Vacation Recipe, Motorcycle Mike, Boulder Fires, Delta 8, Hope Smiles

"Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, 'it will be happier..."
— Alfred Tennyson

Good morning from a courtyard in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I found this little gem following a sign for our little laundry in our Air B and B complex. It's a lovely little courtyard with two chairs and a stairway leading up to additional units. I think I'll write from here until we leave on Monday.

Another great day in the books yesterday; we started with an hour on the beach getting some pigment. We then return to our casa, grab a bag, and go on a 3-mile walk along the coast. Finally, we returned to the Casablanca restaurant, where we eat lunch every day of our stay. My wife has the Greek salad, I opt for the clam chowder, and we share some white wine. We then walk the mile and a half to Cousins's house, sit at the pool, and walk home to get ready for dinner. Finally, we meet Cousin and other friends for a nice meal, return home and get a great night of sleep. I think this is our vacation recipe.

A couple of things of note, there is a man, let's call him Motorcycle Mike; he drives the strip of Fort Lauderdale and plays at volume 11 Michael Jackson and the Bee Gees. I think it is funny and  joyful, and I'm sure about 50% of the people think, "screw that guy."  As we were walking, I noticed a green cross. That is the sign of marijuana, and I know this because I live in a state where pot is legal. So I went in and simply asked, how can you sell this when it's not legal? The young man said, "I don't know, but it's delicious, and I don't ask questions." So I asked what the price point was for a joint, and he said, "$30.00."  I don't know if this is happening in other states; the strain is Delta 8, and since it's primarily CBD but has THC, they can sell it.

So then I started thinking if you can buy this stuff in Florida, can you buy it on Amazon? The answer is yes if you live in a nonlegal state, you can purchase high potency CBD on Amazon. If you struggle with sleep or pain management, it might be an alternative to your pharma options. It's been pretty amazing watching society evolve from thinking what I used to be told in school was a drug is now viable medicine. Search Amazon for Delta 8, and you can find multiple oils and gummies to help you when feeling a little sore or anxious.

I got word from some friends in Colorado that Boulder is burning. According to the article written by By Tim Stelloh and Minyvonne Burke

Authorities said that hundreds of homes burned and tens of thousands of people were evacuated after a rare wind-driven wildfire tore through suburban neighborhoods in Colorado on Thursday.

Gov. Jared Polis declared a state of emergency in the area, calling the blaze — which ballooned to 1,600 acres in a few hours amid 100-mph winds — "absolutely devastating." 

After toppled power lines started the grass fire around 11 a.m. south of Boulder, the flames quickly spread through the towns of Louisville and Superior, Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said during a news conference.  

"This was consuming football field lengths of land in seconds," Pelle said. "This was a horrific event."

No deaths or missing persons had been reported, though he said he wouldn't be "surprised if we find casualties." One police officer was injured by flying debris, he said.

By 5 p.m., the fire had incinerated an entire subdivision of 370 homes in Superior and likely destroyed another 210 homes in the community's old town neighborhood, he said. In addition, a hotel burned, a shopping center was in flames, and the blaze was blocks from a hospital.

As a risk management professional, I would encourage you to pull out your homeowner's policy and ask yourself could I replace my home today for the amount shown on the declarations? Unfortunately, prices of materials have skyrocketed, leaving many underinsured. I almost guarantee that many in the Boulder area will soon learn they were grossly undervalued and will not be able to rebuild their home similarly. Of course, many will be angry with the insurance carriers, but remember, we all have a personal responsibility to manage our risk.

Well, it's about time for phase one of our day, a nice hour on the beach, then we will follow our routine and have New Year's Eve plans at some swanky restaurant. Cousin has invited some new friends; I like meeting new people and preparing to be in bed by 10:00; we are not the ball-dropping kind.

Tomorrow morning, you can wake up and begin becoming the man, woman, or transgender that you have always wanted to be. I know it's a bit cliché, but it's a great time to reset and begin moving towards that human you aspire to become. Yesterday, I shared a quote attributed to Matthew McConaughey that said, "Don't fear failure, fear being in the same place next year as you are today. I promise you I'll be better, can you commit the same?

"Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, 'it will be happier..."
— Alfred Tennyson