Courting Destiny

I love that America celebrates it birthday in July. Yankee Doodle Dandy being my all time favorite movie–and both James Cagney and George M Cohan claimed 7/4 as their birthdays. So did the author of my favorite song “What A Wonderful World,” Louis! (No last name needed, really.)

I love everything about summer except for the mosquitoes, and flies on food in Little River, the next town over. It’s on the Intercoastal with many good restaurants each having their own live music on Sunday nights. In summer it’s best to sit on the benches next to the Intercoastal and The Crab Catcher and listen to some great music.

I was reading TC’s post on the wonders of summer in Madison, WI. She made it sound so appealing that I was ready to hop a plane….

Then I remembered I’m from New York–and have written extensively on summer in Manhattan. And now I live four blocks from the ocean and am such a beach snob at least once a week I go to a beach that doesn’t resemble Coney Island or Jones Beach. My friend CLo actually calls 6th Street South beach “field six” and she hasn’t lived in New York for 30 years. Field six is the parking field at Jones Beach closest to the beach. You have to get there very early in the morning or after 3PM.

The beach near my house is the main beach for North Myrtle and secretly I do like it. I’m a New Yorker and can find solitude in crowds. It’s also safer–if I venture into the water and somehow get caught in a riptide–well that didn’t happen last week in Cherry Grove but could have and I felt a bit scared. The week before that didn’t happen in the part of Huntington State Park without lifeguards but again it could have….The tide was so low I couldn’t even swim–just float. I thought about going out further but I wasn’t sure how to define “further.” I am such a mass of neuroses.

Yesterday I was melancholy because I felt obligated to go to the beach when all I wanted to do was hang out on one of my decks. That felt so sybaritic. So I wrote that post, DVR’d some shows on HGTV (I can’t believe I’m admitting to that), went out on my downstairs deck–where toilet of Pia used to reside, and played with a chaise lounge until I found the optimum place for moon and star watching.

Today I explored “downtown” Myrtle with a friend. As I’m from Long Island, strip malls are my middle name. Really even Manhattan is one giant one now.

In early evening I went to a soul concert on Main Street. Just about five blocks from my house, an older couple began dancing to Marvin Gaye and then the group Soul Connection put a “Black” spin on some Stones music. As the Stones were originally influenced by American Black musicians, it felt that something had come full circle.

I love North Myrtle for many reasons. One big being its emphasis on music. The Ocean Drive area where I live is all about music. At Mayfest I knew I had moved to the perfect town when Chairman of the Board played. CLo who is never impressed by anything was awed. (Check out their website. I’m impressed and…)

North Myrtle’s about music, the beach, and people having a good time. It’s different than the places I have lived before.

Simpler yet savvy. I almost dread visiting New York next week as I know many people are going to have a two subject conversation–the economy and how to make back money.

I said I might work at Wal Mart to somebody in New York. Most friends get what I’m saying. I’m half joking and half serious about a no stress job that will pay just enough so I can pay my bills. This friend began fighting me. I’m a professional. I’m a New Yorker. I’m from Jericho. I’m….. I told her to relax but she just couldn’t.

I don’t have that same need to accomplish I once had. No that’s wrong. I want to accomplish–but I have lost the need to have status button. Moving from New York allowed this and I’m still moving backwards some of the time.

I live in a place that has seasons but summer is a year round state of mind. Life isn’t about trampling over the next person to get to somewhere, anywhere.

In New York I dreamed of summer the other nine, ten months. Here summer is hotter, summer has more free things to do, summer is sitting on the beach and going into the water not just walking on the beach.

The economy is horrible. Many people are out of work. But the tension level is so much less than New York’s.

I’m learning that I don’t have to stress over everything. It is an adjustment process. I have always wanted to carry over the mental vacation summer always bring. Here the weather might be in the 20′s but it’s endless summer.

Happy 233rd birthday America! 33 is my favorite number. This has to be a great year. (I can be totally irrational when it comes to numbers.)