Dolce Far Niente

Many of my oenologist friends like "Far Niente" wine and maybe they like the sound of the name. It means "doing nothing." Webster's dictionary goes a step further and defines a more classic version:

dol·ce far nien·te

Pronunciation: \ˈdōl-chē-ˌfär-nē-ˈen-tē\

Function: noun

Etymology: Italian, literally, sweet doing nothing

Date: 1814

Pleasant relaxation in carefree idleness

Not that my life when in Sarasota is a whirlwind, but I have discovered at a very early time in our stay here that the essence of Nantucket is "pleasant relaxation in carefree idleness." That is, unless you have a business up here or are the kind of person who cannot be content unless conquering something at all time. I am again reminded of the man whose wife asked him what he planned to do today and he said "nothing". She replied "I thought you did that yesterday." He responded, "Yes, but I wasn't finished."

It could be the very pleasant weather which allows you to stay out all day and not sweat or feel like your clothes were put on wet. I could not imagine staying outside in Sarasota for longer than it takes to get from the car to the Mall. As for sleeping with your windows open, which we do every night...no way in SRQ. That is the backdrop against which everything else happens (or doesn't happen as the case may be) here on the island.

I used to watch Star Trek on TV years ago (No, I do not live in my parent's basement and buy Clearasil by the gallon). One of my favorite parts of the program was when the crew of the Starship Enterprise completed a particularly arduous or dangerous mission they would jet off to the planet Raisa. It was a pleasure planet where they drank some blue liquid that looked like and seemed to cause the same effects as a Martini. They lounged around in long flowing robes on grass and around fountains and in hot tubs in the company of nubile young attendants. They did not get more specific than that on TV. While the nubile part is attractive, the essence of these trips to Raisa was that there were no Klingons or Kardashians (not Kim) to battle, no warp drives to repair, and they ditched their uniforms. That is the feeling I get here. Just getting on the bike or in the SUV and touring. Eat and drink, take a long walk, and spend most of the day outdoors. I forgot my long flowing robe at home but my "Black Dog" T-shirt will have to suffice. My 'sandals' are New Balance running shoes. Beam me up, Scotty.