When I stand or swim in it, that is so much proof that God loves me. I think I appreciate it more now than I ever did growing up. There were occasional trips to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, or various beaches in North Carolina, and even though I enjoyed the ocean back then, I love it so much more now.

I have never been one of those who would just sit there on the beach, like an unemployed whale (remember that line from The Simpsons?). I hate to sit in the sun and tan. Bronzed skin is pretty ugly on any Caucasian. It makes you look like you’re from New Jersey. Thankfully, my Scottish and Irish genes won’t allow me to stay out very long before it’s time to go inside. I start to burn in about 25 minutes usually.

I have enjoyed this last three-day work trip. It had a double SJU overnight, and on the second night, I had plenty of time to swim in the ocean. I have some new swimming shorts that I needed to break in. Just as I suspected, they make me look pretty darn sexy, if I do say so. That was the idea when I bought them at Fort Lauderdale beach last week. It has been a nice break from the brutally low temperatures of Utah and Colorado.

My sister Melanie tells me that I have my dad’s feet. Whatever. At least my friend Brian says I have sexy feet for a dude (except he says that the second toe on my right foot looks like I tried to pull it off).