Stone Harbor

Last Wednesday I hit the road to Stone Harbor with Quiggy and his mother, my eighth grade math teacher. You'd think that would be a more awkward situation for me, but I've had plenty of time to get used to it. According to his mother, on the ride up we spent more or less the whole two-and-a-half hours chattering like a couple of teenaged girls. I am unable now to recall what we talked about. I suspect mostly it was reciting Penny Arcade cartoons to each other.

Quiggy and I are pretty big nerds. Thus it was that the first thing we did when we arrived, after bringing our luggage in, was set up his television and Wii and start playing the copy of Call of Duty 3 that I gave him. Since it was rushed to market in order to be a launch title, it's lacking in features, like multiplayer. So I'd watch him play and make fun of him occasionally, but I make fun of him pretty much no matter what he does.

Other games we played included: Balloon Fight, Bomberman '93,Donkey Kong Country, Mario Kart 64, Metroid Prime 1 and 2, Military Madness, Soul Calibur 2, Super Mario Bros., Super Smash Bros. Melee, Zelda (the first one, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess), and Wii Sports. I wouldn't say that either one of us really dominated in multiplayer. There were some games I was better at, because I had more practice, and some I sucked at. Likewise for Quiggy.

We settled into a routine pretty quickly. Generally, the day proceeded like this: We would wake up. I'd mess around on my laptop and Quiggy on his Wii. Then we'd get some breakfast. We'd mess around, usually playing video games, until lunch. After lunch we'd relax and let the food settle and then we'd hit the beach for an hour or two. Then we'd shower and mess around again until dinner. After dinner was when things most varied. Either we'd play more games, or watch a movie, or go into town.

I like Stone Harbor a lot. It's not very crowded, at least compared to Ocean City, and the downtown is very nice. It has a world-class ice cream parlor (Springer's) and far too many places selling fudge and taffy. It has bookstores, a great toy store, a movie theater, something like three mini-golf places, and really anything else you could ask for. Somehow it avoids feeling really touristy, which is always a plus.

The days seemed to fly by and before too long it was time to head back. Our last night there we went to the Boardwalk, where I resolved that the next time I was there I'd bring something to juggle with. I saw some bereft-looking teen doing a couple of passes, not very well, but he had managed to collect a couple of coins. I could tell that novice though I am, I was at least more skilled, so I figure if I get bored I could do something productive. We also went to an arcade and played some Galaga and some House of the Dead 3.

Our real last day there we went to the beach one last time before lunch. After lunch we packed up the van and headed back, though not before stopping for one last piece of deliciousness at Springer's. In the car we watched Batman Begins, an excellent movie. It conveniently was almost exactly the length of the trip back.

I did manage to pick up a bit of a tan, almost enough to make me look normal. I sunburnt one shoulder (my left one; I don't know how) and my hair is a lighter blonde than when I left. It was a good trip. Quiggy's going to Europe for three weeks soon so I won't see him until later this summer, but I'm thankful for the time we spent together.

Then yesterday I drove up north to visit a college and spend some time with my mom before she leaves for a little vacation. We got stuck in a thunderstorm so we didn't actually get in until earlier today. The college I visited is the same one my sister is attending, which of course makes me want to avoid it, but it actually seems like a nice place. I'm going to have to catch a train tomorrow back into Philly, but I've got no idea when exactly that's happening. All I know is it'll be kind of nice not to do any more traveling for a while.