I'm Dreaming ... Dreaming ...

(That would be a line from Vanessa Williams's song "Dreaming.")

So work has sucked donkey dong this week to the point where I want to beat my head against a wall and scream bloody murder. It's affected my overall mood, too. Notice a trend here? Early in the week I am pissy, but then I cheer up a little towards the end.

So it's warm out now (not counting yesterday), and my mind turns to summer vacations. Sure, I've not had a summer off in seven years, but my memories always take me back to those days when I did have the summer off and all the things that I would do. They weren't all glamorous, but they were my decisions and my adventures.

How I would love to just take off work for a week and rent a beach house. Nothing fancy, just a sea shack in a low-key beach where I could bring a few friends along for us to relax and have fun. We'd lie on the beach during the day, listen to music, talk about this n' that, maybe throw a frisbee or ball around, etc. We'd have a late lunch, clean up, and start a casual happy hour in the afternoon. Evenings would be cooking dinner, going out to eat (a little), and then just acting retarded at night, playing card games, etc. Cape San Blas, Florida, which is just east of Panama City, would be such a location. Edisto Island, SC, would be another. Prices are a little more modest down South beacause, well, we just have more beach and less people. I haven't been to Rehomo yet, and I certainly will go if given the opportunity, but I don't have high hopes from what I have seen in pics so far. Oh well, anything's fun with the right people!

While not relaxing, Myrtle Beach will most likely be a necessary trip this summer for the sole purpose of saying farewell to the Pavilion. The Pavilion is pretty legendary to those who were raised in SC or went to Myrtle Beach a lot as a child. It's been open for more than 50 years and is basically an arcade and small amusement park in downtown Myrtle Beach. So when the owners of the park, a big local real estate company, announced earlier this year that 2006 would be the final season, naturally all of us Palmetto peeps were shocked and awed. There's really no definitive reason that the owners are closing the park; I gather that they think they can use the very valuable land for a more lucrative purpose. This is like ripping out one of the last remaning vestiges of old Myrtle Beach, and, as evidenced here in DC as well, no one likes change.

I'm also daydreaming of state of mind, moreso than a physical place, where things just aren't such a struggle. Be they money, job, friends, errands, dating ... I wonder sometimes when, or if, things will get easier. Yes, I'm quite happy with my life overall, but don't you all sometimes feel like life in general is just really wearing you down? I've felt that way recently. I've had to blow some serious cash on some things for which I had not planned. I've had a psoriasis outbreak that I'm working hard (with the dermatologist) to get rid of prior to swimsuit season. Work has been slowly getting more difficult over the past month. I think that I've made a lot of headway socially in this town, then something happens and I feel like it's a big setback. I can't seem to get past the second date with ANYONE before they flake on me (usually I need three or so before I can make a definitive decision on what I think of the person). So all of this is wearing me down a little. I'm hoping to have some things on the calendar to look forward to soon.

Actually, I am going to San Diego in less than a month for both work and fun. Rich is running in the marathon, and I'm flying out there to hang out with him and do some work (since I need to go out there anyway). He's never been before, so it's always fun to go with someone somewhere on their first time. Too bad we'll be in a rental car, otherwise I'd be tempted to take him down to Ensenada.

Also, it looks like I'll have the majority of my Thursday free this week in Jacksonville, and since I'll be staying on the beach, maybe I'll at least have a taste of one of my daydreams ...