For the ones who had a notion, a notion deep inside
That it ain’t no sin to be glad you’re alive
-Bruce Springsteen

Last week will not go down in my personal annals as a good stretch. Work was extraordinarily insane (so much so that the last day of one of my best friends in the office was Friday and I couldn't find time to see him before he departed) and when I wasn’t slogging through that, I was watching nonstop Katrina coverage, which was just heartbreaking on so many levels.

But after a spectacular weekend, I’m operating with fully charged batteries. Work is still crazy and I’m due to hit the road again tomorrow, but the past four days put me in a much better place. Things got off to a good start Friday when I took the day off and hit a water park with KJ, my oldest and dearest friend, and her five-year-old twin boys. On the first run down a twisty slide, I immediately felt 12 years old and the stress of the past week melted away. It was also the start of a great Jersey shore weekend – lots of bike riding, boating, eating crap, drinking on patio bars. A whole lot of time spent doing a whole lot of nothing – sitting in the back yard at my parents’ house, with the sun in my face and a breeze at my back. A special shout-out to whoever was responsible for the weather – four days of perfection.

I’ll admit to all sorts of guilt about enjoying such a terrific weekend while so many are suffering so terribly. But that made me very aware of how good things are here and made me enjoy each moment even more. I also was heartened by the goings-on in our area – our local Coast Guard holding a car wash for victims, countless kids with lemonade stands in their yards and signs reading “All Profits For Katrina Victims.” I was grateful for the opportunities to contribute in small ways, and plan to continue to do so.