Summer is definitely a great time of year, but I'm not in JT's camp about this. Yeah, there's some free time, even vacation time. But this year is looking ... well ... limited.

Air fare to the West Coast ranges from $500 to $700-plus one way. Ouch. So I'm looking at the possibilities.

a. Screw the high prices and go anyway. I haven't been out of state for seven years.

b. Get a big-screen TV. The thousand-dollar 42- and 40-inch screens at Best Buy are very tempting, though my sharp-minded brother insists that it's better (and cheaper) online.

c. Save and maybe invest the money. So many bills so far this year, I haven't done much of either.

d. Improve what I already have. It ain't much, but I could always get a better car, better this, better that.

There are a few other ideas I have, but for now, I'm staying put on a decision. A mainland trip is tempting, mainly so I can see old friends. But they have their busy lives, and the other options are more timeless. Since I work from home during the daytime, a better TV -- I currently have a "tiny" 20-inch one -- would better suit me. Or drive me to distraction. Nah. That whole theory about TV being bad doesn't work on me. I do more surfing online than with the TV remote.

I learned a valuable lesson last year. After working the usual manic hours, weeks and months going into summer, I had the flu for the entire f%^@!* month of July. Not kidding. I tried to rest, but there was always somewhere to go, daily drives to make for family (yeah, I'm the official driver) and I just couldn't shake that bug. It sucked.

I've had the flu twice this year, one being a nasty intestinal/stomach flu that had me on the toilet for four days and nights. But as July nears again, I don't feel broken down like last year. Maybe I can do something for me this summer.

A big part of that is because my mom is cooped up in a nursing home now, getting better and stronger. I hate that she's bored there, but I do like the simple fact that someone is always there to look after her 24/7. The guilt never departs. But the peace of mind for her health is priceless.

So that's one huge worry out of the way, and I still don't have a big hankering to travel. Time to set some viable short-term goals. Now I'd be content instead to do a food/photo tour of China or Southeast Asia or Italy or Brazil or ... Whatever happened to the cross-country, baseball-stadium tour I wanted to do in 1995?

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