As I was drumming around for inspiration on a worthy topic to parlay to you, a vision came unbidden and rather unwelcome across the blank screen that is sometimes my authoring mind.  It was a scene from that beloved Stephen King classic, The Shining. 

For the uninitiated, the central character - appropriately named Jack - is an author with writer's block who slowly goes a bit wacko.  The part is unforgettably played in the movie by another Jack, Jack Nicholson, whose unsuspecting wife, Shelly Duvall, discovers the limp body of his dead work.  It's a full manuscript comprised of a single sentence, typed over and over again in paragraphs, quotes, indentations and footnotes.  You know the one I'm talking about, don't you?  Sure you do.  It's the one that reads, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."  It was at this point in my periodical musings that I realized I need a slight change of pace or I could wind up explaining myself to a wide-eyed Shelly Duvall - not a pretty prospect however you look at it.  Delightful woman, I'm sure, just not my idea of someone to come home to every night.  A little out of my league financially as well.  And so we go.

50 Lost Ways To Maximize Your Cash

I turned my efforts to a list of 50 ways for you to get more money - to turn your cash into a perpetual force for exponential fiscal growth, snaring its subsequent yield for ever-burgeoning power.  But my computer made an editorial comment of its own and ate the entire article, not even a comma left over.  I didn't mourn, just quietly turned off the box and went to the grocery store.

I thought about grabbing one of the articles in my archives and putting a little Jackspin on it for you - good information, to be sure, and a technique that's always well-received.  In fact, SectorMatic gets its greatest readership from articles like this.  The information you get is solid, to be sure, and readable in an entertaining way I'm told.  But I just couldn't face another round of talks about the family budget or Fibonacci trading techniques.  It's all well and good, mind you - but it's just not the flavor of the week.

"Your Money's No Good Here"

It was then that my archive section on buying wine and spirits caught my eye.  Sure, everybody loves a bargain on a good beverage.  There I was in the corner bar of my mind, highball in hand, chilled amber liquid melting the ice like rocket fuel on a snow cone.  Though the thought of a stiff drink was enticing, the very smell gave me heartburn in my real person.  I paid the phantom bartender, left a generous imaginary tip, and split with a muttered line.  "I don't need a drink, I need a vacation."


It's been a long, grey Seattle winter.  Around about May the low skies and chill get a little repetitive.  It's a common theme here in the Northwest.  A friend of mine just split to a sunlit Southern beach on a flimsy excuse and a moment's notice, not even a goodbye - just a credit card and a good tax write off.  Anyone living north of the 46th parallel would slap him on the back and chuckle.

And so it is that I've come to you today with the topic almost everyone loves to discuss...

Time To Take A Beach Vacation

The great thing about a beach vacation is that you can get there from just about anywhere, and you can do it fairly cheaply.  It doesn't even need to be the hottest, most happening five-star resort to give you peace of mind and restore your senses.  Most people know someone who lives in a warm, frisky climate, and this can cut down considerably on certain expenses where necessary - lodging, car, meals. You can also camp at the beach up and down much of the coastline in the U.S. with appropriate preparation.  Or if you feel like splurging, you can get great deals on a nice hotel room and airfare when booked together through most online travel venues.  Here are some suggestions for a location:

Hawaii:  I'm not sure I should even bring this up, but I'm throwing caution to the wind.  Hawaii is an island state, so you have to fly in.  Stuff costs like New York, and it's one of the rainiest places in America.  But I've been to Hawaii, and to this day I am sorry that I left.  It is the most beautiful place I have ever been, and its locus defines peace.  If you can go... GO!

California:  Anywhere along the coast south of the San Francisco Bay Area is going to be reasonably warm.  San Diego is perfect right about now (when is it not?), and May is a great time to explore Big Sur on the central coast.  The North Coast is almost always cool and windy or foggy.  Nonetheless it makes an excellent destination.  It's hard to have a bad time in California - unless you expect strangers to smile and make conversation.

Florida:  Better hurry before things get too hot.  Every town and city has its own flavor - and special rates on attractions.  Key West was good enough for Ernest Hemingway.  St. Augustine is the oldest city we've got.  Jack says... check it out!

The Bahamas:  This is most people's idea of It.  I won't expound.  Check out VacationsToGo.com for great last-minute cruise deals, often with discounts up to 70%.

The Carolinas:  Rich in history, culture, natural beauty and long, white sandy beaches.  Hilton Head can be surprisingly affordable, and I hear the natives are friendly.

Texas:  If you're a bird nerd like some people I know, the south Texas coast is paradise.  It's located smack dab in the North American flyway for hundred of species of migrating birds.  This is an excellent time of year for prime birdwatching in a warm, lovely climate.

There you go - Jack's tips for getting away from it all.  I just knew there was something of value I could bring you this week, and this little ray of sunshine is actually from the heart.  Now, about that drink...

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Until next time,

JS
Spokesman

SectorMatic Money Site
Everything for the Big Spender on a Budget

I'm afraid I'm not a big fan of beach holidays - if I'm going to go somewhere, I want to do more than sit on a beach. That said, Hawaii is high on my list of must-visit places :)