Bloggy Blogosphere

Oh my. I have not vented to the cyber world in way too long. There is something therapeutic about typing this gibberish even if nobody reads it... if you are reading this then consider yourself one of a smattering few.

Yummy. I just finished my tuna steak seared in a soy sauce and sesame seed concoction... mmm delish. Really rare, the only way... So I have been working four 10's the past few weeks. The long weekends are nice. I facilitate the destruction of nature for four days a week then chill for three. The beach closed this weekend, and rumor has it that it is going to be closed for three weeks because of the Hubble mission. I like the space program as long as it doesn't cut into my beach time... but I'll let this one slide. They have two shuttles on the pads now, which is a rarity in its own right, one is for the mission and one is the rescue ship. If there is an emergency they will launch the rescue vessel asap.

Soooo they are holding the extended security until the mission is complete. Basically that means I can't go to the beach. But I did go down to Poor-Man's Playlinda (PMP) with G today. (Nobody knows what PMP means except for me... I just invented it... that's what I do, keep it fresh, keep it rizeal yo). I don't know why I haven't done that before. I still like the beach better but I can't take Mr. Barky Von Schnauzer out there. It was an enjoyable time; got my read on, and my tan on, and my "Gunner, come here" on.

I am reading Travels with Charley finally. It's been sitting on my shelf for probably the better part of three years. It makes me dream of the road... that nostalgic feeling you get when you embark on a journey, not knowing where the road may lead, just knowing that you are on your way. Ahh, those are the best... Pura Vida. Steinbeck's escapades have inspired me to explore New England later this summer or fall... if I don't completely destroy the earth by then.

Ah yes, its nice to be busy but its a tough pill to swallow when you take a step back. The wetlands I have seen in the last month have been nothing short of beautiful. All dry, but each its own oasis... and all doomed. But maybe in a sense, with the growing population, these wetlands will not die in vain... Their replacements will be bigger, better and protected forever. If they were to be picked off one by one, victims of development and agriculture, the functions they provide may not be mitigated. And, its hard to say, but when you put it into perspective (coming from someone who's home is not on the slate to be strip mined), phosphate is more limited than fossil fuels, and considering 65% of the U.S. phosphate comes from the Tampa area, it's hard to argue against a local sacrifice for the big picture. Kind of puts an odd spin on the old mantra, think globally, act locally doesn't it?

The fact of the matter is that we have created a monster--the human population. Phosphate is an essential nutrient, that, along with nitrogen and potassium is responsible for the yield explosion of the 20th century that has facilitated such population growth. There are certainly environmental tolls associated with the use of fertilizer while achieving those yields that I am well aware of, and frankly those impacts can be prevented, minimized and managed, but from a food demand perspective alone, this growing population needs fertilizer. So I will continue to help permit the destruction of these wetlands so that we can have that summer sweet corn and watermelon... and when we are done I am going ask for a tour of the wetland restoration projects on the former mine sites to lift my spirits...