A Crawling Conga Line Across The Bay
If you’d left Santa Monica headed for Jacksonville a couple of days ago, barreling east through the western states before hitting the wall of humidity along the Gulf, you’d be forgiven for thinking the worst was past as you closed in on Pensacola, bound for home. But then, surprise!

We pass the time reading multiple road signs announcing that Speeding In A Florida Construction Zone Is The Eighth Deadly Sin, mired in a miles-long backup that thwarts even the most seasoned interstate traveler. In the months now stretching into one full year since hurricane Ivan took out huge chunks of eastbound I-10 across Escambia Bay, where originally there were two temporary lanes restored, drivers now face a one lane chicane as they idle across into Santa Rosa County before resuming the rest of their journey.

This was our view eastbound (above) after nearly an hour’s wait on an otherwise uneventful Saturday afternoon one week after hurricane Dennis just missed by a few miles another direct hit on the structure and nearby Pensacola. It’s single file traffic, with no sign that there’s any design for a permanent restoration of normal traffic flow across the battered bridge. Granted, it’s exponentially better than Atlanta at stuck hour, but that’s something you can plan for and work into your schedule.

Gee, How’d That Happen?
Aside from an underwhelming response by the state and federal government to a transportation nightmare, travelers are also reminded (once each way) that they may encounter gas shortages across the Panhandle counties. Great news if you’d planned on a fillup once past Pensacola, only to run out sitting in the HOV lane.

In the June issue I mentioned the run on generators prompted by a temporary sales tax “holiday” and pondered the ability to provide enough gas to run them on a long-term basis. What I didn’t foresee was the generator driven gas hording ahead of the storm, which some see as the reason for pumped-out gas stations and lingering shortages after two storms in as many weeks. Once again, the state fails to comprehend the consequences of, in this case, promoting generator sales without a corresponding strategy to oversee the energy resources necessary to power them. (This does not address the dolts that fired up their 5,000 watt power plants and plugged them into the closest wall socket without taking into account the power company’s priority status.)

Find Real Flavor
On Florida’s Backroads
If you value content over convenience and substance over style, summer’s the time of year to hit the road and search out a roadside stand that delivers flavors and textures we remember as familiar, not some plastic-y, cardboard-y, irradiated-y imitation from the corner Mega-Mart that tastes worse than it looks.

We came across this gem on 19, just south of Cedar Key, and picked up some tree ripened peaches just this side of paradise on the palate. Compared to Albertson’s petrified globes that are hard enough to drive roofing nails with, these beauties are a reminder that you can still find quality; it just might take a while longer.

Time Travelers Heads Up
It’s not often you’ll catch me touting Free Shoes U, but the kids in the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at FSU have put together a humbling web attraction that takes you on a galatic trip from the edges of time to the inner surface of a subatomic quark without leaving your web browser.

Naturally, I can’t let this go without commenting that the High Mag lab is a joint effort with UF, and where, among other discoveries, they’ve achieved the coldest temperatures on earth.

Living Wills Part One
Earlier this spring the issue of living wills was thrust into the national spotlight as a result of meddling politicians, scandal driven tabloid journalism, and the sudden awareness that sooner or later we’ll all probably die. I speak with some familiarity of the subject, though not anything approaching the years long ordeal that Michael Schiavo endured on behalf of his wife Terri that culminated in a final, five-year stay at The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, where most residents are comforted for six months or less.

Even though you may already have a living will, or some similiar document that directs under what circumstances you may or may not want medical intervention continued, the Florida-based Aging With Dignity organization is a one-stop info source that has done all the work necessary to make sure you’re in charge of your destiny, as opposed to a bureaucrat looking to score points or some doctor eyeballing you as a cash cow.

The Five Wishes Foundation offers not just Floridians but anyone concerned about end of life issues regarding their treatment an easy, stress-free alternative to a frantic last minute rush trying to cobble together an error riddled document that probably doesn’t pass the basic legal requirements and more than likely doesn’t address all the personal issues that can and should be included in your living will.

Read And Study Before You Buy
You can view online or download a PDF, non-printable version of the five page document. If you decide to order a kit, they’re still running behind as a result of the attention garnered after the Schiavo saga dominated cable news for weeks. It took us nearly two months before our 10-copy plus video overview and Next Steps workbook arrived. The fifteen minute video is an excellent guide to just what the Five Wishes living will can and can’t do, and answers a lot of questions that a lot of us may have thought about but didn’t or couldn’t ask.

The document is a wonderful organizational tool, and the process of filling it out is a sober reminder that if you don’t put it in writing, rest assured that no one will pay any attention to any requests later. The form is many times more comprehensive in both legal declaratives and informal wishes than the average lawyer supplied boilerplate, and is legal in most states and probably accepted in others.

Online Buying And Selling Just Got Easier
Craigslist is the upstart San Francisco-based classified ad source that’s caused eBay to hiccup. A location driven listing service, Craigslist is seen by many as an eventual replacement for print classifieds, offering free listings, focused market, and a neighborhood feel. If you’ve been thinking of cleaning out a closet or two, there may be a Craigslist nearby that can help. Unlike eBay, there’s no charge for listings.

This Just In...
Been stymied in finding reference material to help out in your pursuit of championship dog dancing? Then you’ll want to beat a quick fox trot over to the web site of champion dog dance instructor and educator Sandra Davis and her cohorts, Pepper and Jabba, to check out the fab videos, instruction manuals, and how-tos for teaching Lucky the quick step.