An Update Long Overdue

I'm home for the weekend in Pensacola and suddenly have time on my hands before going out for the evening, so I thought I'd give a little update.

I'm drowning well into the tsunami I call work. I've travelled across Florida nearly every week for the last month and a half to visit our programs... I really do miss being out in the field at times, but some days it does take a toll on me.

The job is a temporary assignment on a prayer that it could be permanent. I'm starting to look casually at other opportunities-just in case-another grant opportunity doesn't pan out. I trust it all in God's hands, though I'll probably say differently by the start of the year when full-blown nail-biting anxiety kicks in if I have to suddenly find new work. Any good leads out there?

Things can always change too... we have a new administration coming in January. I'm interested to see what the new governor will have planned for us.

I've slowly gotten back to volunteering with the youth group again... I have missed it, but I've held back really because of the commitments and demands a new job has placed on me, coupled with the lack of certainty in the future. I'd hate to start developing relationships with the youth and suddenly have to pull out. One thing I've learned about youth ministry... you've got to be committed to getting to know your youth. It's important to be friendly, but you're not their friend... you're an adult and they're still trying to understand life and "the big picture." (If you know how to understand... enlighten me!) That's what I've learned it takes to be a good mentor.

I've also volunteered with my former employer, hospice. I've been serving in development, assisting with fund raisers. I did the Smoked Boston Butt sale... (next year I will dress up as a pig with a sign that reads, "wanna a nice piece o' ass?!?) and a home show yesterday.

Today was the baptism of Sofia, my goddaughter. What a cutie! My friends from Holland are here for a few weeks and it was exciting to see them and their new addition today. I'm excited to have a goddaughter that will grow up speaking Dutch, Spanish, English, and French. I have a future tour guide in the making!

Tonight, I'm headed to the Flora-Bama... (that's what they wanted-- I swear) I haven't been there in years, the last time was when we took a state coord. of Red Cross out and she got sht-faced drunk. Apparently, she didn't get out much. I was the good guy... I made sure she got back to her hotel okay... and she did, about three hours before her morning flight.

Well, that's about it for now.

May God continue to bless all of you, my wonderful friends and family!

Down in the Muck

"We goin' on de muck."

"Whut's de muck, and where is it at?"

"Oh down in de Everglades round Clewiston and Belle Glade where dey raise all dat cane and string-beans and tomatuhs. Folks don't do nothin' down dere but make money and fun and foolishness. We must go dere."

Zora Neale Hurston,
Their Eyes Were Watching God,chapter 13.

Again, it's funny how I always post on my blog at a weird hour. After a few hours of sleep, I'm up at 3:45 a.m. It's always hard adjusting to a hotel room, even though it's nice.

I'm out in the field this week, visiting a site in Belle Glade, a community on the southeastern shore of Lake Okechobbee, and staying in a hotel in Clewiston, a larger town with a decent H-Inn Express.

My visit down here is to provide some training and technical assistance to a community organization, facilitating on disaster and volunteer management. I love training, especially when there's AmeriCorps*VISTAs involved.

This is a part of Florida I'd never seen, and I was really excited to come, knowing this area was part of the setting for Their Eyes Were Watching God. As I flew into Ft. Lauderdale, I saw Florida's Great Lake and the thousands of acres of wetlands and sugar cane.

And there is sugar cane! Everywhere! And I saw the muck-- that rich soil that comes at the environmental expense of the Everglades. Driving in, I felt like I was in a different country... the poverty is obvious and there are still plywood shutters and blue roof on trailers all over here.

This is the home of the powerful U.S. Sugar Corporation (whose big industry makes them very arrogant-- I had a bad experience with an executive during the 04 Hurricanes), yet there is such an obvious class division of the haves vs. have-nots. I see all this sugar and the powerful mills that provide jobs, yet many of these communities are very poor.

I had dinner at the Clewiston Inn (clewistoninn.com) last night with some of my colleagues from the project site, and they gave me some great insight into the area. One of them has strong political ties and will probably run for Congress in a few years (she's an awesome person we need people who know the struggles non-profits face in serving the poor!) The Inn was built by none other than U.S. Sugar to house visiting dignataries and execs. They really have great food, and at a great price too! I got some of the local catfish with hushpuppies that included a salad, steamed veggies, baked potato, bread-- all for $9! There were four huge fillets, and the potato was the size of my head!

I complete the training today, and fly back up in the afternoon.

Another year has passed for me... now, I'm forging ahead in this last year of my 20s.

I'm not really the type to go all out for my birthday. I'm very simple; just a quiet day, enjoying this beautiful weather we've been having, and reflecting on my life.

There are many great people who share my birthday, and I've come to the conclusion that the world would be a better place if more Libras were leaders. We're thinkers and feelers... and we strive for balance.

That'd be great world, huh? But that's just my humble opinion.

Shopping for baby clothes.

I'll readily admit that I'm not the type of person who really loves to go shopping... after all, why look for something you like, but don't need, and don't have the money to pay for it?

However, there's one weakness in shopping that I like... baby clothes.

Funny, huh? This childless bachelor loves to shop for baby clothes. It's the thrill of the hunt coupled with the happiness that it brings to child (I'll explain later) and especially Mom.

I was in Baby Gap last week to buy something for my friends' newborn (Isaiah, born 9/12) before heading back to Gulf Breeze for the weekend. I walked in and the saleswomen (and they were all women in the store) and immediately came over, probably thinking I'd mistakenly thought I was walking into Footlocker and needed re-direction. They paused though, as they saw continue my journey in.

"May I help you?" a very cute saleswoman asked. Of course, all the cute college girls work at the Gap.

"Oh, I'm looking for something for my friend's newborn," I replied without removing an eye off the sales rack.

"Ahhhhh...." she and another saleswoman nearby cooed.

So begins the game. I flirt. They ask about the baby. I pretend I don't know what I'm doing. They flirt. I pick out something and ask if this looks "cute."

Before I know it, I've bought something for Isaiah, and to continue the game, I buy something for my godson, Wesley. (I thought it was important to buy something for Wesley too, because I didn't want him to have jealousy issues if he saw his younger brother was getting something.)

I pay for the clothes and ask charmingly, "Would you happen to have any gift boxes? I don't think I'd have time to run into Wal-Mart."

"Oh, sure. No problem."

I just thought she'd put some boxes in my bag, like they do at any department store and that's it. No, she goes above and beyond and meticulously removes the tags, wraps the gifts and does whatever you do to ribbon to make it look like you've wrapped the Holy Grail.

I smile and thank her with my "ohhhh" and "ahhhh." And she smiles back as I leave and say, "you're awesome, hun.... just awesome."

Ah.... the game.

That's not all, though.

Do you remember as a child getting gifts wrapped up in shiny paper and glossy ribbon?

Remember the disappointment when you opened it up and saw it wasn't a toy, but some clothes?

I never knew a kid who loved to get clothes... until I gave that gift to Wesley.

He opened the box, saw the new light blue and bright red polo and screamed with joy. He did his little toddler dance, took off his shirt right in the living room and put on the shirt. The rest of the evening, he was a sudden ball of energy, yelling and screaming and having fun with his "Ninong."

Filipinos believe that godchildren bring you good luck... I've been lucky, indeed.