I had the house to myself for a little while this evening, and I was trying to figure out what to do, how to get the edge off, and it suddenly hit me: You live in Santa Cruz, it's a gorgeous evening, go for a bloody walk! So off I went with Matchbox 20 playing on my CD player, my gym card and driver's license in my pocket (you know, just in case I got hit by a car), and a lungful of fresh ocean air. I did end up going to the gym (I haven't been in, oh, 4 weeks?), and then I walked home. I went from feeling all tense and frazzled to feeling energized and virtuous and glowy.

I need to remember that, especially now that it's summer. Well, summer in terms of the weather anyway. Of course in San Jose, the air pollution makes my eyes sting when it's hot, and I don't feel like walking anywhere. But then I drive over the hill, and there I am, in beautiful Santa Cruz, 15 degrees cooler and with ocean. Which makes anyplace better.

My new apartment might be a block from the ocean. Maybe. The leasing office was closed when I called, but I'll try again tomorrow.