Fantasy Island

Hi Guys,
I've been getting lots of nice emails and instant messages asking me if I'm OK since I'm not blogging or commenting much. Honestly I'm not doing so well. My brother is back in the hospital, I'm overwhelmed at work, there has been a lot trauma (deaths in the family and illnesses) in my neighborhood and I'm sick as a dog (arf!)

I'm not much in the mood to complain or even talk about my problems so instead let me take you on a tour of my own personal fantasy island, which unlike the show of the same name, is not creepy at all and does not star Richardo Montelban.

My island is small and uninhabited except for a few indigenous animals, lizards and birds of the small, cute, and harmless variety It is slightly below the equator and is a pleasant temperature between 75-85 degrees year round (slightly colder at night) - raining infrequently as needed to keep the lush flora green and flowering and the tropical fruit trees fruitful. There would of course be fresh water available as well.

Since I would not be shipwrecked but rather intentionally visiting this island I would be well stocked with the things I would need. I'd try to keep it simple. Food, clothing, first aid supplies, sunscreen (I'm very pale) a guitar, paper and pencils, books, a knife, rope, fishing gear, some sort of collapsible shelter, a signaling device to let my helicopter pilot know I'd like to come home, and of course I can't forget my towel!

Since this is an island of complete fantasy it would not be subject to the laws of time. I could be there for a day or a week and no one would miss me. Just like in Narnia all the time I'd spend on my Island would correspond to very little time in the real world - leaving me with no messes to clean up upon my reentry to my regularly scheduled life (or at least no bigger ones than I left behind.) I could completely relax, free from responsibilities, guilt, and pressure. Just me, the sun, the sound of the ocean and an occasion pineapple.

Ahhhh.
If only.