Could Y'all Pass Me the Monkey Dust ?

Over the years, my friends have always heard me refer to seasoning my cooking with "Monkey Dust". Their eyes would get big, they'd swallow hard and ask me what the hell Monkey Dust was.
Did they think I kept 2 monkeys in the cabinet and rubbed them together over the pot to generate monkey dust? Or perhaps my smoking monkey taps his ashes into the sauce between stirrings?
Well, the term has a history, but I never went into it with them. I just tell them its a seasoning blend I had started using while living in the Glades and they simmer down real quick like. (Must be because I speak with an air of authority)

Yesterday, my friend Kat, who is spending the summer in her New York City pied `a terre, called and left a message on my cell phone. "What exactly is in Monkey Dust"? was the question. Hmmm..I really need to tell the story once and for all....and send her some cuz she won't find it up there in Yankee Land. I don't think anything with the word "Everglades" can be sold north of the Mason -Dixon line....It's IN the rule book...

Everglades Seasoning® "Food Seasoning" (a.k.a. Monkey Dust)

When Mess Sergeant Bill Gerstman arrived in Saipan in 1944, he encountered a situation which most thought had no hope. Gerstman found the soldiers of the 714th Rescue Mission so disgusted with eating only mutton and goat that they were dumping their rations into the sea.

Gerstman was raised on a small farm in Alabama and was taught that anything could be made to taste good if seasoned properly. In keeping with that philosophy, Gerstman began experimenting with various herbs and spices. The result was a secret recipe that not only satisfied the soldiers' appetites, but the delicious taste had them coming back for more. Soon the troops were using Gerstman's seasoning on mutton meatballs, eggs, vegetables, potatoes, and any other ration which required seasoning.
After completion of his military duties, Gerstman returned home to the states and resumed his trade as meat cutter/butcher at the LaBelle Trading Post in LaBelle, Florida. With spices and seasonings easier to obtain, he perfected his secret recipe, calling it Monkey Dust, to the delight of many customers who patronized the small general store.

In 1976, the secret formula was finally perfected, the famous logo was patented and EVERGLADES SEASONING was born. Gerstman seasoned local meats for years until, in 1985, he sold the recipe to Gene and Martha Cross, owners of the LaBelle Trading Post. For the next seven years, Gene and Martha Cross began distributing Everglades Seasoning in southwest Florida on a limited bases. During this period, sales grew steadily as word of mouth advertising was creating more demand for the secret recipe.

Later on when I moved away from the Glades area, I started using Badia Complete Seasoning, but continued to refer to it as Monkey Dust..because its easier...

Now...this morning I discovered a new favorite seasoning:

Cooter Rub !!!!!!!!

Can you imagine what fun I can have with this little phrase? and it starts tonight with the grilled fish....mmmmmmm

Whats Next? The Ovary Cook Off?

Just when you thought you had heard it all, comes a festival for TESTICLES. I was reading the blogs I like since I had some time on my hands and went to Flack and Proud , because this blog never disappoints...sometimes I feel like we may have been separated at birth, but thats another theme...
I did not know that testicles got their own festivals and more surprisingly--in UTAH. I thought the Garlic fest was as wild as it got. Woohoo...a reason to say balls and testicles all weekend long, and think of witty tongue in cheek sayings...Sorry I missed it...but read that blog post and here is a link to the news story...film at 11.....
Have a ball....

Ohhhhh...So All This Time, We've Been Doing It All Wrong?

I thought NOT wearing panties was the way to make a man powerless to resist you. All this time and trouble spent on pruning, trimming, waxing and plucking so that you could whisper in your partners ear, "I'm not wearing any panties" as a prelude to sex--unnecessary!!!!! It turns out that leaving them on will sap a mans energy and render him powerless-at . least. in. -Burma.

Apparently, regional superstition in Burma holds that touching a woman's panties or even their traditional sarong, will make men powerless. This knowledge has become the impetus for the Panties For Peace movement initiated by a group of women from a Burmese peace activist group called - Lanna Action for Burma which is based in Thailand and is symbolic in protest of Myanmar junta’s violent crackdown of monks-led rallies in Yangon last month, and to oust the generals ruling the country from power, because they are superstitious.

One pair of panties is good, but millions would be better, so you can see how this has spread into a global effort. Large. Huge... ****(okay, so Im thinking that this has got to work for those ladies that DON'T want sex as well, cuz if Mr. Man has to take your panties off, the act of touching them will zap his energy and you will be back to sleep in no time)

As for moi, I don't wear panties (I know, TMI), so I will share a game with you that I have been playing for an amount of time, that I will not divulge here, except to say that am CEO of the "Center for the Easily Entertained"-Put on your big girl panties and deal with it....

Sorry Gardens Mall---We WON'T be Ignored!!!!

Here's an update of last weeks post about the Gardens Mall- I had written an email to the General manager of the mall and I get a call from a woman who is in charge of special events in response to the email. I tell her my story and she says to me that the mall has no such security measures in place and asks me for the exact date and time of the incident so she can investigate. She will get back with me shortly. When I get home, I have an email from WPTV which is the NBC affiliate here in West Palm Beach. Tim Malloy wants to interview me and makes a date to meet that night, but it gets postponed until the next day (Friday). that morning we meet, he interviews and films, asks me if there is any footage of my kids talking about the incident and how they felt, so we shot that and took it to him by his deadline. Before I leave the station, he tells me it will be on at 6pm.
I go home and watch the news later on that evening. The situation was tastefully handled on the stations end, with the simple request of an apology to my students to put it to rest. The Gardens Mall on the other hand, had some canned comment about how security measures being in place for the protection and well being of the public, blah, blah, blah.... No responsibility, no acknowledgement, no apology and of course no return phone call....

We have made many partnerships with influential, affluent groups and communities who support our efforts to increase the chances of success in the future with the students at my school. The ones that have heard about the incident are shocked and disappointed that the Gardens Mall would support such discriminatory practices. They are hot about it and are actively spreading the word among community members, friends, and family. I'm sure the Palm Beach post may get wind of it as well, as they have covered many a success story at our school.

Oh, I'm sure that you are not worried...you have enough "ladies who lunch" and stay at home moms with a wallet full of credit cards, bent on immediate gratification to keep you afloat. A handful of teenagers who are trying to better themselves educationally and at the same time patronize your food court are inconsequential in your "big picture" (read: BOTTOM LINE).

All my students wanted was a validation of their feelings and an apology.......



""The measure of a civilization is how it treats its weakest members." Who said this? And is this an accurate quote?" You would be surprised at what I found...

"...the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the handicapped. " ~ Last Speech of Hubert H. Humphrey

"A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." ~ Mahatma Ghandi

"Any society, any nation, is judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members -- the last, the least, the littlest."
~Cardinal Roger Mahony, In a 1998 letter, Creating a Culture of Life

The greatness of America is in how it treats its weakest members: the elderly, the infirm, the handicapped, the underprivileged, the unborn. ~Bill Federer

The ball's in your court, Gardens Mall....Do the right thing....for MY students surely did....

Happy Memorial Day???-----Wake Up Folks!!!!!!

Memorial Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (in 2008 on May 26). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I to include casualties of any war or military action.

While the original intent of the Day of Remembrance is to "remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country", by holding parades, ceremonies, selling poppies and visiting cemeteries, this holiday has eroded into a 3 day weekend of beaches, BBQing and sporting events (the Indianapolis 500 has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911).

My friend Kat designed her own Memorial Day Remembrance activities. She prepared the traditional fare of hamburgers, hot dogs, sweet corn and macaroni salad. For dessert a red velvet cake with white frosting in between layers and topped with blueberries. Very patriotic of her. and for holiday related entertainment, she had this movie which is available immediately (no waiting to download) to view on Google Video--> Zeitgeist (Feb2008) 122-minutes long

Zeitgeist-> a German expression that means "the spirit of the age". Literally translated Zeit = Time and Geist = Spirit; it describes the intellectual and cultural climate of an era. "Zeitgeist" refers to the ethos of a select group of people, that express a particular (predominantly post-modern) world view, which is prevalent at a particular period of socio-cultural progression.

I watched this movie yesterday as part of MY Memorial Day activities. It was informative, educational, validating and truly served to piss me off. It should piss you off if you are not adverse to a bit of critical thinking with your holiday weiner and beer.

My advice...watch it in parts if you need to, but watch it. The site also lists ALL the sources for ALL the information in the video. You SHOULD read further to educate yourself. The movie should only serve as a springboard to get your mind working....okay, maybe after that weiner and beer(s)...you should watch it another day---But watch it!!!

Oh...and Happy Memorial Day y'all.......

This movie is about 2 hours long, and the final remastered edition is different from the 2007 version because of the 5 minutes of monologue prefacing the start of the movie. Thats the only difference, so if you do not want to hear it, go to the first google video search result or move that little thingy over to the right a hair about 4-5 minutes worth....

Discriminatory Mall Practices

Last week, I took a "field trip " with my students to the Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida . The objective was community based instruction in the domain of Recreation/Leisure. In other words something to do when you have nothing to do- that is safe, cheap and socially acceptable.
We were a group of 7 people--- 5 students, age17-19 and 2 adults teachers. Upon our approach to the mall entrance after the school bus dropped us off, a security guard walks up to us with a pad and pen. She wants to know who we are, where we are from, what we are doing here, how long will we be? I asked her why she needed that information. The response was that it was to keep us safe?!?! Safe? From what? Should we get back on the bus? Did they expect an unsafe situation? WHAT??????? Im asking her stupid questions, but what I really wanted to ask was....

• Would you have approach the group of senior citizens from Century Village with your questions as they piled out of their 21 passenger van?


• If a bus from a Christian private school pulled up, would you have asked them the questions?


• If my kids came off the bus in wheelchairs would you have asked those questions? (My students are severely disabled, but not physically)


• If my kids were WHITE would you have asked those question?


• Are you asking me these questions because my students AND the adults with them are predominantly BLACK and HISPANIC ?

Okay-I know what your thinking: 9/11, homeland security, holidays murders at a mall in Boca (and you know how I feel about THAT quaint little town), whole families arrested over pants wearing at Wellington Mall, but this is different.....This left a sick , angry, dirty feeling in my gut the entire time I was in that mall. The worst part was that when that security guard started asking questions, my students body language spoke volumes. They immediately looked like they shouldn't be there-like they didn't belong. Like their place was the 45th street Flea market, or the Flea market at Sample road in Broward county--with others of their socio- economic background or uh hum- ethnicity. Did I mention that they were all dressed in appropriate work attire as is my condition whenever we are out in the community? The entire school years work of learning confidence and bolstering self esteem to become productive and fully participating members of mainstream society-- not undone but definitely eroded at a Mall entrance. Shame on you Gardens Mall Security.
*I have sent an email to the General Manager of the mall, asking him to email me so I may discuss this incident and the impact it has made. In my email, I made it clear to him that this was not over and that I welcomed the opportunity to speak with him before taking the issue further.
Action5 anyone?

I teach Life Skills to SED high school students, many of which are or have been in foster care (due to abuse or neglect) and will be transitioning to independent living situations in which they will be caring for themselves. Much of their lives they have been marginalized by various people and agencies. Re-training them to think for themselves and to think GOOD things about themselves and their future is a difficult task, but not an impossible one.

Craig-The Legend!!

The responses are coming in...and it's not looking good for Craig....I'll be posting email/craigslist responses here and maybe even Craigs comments--if he can tear himself away from all those adoring women in his life......

Craig must have gotten upset and alerted Craigslist because they took off my original post. I'm going to ASSUME that its because I tried to sneak in the name of my blog...so, I reposted without it, but let people know that they could email me and I'd be happy to hook them up....Someone else posted a "love letter" to Craig and it was deleted from Craigslist as well.

BUT...I saved it before they did...LOL. Take a look-->

TO: Craig Ries Liar defamer, libeler, slanderer; perjurer; distorter (BOYNTON)
Reply to: mailto:pers-688656175@craigslist.org?subject=TO:%20Craig%20Ries%20Liar%20defamer,%20libeler,%20slanderer%3b%20perjurer%3b%20distorter%20(BOYNTON)Date: 2008-05-20, 7:13PM EDT
Your many posts are the world's greatest proof of reincarnation; no one could get that dumb in just one lifetime. How about writing that crap into proper syntax, form, and grammar so that I can at least understand what you are saying before I dismiss it? No doctor is that dumb to write that many lies and think they would get away with It... It seems your fingers not only did your typing, but did your thinking too. Have you considered suing your brain for non-support? You wouldn't know a clue if it walked up to you, bit you on the ass, and announced 'I AM A CLUE'. A long period of non-posting would be most welcome on your part. As Ellen Glasgow once remarked: "He knows so little and knows it so fluently." What possessed you to think that you were capable of being entertaining or interesting to woman? You are the kind of person who, when one first meets you, one doesn't like you. But when one gets to know you better, one hates you. Maybe you wouldn't come across as such a jellyfish-sucking mental midget if your brain cells weren't on the Endangered Species list from smoking all that pot you call 420; if you weren't so stupid that even single-celled organisms out score you in IQ tests; or if you didn't have a face that makes Medusa look like a supermodel. Who am I kidding? You would. I have news for you woman are smart and will figure you out quickly! I also want you to know I am a close friend and ex boyfriend to the woman that you slandered calling names and posting fake nude photos of. The fact is she is the nicest most honest person I know and you never even met the her. In conclusion, why don't you go away and play Russian roulette with all chambers fully-loaded?
Location: BOYNTON

Im thinking Craig may be up for awhile getting things removed from CL--ah well, such is life.....Stay tuned--> Im sure its not over....

• Wednesday 5PM----Just emails looking for my blog site to read....
• Wednesday 5:30PM--I spy:

OH NO~ Who Luvs Kravis Center Wellington Man 35 seeks --SICKO CRAIG (SLIMIEST CREEP ON CL)
Reply to: mailto:pers-689286163@craigslist.org?subject=OH%20NO~%20Who%20Luvs%20Kravis%20Center%20Wellington%20Man%2035%20seeks%20%20--SICKO%20CRAIG%20%20(SLIMIEST%20CREEP%20ON%20CL)Date: 2008-05-21, 10:20AM EDT
STOP CRAIG STOP! We have exposed you for the lunatic you are all over CL. You can't even rememeber your fucking AGE (sometimes you're 38 (and have been for years) sometimes 35. Sometimes you're a 'doctor' (but know NOTHING about medical terminology) sometimes a realtor. If a woman rejects you, you post FILTHY PORN PICS of "her" claiming she wanted fake boobs. (YOUR WORDS) You don't have money, polo ponies, planes or even a BRAIN. You're a sick SICK person and you need psychiatric help.
Location: SLIMIEST CREEP ON CL
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

• Wednesday 6:30 PM--More email looking for the blog addy. (This lady even prepared herself with chocolates and popcorn before settling down to read---ain't that cute?)
• AND the last one of the evening...and it appears that it is from Craig to Me....sigh.....

Who Luvs Starbucks? MD / 35seeks $tarbucks Companion+420 - - 35 (Wellington check out my new pics) "poloman4life06@aol.com" to me
poloman4life06@aol.com has forwarded you this craigslist.org posting.Please see below for more information.
Who Luvs Starbucks? MD / 35seeks $tarbucks Companion+420 - Reply to: pers-690184897@craigslist.orgDate: 2008-05-21, 9:44PM
Recently single very cool Doctor NOT looking for any drama...Seeking Single super hot Female only reply w/ clear full body clothed pic and I will reply. I love my favorate Caffè Misto Café Au Lait and steamed milk I also like Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha after I smoke a 420 fattie. Hope to see you soon. Please reply with your number I am in surgery all day tomorrow and prefer not to wasting time emailing and have tons of mins to use up on my cell... Dont be a hater... Craig
Location: Wellington check out my new pics
Original URL: http://westpalmbeach.craigslist.org/m4w/690184897.html -------------------------------------------------this craigslist posting was forwarded to you by someone using ouremail-a-friend feature - if you want to prevent these, please go to:http://www.craigslist.org/cgi-bin/te/r52blVmbnB0cpFWbj5CbA02bF <--This is NEW...hmmm

Warning Ladies..."Mr Wonderful" Is Back on Craigslist!!

In the past 3 years, I have had the dubious pleasure of experiencing entertainment from what can only be called "selective amnesia-dementia-stupida with a secondary diagnosis of ego -grande -inflatus", apparently fueled by entirely too much 420 activity. Yup...rightcheer on Craigslist...imagine that.
Long story short: There is a guy named Craig- I shit you not-who periodically will post on Craigslist (all over the place) and present himself as a doctor, boater, surgeon, etc looking for a mate, soulmate, yada yada yada....

Well, he's back and although you will see that other ladies have posted on CL to out him...Im going to go one step further. Im going to blog about him here and then send him an email and invite him to check it out. I have no doubt that instead of pissing him off...this will serve to further inflate his ego. Thats okay...im sure he has nothing else to bring to the bed, er um...table.

Who Luvs Kravis Center Wellington Man 35 seeks Companion +420 - 35 (City Place on the 22nd)
Reply to: mailto:pers-687752655@craigslist.org?subject=Who%20Luvs%20Kravis%20Center%20Wellington%20Man%2035%20seeks%20Companion%20+420%20-%2035%20(City%20Place%20on%20the%2022nd)Date: 2008-05-20, 6:48AM EDT
Recently single and NOT looking for any drama...I have two tickets 4 JEWISH PRINCESSES OF COMEDY on the 22nd Thursday at 8:00 PM. We can go th dinner at ruth chris first...Single super hot Female only reply w/pic and I will reply. 420 only This is his post and these are the pics in the post.....and if this is all there was to it, i guess it would be innocent enough. Instead he has posted vulgar pics of women on the Craigslist later on and wrote that it was YOU!!!



Now, lets read some of the posts from the ladies (remember women scorned?)



YIKES Who Luvs 420? Wellington Man 35 seeks Boating - SICKO PSYCHO (CRAZY CRAIG THE LOON IS BACK)
Reply to: mailto:pers-687916864@craigslist.org?subject=YIKES%20Who%20Luvs%20420%3f%20Wellington%20Man%2035%20seeks%20Boating%20-%20SICKO%20PSYCHO%20(CRAZY%20CRAIG%20THE%20LOON%20IS%20BACK)Date: 2008-05-20, 10:31AM EDT
RUN GIRLS RUN. THIS SICK NUT has been blasted off CL for years. He was "38" years old 4 years ago. He is NOT polo player. He does NOT own horses or a boat even his pictures are ancient. As soon as you refuse him he posts pics of some girl with her legs SPREAD and says you asked him for fake boobs (his words) and that you're a crack whore. He doesn't even remember his own lies. Doesn't remember his age. Sometimes he's a "doctor" (ask him medical questions, he hasn't a clue!) then a realtor then .... He's a complete psychotic creep. He's creeped out women all over CL. WE keep exposing him to keep you SAFE.



RUN==Who Luvs Kravis Center Wellington Man 35 -PSYCHO CRAIG IS BACK (RUN LIKE HELL)
Reply to: mailto:pers-687912045@craigslist.org?subject=RUN==Who%20Luvs%20Kravis%20Center%20Wellington%20Man%2035%20-PSYCHO%20CRAIG%20IS%20BACK%20(RUN%20LIKE%20HELL)Date: 2008-05-20, 10:31AM EDT
Hey CRAIG did you forget your AGE??? It was 38 THREE Years ago!!!! THIS GUY IS a NUT ladies. He lies about his age, his profession (he tried being a "doctor" once but couldn't even discuss medical terminology) then a realtor then a Polo player. He's totally NUTs and has been run off every city on CL. His pics are OLD, and when you reject him he posts pictures of some poor girl with her legs spread and says it's YOU and that you want 'fake boobs'. This guy is the lowest sickest SCUM BAG NUTCASE on CL. RUN RUN RUN LIKE HELL. CRAIG GO BACK TO THE PSYCH WARD AND TAKE YOUR MEDS!!!!



And...the latest one from him....TODAY


Who Luvs Starbucks? MD / 35seeks $tarbucks Companion+420 - (WELLINGTON /VERSAILLES)
Reply to: mailto:pers-688456136@craigslist.org?subject=Who%20Luvs%20Starbucks%3f%20MD%20/%2035seeks%20$tarbucks%20Companion+420%20-%20%20%20(WELLINGTON%20/VERSAILLES)Date: 2008-05-20, 4:51PM EDT
Recently single very cool Doctor NOT looking for any drama...sEEKING Single super hot Female only reply w/ clear full body clothed pic and I will reply. I love my favorate Caffè Misto Café Au Lait and steamed milk I also like Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha after I smoke a 420 fattie. Hope to see you soon. Craig

This is the one Im responding to with an invite back to my place...uh...blog :) Come back to keep up with the adventures of "Craig-A Legend In His Own Mind!!!!!"


******This is a copy of the one I just placed a moment ago on Craigslist -----LOL -Enjoy!!****


Craig!!!!...Daaahhhllling!!!!
Reply to: mailto:pers-688618377@craigslist.org?subject=Craig!!!!...Daaahhhllling!!!!Date: 2008-05-20, 6:42PM EDT
Hey Craig: Hows it going? I read with great interest your latest round of fiction disguised as personal ads. While I have followed your exploits rather unobtrusively from the sidelines and because your sad story is infinitely more interesting (okay-tabloidish) than what I had previously planned on blogging about (discriminatory practices at local malls), today I have decided to join the ranks of thse other ladies who deem it appropriate to "out" you. im not only responding to your ad here to OUT you, but you are my feature today on the blog. In addition to sending you this, i will also copy and paste this to Craigslist to ensure MAXIMUM exposure, thus assisting you in getting all those responses you are truly waiting for. No, no need to thank me. The pleasure is all mine, I can assure you.....If you would like to comment, please feel free-only do it on the blog where everyone can benefit from your experience.. www*onknees*blogspot*com

New Home Business Opportunity-No Startup, Inventory or Overhead

Add this to gas prices, foreclosure rates and the cost of rice as an economic indicator: the number of tips to the police from people hoping to collect reward money.

Cities and towns from one end of the US to the other, all report increases with tipsters telling operators they need the money for rent, light bills or baby formula.

As a result, many programs report a substantial increase in Crime Stopper-related arrests and recovered property, as callers turn in neighbors, grandchildren or former boyfriends in exchange for a little cash.

On Friday, a woman called the Regional Crime Stoppers line in Macon, Ga., to find out when she could pick up her reward money for a recent tip. She was irritated to learn that she would have to wait until Monday.

For tips that bring results, programs in most places pay $50 to $1,000, with some jurisdictions giving bonuses for help solving the most serious crimes, or an extra “gun bounty” if a weapon is recovered. In many places, the average payment for a tip that results in an arrest is $400.

Usually authorities deliver the money in an unmarked car and meet in a mutually agreed upon place, he said. But in these tight economic times, people go right to the office and walk right through the front door to collect their reward.

Crime Stoppers programs strictly protect the anonymity of callers. Each tip is assigned a number, and if the tip results in an arrest, the caller can collect a cash reward, usually by going to a designated bank. Some programs pay tipsters within hours of an arrest; others have monthly meetings to approve reward amounts.

Some people have made a cottage industry of calling in tips. Although repeat callers do not give their names, operators recognize their voices.

Two or three arrests per week, you could make $700, $750 per week. You could make better than a minimum-wage job.

In some cases, the quality of the tips is lagging as people grasp for any shred of information that might result in an arrest. A woman in Macon, for example, recently called to report that a family member — who was wanted for burglary and whose name and address were already known to the police — was at home. His home.

Places with quick payments and particularly bleak economic conditions tended to report increases in call volume. Lee County, Fla., had the highest rate for home foreclosures in the United States in February and March, and its once-plentiful construction jobs have dried up.

Last week, the Crime Stoppers coordinator there, Trish Routte, got a call from a man reporting drug activity, a tip that paid him $450. It was his second call in a week, said Ms. Routte, who recognized the caller’s voice.

“He told me he really didn’t want to call but he just had a new grandbaby and he needed the money,” Ms. Routte said.

Economic problems for families, Ms. Routte acknowledged, were good business for Crime Stoppers. “We’re kind of banking on that, really,” she said. “If it helps put dinner on the table for somebody, that’s wonderful.”

Florida Vacation Homes--starting at $37.46 per month !!!

Housing crisis? We don't got no stinkin housing crisis!! Right here in South Florida, a vacation home can be had for $37.46 including tax!! And guess what? There is no shortage of them!! What do you get for the money? Wait til you hear this....

Public Storage in picturesque Lake Worth, Florida offers a 5 x 5 unit, air conditioned, energy efficient, hurricane proof, efficiency apartment in a gated community environment with 24 hour security surveillance via video cameras both indoors and out.

How did I stumble on this best kept secret?( the key word here, being "stumble"...) Well, I am the proud owner of a unit in this same Public Storage facility, pay $37.46 a month to store my extra household items in it. One evening I went to the facility in preparation for a yard sale the next day. Upon entering the inner corridor leading to my unit, I noticed there was someone else in their unit, across the hall and 2 "doors" down. I complete my business and leave. Two nights later, I return again to store the items that did not sell. Guess what? My neighbor is there again!! I casually stroll by, perhaps to say hello or borrow a cup of sugar. Well, the door is open, the lights are on, and my neighbor is sitting in his unit in a camp chair, reading!! I have seen this gentleman before...under the I-95 overpass....panhandling. Obviously a snowbird from up north on the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder. Well, not wanting to disturb, and being a good neighbor, I lock my unit and leave.

On my drive home, my mind is racing with thoughts about what a deal this is, and how it can be duplicated in other cities... One story? 2 stories? In larger metropolitan cities..Penthouse digs?

And how about a larger space? For the transient traveler with family? The solutions are numerous.

Just like traditional housing rentals offer incentives like "1st month free", so do many public storage facilities.

As you can see for yourself, the design and placement of these various living communities are perfectly suited for the introvert as well as the extrovert.

AND...I was saving the best for last....there is one in Hawaii that made the news for their ginormous investment in partnering with a mosaic artist to render their facility to be more like a resort!!! A RESORT!! See the pic below of the artist and if you are interested in beginning to plan for that dream vacation in Hawaii and are interested in how much a months stay might run you...I have included the article for your perusal..

Well, what are you waiting for? Pack up the kids, the car and the little woman!!! Vacations in exotic locations are no longer for the rich and famouse. You too can be inviting the gang back apres ski for some hot toddys or charades...you can afford it...you're living large on about a dollar a day....