Dieting: The "Whack-A-Mole" Effect

Do you know what the arcade game "Whack A Mole" is? Well, you get a mallet and hit little moles over the head when they pop up out of holes. Well, once you hit one, another one pops up out of another hole somewhere else. You can't get them all because another one is always popping up somewhere else.

For me, dieting is like that. If I cut down on one thing like carbs, I tend to eat more of something else, like proteins. Cut down on bread, eat more cheese. Cut down on cheese, eat more potatoes. Cut down on deserts, drink more liquor, etc. etc.

No wonder I can't lose any pounds.

Here's another pretty photo from last weekend's dance festival.

Jim

Fire Island Pines Construction - What Recession?

This new house is under construction in the East End of The Fire Island Pines. This particular house is surrounded by one of the nicest gardens in The Pines. There is a lot of new construction in The Pines and one wonders at the amount of money that is still available to some people even in bad economic times. I guess the bad times are only for some of us.

Jim

At The East End Of The Fire Island Pines

These three houses are situated on the ocean front at the far East end of the Fire Island Pines. It takes about 45 minutes to walk from our location in Cherry Grove to get to this point. The walkway is Sail Walk.

When we were renters in the Pines in the 1990s, we watched as the houses that existed on the two lots at the right were completely washed away by high surf. The owners struggled to save them, enlisting their friends and neighbors to place sandbags around the houses to no avail. Of course, the houses were completely rebuilt subsequently. The house on the left in the picture above was damaged but survived.

Jim

New York Times: "Fire Island Heats Up"

One tough job...digging up and dividing our Iris. Here's the before and after. Hopefully we'll have more blooms in the Spring.

The article in Today's Times on Fire Island real estate values is an interesting read. Here in Cherry Grove we've seen some of the recent changes mentioned in the article. We've noted the increase in values as well as the influx of straight people into overwhelmingly gay and lesbian Cherry Grove. Apparently, this is just the beginning. The word is out. We'll have to see if these trends continue.

Jim

Cheney In Iraq

8:30 AM: Well, this morning I saw a photograph of Vice President Dick Cheney getting off a helicopter in Iraq. He is there for a "surprise" visit. That's the only kind of visit he can make. He can't announce he's coming for obvious reasons. Even so, he had on this bullet proof vest that made him look like an NFL linebacker. Meanwhile, talking heads this morning were discussing the inevitability of a U.S. pullout, and the likelihood that even Republicans in congress will abandon Bush in the Fall if there is no progress with"The Surge." So, if you are a soldier fighting in Iraq, or a family member of one, how must you feel about the Iraq war?

I'm still stuck with an old computer and dialup out here on Fire Island. I'm working on a solution and hopefully I'll be able to get back online with a wireless high speed connection before long. I miss not being able to post pictures easily. Yesterday the dog and I found some lovely sand castles on the beach that were created by some high school students from Long Island. It must have been a senior trip to the beach for a day. I took some photos and I'll post them when I'm able.

The Island and Cherry Grove are finally awakening after the long, cold winter. The pizza parlor and the grocery store are open in the Grove, and Ms. Skinner has the post office open as well. This morning was foggy with lots of dew on everything, but it's burning off now. Time to get out for a morning walk.

Jim

This time of the year I bounce back and fourth like a ping pong ball between Fire Island and Philadelphia. Yesterday I drove back from New York and met with my Friend Marc for a couple of hours. He's handling his mother's death well. As he told me, they were both ready for it.

This photo shows the new Fire Island Pines Pavillion replacement structure, which is nearly ready for the summer season.

I missed the Democratic candidates debate on TV last night because we went out to dinner with friends. It was" Dining Out For Life," an AIDS fund raiser that has been a tradition for years. News coverage has it as a lovefest between the Dems at the expense of the emperor. I suppose that's a good thing at least at this point in the game.

Jim