The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1474536
Pools are for rent around the country The sound of dogs barking signaled we were at the right place. We were at somebody's house to use the swimming pool. The barking also signaled... oh. We were at somebody's house to use the swimming pool. Intim- idating? Refreshing? Humbling? We were going to find out. Borrowing backyard pools is the conceit of Swimply — in my mind, that stands for half- swim, half-wimp in terms of getting one's nerves up. The Airbnb-style online market- place helps homeowners rent out their swimming pools by the hour. In these madcap, sun- drenched months, low-stakes floating becomes an especially enticing business model. After surfing the app, a pho- tographer and I decided to visit the Tampa home of Laura and Tanner Summers, both 32, for a few hours of Investigative Lei- sure. Did I just invent a new se- ries? Anyway, Laura, sunny and friendly, let us in the gate. Only upon our request (begging, pleading) did she unleash her magnificent dachshunds, Win- ston and Wendall, to wiggle a couple laps around the pool. The Summers got lucky with a real estate sale and had a pot of funds to fix up their pool area. It became their pandemic proj- ect. They added a small putting green, a bar, an outdoor TV box, a new deck. The result was so- cial media-worthy. They ran across ads for Swim- ply on Instagram and joined in May, knowing their pool would be a prime contender. "I never grew up with a pool," Laura said. "I always thought it was the best thing ever when I could go to a friend's house with a pool." Swimply rents more than 25,000 pools across the U.S., Canada and Australia. Costs range from $15 an hour to sev- eral hundred. She and Tanner charge $40 an hour for up to five guests with an extra $5 per person thereafter. They aren't getting rich, just making side money. Swimply keeps 10%, she said, so they come away with $36 an hour. The idea was born when Bun- im Laskin, then 20 and the oldest of 12 children, noticed his New Jersey neighbor's pool often sat unused. He asked if his family could take a dip and paid a small fee to offset her maintenance. Pretty soon, he said, the whole neighborhood was paying to swim there. He and co-founder Asher Wein- berger scanned Google Earth for homes with pools and knocked on doors. In 2020, Laskin appeared on the show "Shark Tank" looking for an investment from the noto- riously tough panel of celebrity tycoons. "Is this really for real?" said Mark Cuban. "Who in the world thought this was a good idea?" said Robert Herjavec. "I think the whole idea is really nuts," said Barbara Corcoran. Laskin left without a deal. The pandemic was good for the swimming business, though. Now Swimply claims to have 100 new people asking to become hosts each day, with some mak- ing six figures a year. Laura has encountered those mega-users in the private Swimply Facebook group, she said, mostly in parts of the country with fewer pools. She showed us around, point- ing us to foam noodles and a grill. As I posted Instagram videos from the pool, followers chimed in with the same two questions: Uh, are the owners there? Uh, what's the bathroom sit- uation? Swimply leaves both up to hosts. Most do offer a bath- room, but before booking, you can review amenities from Wi- Fi to hot tubs to sound systems. We had access to a home office bathroom with an entrance on the side of the house. That was a relief; I was dreading dripping through someone's kitchen wrapped in a towel like a five- year-old having a bathroom emergency at Uncle Lou's 60th birthday barbecue. Hosts control the size of groups, and the Summers set their limit to 20. Many pools on Swimply allow parties, a hot sell- ing point as Airbnb has outright banned big gatherings. In the cate- gory of worst- case scenar- ios, Swimply provides $1 million liabil- ity insurance policies and up to $10,000 in property dam- age coverage. So far, the Sum- mers are only out a couple inflatable floaties (thanks, kids). They're always there to make sure nothing goes awry, but they leave swimmers alone. Like so many, the Summers went remote in the pandemic. She works in campus recruit- ing and he's in robotic process automation. They've hosted children's birthday parties, mother-daughter swims, a bridal shower, a photoshoot for a liquor company. Laura's favorite guests brought chihuahuas that float- ed around on tiny rafts, which, frankly, sounds like winning the pool party lottery. After a brief tour, Laura dis- appeared. There was nothing to do but chill. I floated on foam noodles, drank La Croix, took a few sloppy swings on the put- ting green. I enjoyed the relief of temperate water on another day of apocalyptic weather, the break from the barrage of world- ly distractions. It's eerie, almost, to lie so flat, so quiet, so relative- ly alone. I pondered if I'd do this again. Swimming can be a vulner- able experience, disrobing, splashing around, hoisting one- self out of the water like a slain Great White. Doing it at some- one else's house is strange, yes, but no stranger than flopping at a hotel or community pool full of other slain sharks. Split 10 ways with friends? A decent way to spend an afternoon. When our time was up, we took care to put the pool noodles back. I commenced the drive home with a mountain of damp garments oozing in the passen- ger seat. A good day. A lovely day. Next time, I'm bringing my dog and a tiny raft. Stephanie Hayes is a columnist at the Tampa Bay Times in Flor- ida. Follow her at @stephhayes on Twitter or @stephrhayes on Instagram. C-2 Wednesday, July 27, 2022 The Press-Dispatch Regulating stress responses By Kacie Shipman Youth First, Inc. youthfirstinc.org Children and adults may react to stress in dif ferent ways. Trauma and stress can cause the brain to feel challenged or threatened, and the par t of the brain that reacts is often on high aler t. Our instinct is to protect our- selves, often by fleeing, fight- ing, or freezing from our per- ceived danger. When individuals have ex- perienced trauma or are in high stress situations, their behavior can sometimes be- come confusing to others. The term "trigger" is often used to communicate what caused someone to enter a state of dysregulation. Our brain works in a way that allows us to react before we think. It is a means of protection, although when trauma has been expe- rienced our brain can set off false alarms. What causes dysregulation? Our body has five great sens- es: taste, smell, sight, touch, and hearing. For example, a certain smell may trigger someone to experience dys- regulation before thinking. If abuse was experienced in a home that often smelled like coffee, the smell of coffee alone could trigger the brain to go into a protective defense mode. This correlation is easi- er for adults to recognize than children. Children in a high alert state are not able to reason. It is crucial to help the child regulate their body and mind so they can process stress- ful situations later. There are many ways to help children and adults regulate, or "calm down." It is impossible to know what difficulties others have experienced. That is why it is crucial to treat ever yone as if they are functioning in a high alert state or have experi- enced trauma. Regulating chil- dren through their environ- ment can be ver y impactful in managing behaviors that are difficult to understand. For instance, if a child is often misbehaving, it's im- por tant to track those inci- dents. There is a possibility that behaviors may be oc- cur ring in a predictable pat- ter n. Making small changes in the environment can help eliminate stressors. Creat- ing a safe relationship with a child can also create an environment where their brain is able to stay at a level of calmness with the ability to reason more than react. The most critical par t of suppor ting an individual with trauma is maintain- ing your own self-regula- tion. Being suppor tive in a non-confrontational way will encourage the brain to recognize the situation as safe and non-threatening. Understanding our own trig- gers and challenge areas will help us stay regulated in moments that may provoke unwanted emotions. Practicing self-regulation skills can be done in many ways including yoga, medita- tion, or journaling. Finding a positive and encouraging sup- port team who understands the impact of trauma on chil- dren can be a tool to maintain ongoing work with those who have experienced it. Kacie Shipman, LSW, is the Youth First Social Worker for Springs Valley Elementa- ry School and Springs Valley Jr-Sr High School in Orange County. Youth First, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to strength- ening youth and families, pro- vides over 80 Master's level social workers to 108 schools in 12 Indiana counties. Over 60,000 youth and families per year are served by Youth First's school social work and after school programs that pre- vent substance abuse, promote healthy behaviors and maxi- mize student success. To learn more about Youth First, visit youthfirstinc.org or call 812- 421-8336. Sloppy Joes– Manwich Copycat By Jennifer Vallee Cooking Columnist news@sgstartimes.com I usually do the cooking at our house but I was feeling under the weather one day this past week and my sweet hubby decided to step in. Although he can cook, it's not his favorite thing so when he asked what I wanted to eat I said I'd like a Manwich. I thought that would be pretty easy end not much clean- up but when he went to the pantr y to get a can of sauce for it, we were out. As I an not a fan of the syrupy sweetness of most home- made Sloppy Joes, I quickly looked up a Manwich copycat recipe that didn't look too hard and told him to substitute diced celer y and diced onions for the minced onions and celer y seed as I prefer the texture of real veggies. When he brought me my sandwich, I took one bite and I already knew I was going to want another sandwich, which is totally out of character for me. That was, hands down, the best sandwich of that type I have ever eaten. Bravo, Terr y Vallee! If you like Manwich, you must make this for yourself (and your family) ASAP! Enjoy! INGREDIENTS • 1 can (8 ounce) tomato sauce • 1 cup ketchup • 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes • 1 tablespoon green pepper, chopped fine • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced • 1/4 teaspoon celery seed • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder • 1 teaspoon mustard • 1 pound ground bee DIRECTIONS 1. Fry the beef and drain the fat. 2. Add remaining ingredients to the skillet and bring to a boil. 3. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 4. Serve on toasted buns with your favorite condiments. Source: food.com Youth Today My So Called Millennial Life By Stephanie Hayes