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Growing up is optional
One of my best grown-up friends was Frank, whose house contained fabulously bright walls, each painted a different color. His whole life revolves around having fun. All of the trim and doors in his house are covered by black chalk paint, and he always encouraged me to draw or write a quote on any surface. Frank never thought any idea was too weird or impossible to achieve, and he never let anyone limit his creativity. -
Just because you're from Pine Island doesn't mean you can't appreciate the arts
My friend Drew blends the best of the islander world and the refined arts world. He makes fancy French food with fish from Pine Island Sound, salads with microgreens and radishes from up the road, mango sorbet with fruit from his own yard, and the best seafood gumbo you'll ever taste. What's special about Drew's love of the island is that he never looks down on it as dirty or uncultured; he takes the best of the island and makes it even better. And he makes it taste good along the way. -
Pearls go with everything
Never have I seen Mel Meo without at least three strings of pearls around her neck. But in typical Pine Island artist style, she mixes real pearls with fake and chokers with strands down to her belly button. Mel's scenes of Pine Island are realistic and lively, and she is truly a loyal and local artist. I've known her since birth and have received some painting lessons, and of course, some fashion lessons. I think Mel's eclectic jewelry reflects her down to earth personality. -
Don't go outside or you might get Dengue Fever
Having an entomologist as a friend and neighbor has its serious perks. For example: weird bug identification, inside information on Mosquito Control's spray plans, and a heads up when the type of mosquito that carries Dengue Fever is in your area. Luckily, Brian isn't one of those nerdy, scary-serious scientists; his sense of humor means great Halloween parties and long background stories of how the witch moth got its common name. -
Shoes are not necessary
When half of the island works on boats all day, half of the island is going to come home and not feel like putting any shoes on, which is why most grocery stores and gas stations ignore rules about wearing shoes. It almost gets you more island credit if you don't need shoes to cross a gravel driveway or parking lot. For those who do wear shoes, "Pine Island Reeboks," plain white shrimper boots, are the footwear of choice. My island upbringing definitely produced my hatred for shoes and socks. -
Human beings start out in really small packages
Before JP was born, I had never interacted with any human so small. Living a mere 4 minutes away, I had the pleasure of watching John Patrick blossom from a football-sized mush ball to a cognitivie little person. It also gave me a taste of how difficult parenthood is; after just a few hours of babysitting I would be exhausted. The first time I heard him speak, I was startled by his intelligence. It's amazing how many ideas can be stored in so small a head. -
You don't really know someone until you know what kind of books they read
My friend Kevin rarely wears shoes, windboards every weekend, and can castnet mullet like nobody's business. He also can recite Shakespeare by heart. At first glance, you wouldn't guess that this tan and weathered man, who calls people "dude," has an octopus tattoo, and scoffs at speed limits, was formerly an English professor. But his knowledge combined with his dry wit and common sense create a great mentor for English papers and life interactions alike. -
Question everything
My neighbor Craig, like all good fishing charters, goes by the pseudonym the Snook Cowboy. One night my dad took a particularly long time putting out the trash cans. We later learned it was because he had run into Craig, who was standing in the road looking for UFOs. He maintains that aliens really do exist. Weird neighbors like the Snook Cowboy remind me to keep an open mind when regarding others' beliefs, and to be curious about everything around me. -
Being a kid can be stressful
I was recently babysitting a six-year-old named Mason whose life goal is to grow up and work on Cabbage Key, an island in Pine Island Sound. We had been practicing counting money, and as we cleaned up, his string of anxiety became apparent: he didn't have a wallet, so he couldn't save his money, so he would never be able to buy his own boat, so we wouldn't be able to work on Cabbage Key. I wanted to laugh, but he was so genuinely upset I couldn't. It reminded me that anxiety occurs at every age. -
It's never too early to start environmental education
https://youtu.be/T2oRKC3WOVM On a recent outing with JP and his mom and grandpa, I was impressed to see JP correctly identify different types of seagrass, which his grandfather had taught him. It's remarkable that a three-year-old has more environmental knowledge than some adults I know. In the video, he also warned me about barnacles because they will make me bleed. If a three-year-old has this much common sense, there may be hope for our future Floridians.
