White Sands of Panama

Just heading back to Georgia after an overnight jaunt to the white
sand beaches of Panama City, Florida. As we arrived Sunday the skies
darkened and threatened to spoil the rest of the afternoon. We were
able to make it down to the beach for a while before the rain started,
which not not materialize to much. We had seafood for dinner at a good
restaurant. I have always been amazed at how dependent and excessive
Americans are with their air conditioning. While 75 degrees would be a
great reprieve from any warmer outside temperature, most buildings are
kept around a teeth chattering 67 degrees. Perhaps it is my own
sensitivity, as I have always prefered hot to cold, but I can't help
but think that collectively as Americans we have isolated ourselves
from any environmental discomfort. It is as if upon the invention of
air conditioning, or any other new thing, we are so enamored by the
improvement that we try to make up for lost time by extending its use
beyond what's necessary. Perhaps it is just human nature to push these
bounds, or more likely its an American phenomenon. As Steinbeck
described it, that's why we (Americans) are here because we were
unsettled and were willing to take chances while the others preferred
predictability and remained in the homeland. Can't help but think
that this continues today inside of our America and there will always
be both the unsettled ones and the conditioned ones. Once we were a
nation of the restless, are we still?

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