Bits&Pieces

This is not to say that I've been dismembered, but rather that I'm going to fill you in with tidbits of my life as of late.

School:

I decided to change my schedule around and I am now auditing Thermodynamics (finally math and physics again!!!!!). It's still early, but it just doesn't seem as if it will be anywhere near the standard that the Denison Physics Department was. You never know how good you have it until you don't have it anymore. My other class (best class of my life) is called Research Techniques in Diving which is a graduate level course that covers a wide variety of diving skills in the context of scientific research. I will be honing and perfecting my skills as a diver as well as learning how to properly collect data underwater. I am super excited.

Work:

I will be working Tuesdays and Thursdays in Dr. Glynn's lab where I'll classify marine invertebrates just like last semester. I was accepted for the internship position with Dr. Hammerschlag's shark lab and will spend several weekends (primarily just occasional Fridays) going out on the boats doing who knows what. The schedules were set today and it turns out that I'll have much more free time on weekends than I thought which leaves plenty of time to work in the dive shop on the side if I so choose.

Climbing:

I am now an official part of the UM Climbing Club! It's going to be the best 50 dollars I've spent in a very long time. The money covers my intro lesson, a club jersey, rental gear, a 50% discount on climbing shoes, and 5 months of unlimited access to the largest climbing gym in the state. What more could I ask? I had my crash course this afternoon and climbed for about 30 minutes at which point my forearms were throbbing. No pain no gain, eh?

In other news:

I have an uncle who has been spending a lot of time in the hospital to have a kidney stone removed. Please keep him in your prayers.

Big City Life

Since moving out of the house back in high school, I've been to and lived in a wide variety of places. Each location is unique in specific ways. My very first impression of Miami was back in June when I came for a quick visit. I was blown away by how vast the city spread and by how gorgeous the UM campus was. It wasn't until I drove down from Ohio that I realized how utterly crazy the driving is here: it is absolute madness. The average speed limit is at least 10mph over what the posted sign says, with some cars swerving into small openings at about 90. That would be fair enough, but then you get the old people who insist on driving under the speed limit in any lane they choose and it breaks up the flow entirely.  It's not simply the speed variations that makes driving overwhelmingly stressful, but it's also the sheer number of cars on the road. It appears as if every hour is rush hour and I have a mild panic attack every time I try to change lanes because I'm certain that someone will be swooping into my new lane from the other side or maybe a car will shoot in out of nowhere.  What's more is that Miamians rarely use turn signals here so you never know where anyone is going to go.  It's been too long since I drove through the Bronx to be able to compare NYC to Miami, but all I can say is that trying to drive, attempting to find parking, and navigating the streets (even with gps) is one of the most stressful things I've ever done in my life. If I don't get used to the aggressive and non-courteous drivers, I'm going to go nuts.

Over the course of the week that I've been here, I have been extremely productive and everything really has gone my way. Here is my entire to-do list copied right from my notebook (with necessary elaborations since “Joe” wouldn't make much sense to anyone for instance). Everything here is what has already been completed:

-Find the library to use internet
-Talk to the viola professor about schedule
-Find where to get a parking permit
-Call Rafael about housing
-Call Taylor (high school connection now living in Miami) to touch base
-Choose a bank to open an account with
-Email Dr. DiResta about changing lab time
-Find marine student frosh orientation and sit in on the introduction
-Figure out health insurance
-Find an ASE certified mechanic
-Talk to UM about housing options both temporary and long-term
-Call King Automotive and schedule a time to leave car
-Open Bank of America bank account
-Email Dr. McNeill about adding geology
-Call dive shop for potential employment
-Call Taylor to meet up
-Email Joe who I met in St. Maarten and lives in southern Florida
-Figure out a meal plan
-Put money on student ID card
-Schedule a meeting with marine science secretary
-Turn in tutoring application
-Email Dr. Olson about working in his lab
-Pick up parking permit
-Figure out something for temporary housing until I can move in with Rafael
-Formally add the geology class
-Find classrooms for each class
-Call UPS about package delivery
-Call Andrew about package delivery

Many of these tasks involved a lot of driving or walking thus it took me a few days to get all of this done. That being said, sometimes I could take care of several things in one place. Anyway, for anyone interested, that's what I've been doing here.

In terms of the university, I'm in love. Granted I've only gone to 2 classes, but by and large this place is spectacular. The campus is stunning with very clean, new, and modern facilities, the orchestra sounds professional not to mention it has 12 violas, a gorgeous pond surrounded by palm trees, incredibly friendly and helpful faculty and staff, gardens scattered across campus (I have a thing for tropical flora), and school spirit is at a whole new level. If I leave after one semester (which is still a possibility), it is going to be for something truly incredible. The only thing I have to watch out for is not to be razzle-dazzled by the things listed above; I'm here to check out the school for marine science, not gardens and ponds.

I feel as if I'm right where I'm supposed to be. Sure I have obstacles like housing. Sure I can only laugh about being in classes where everyone's age is 5 less than mine. Sure I get super stressed out every time I get behind the wheel. However, I really believe I'm right where God wants me to be. This was the only school I applied to and the only doors that have closed in my face have been nothing more than sliding doors with motion sensors. I have the strong feeling that I am exactly where I need to be and the amount of comfort that it gives me is astounding.

I'm on a BOAT!

Just to let everyone know, I've been working on Passion for about a week and a half now, 6 days being spent on the boat with guests on board. It's been a lot of work but also a lot of fun at the same time. Would I do it again? With this group, yes I would. One of the things that's easy to forget is that this crew is not typical: everyone gets along. Apparently on a ton of boats, that's not the case.

Unfortunately the best shot I have of the exterior

We've been from St Maarten to St Barths, BVI, and now we're sitting at port in either St Thomas or St John, US Virgin Islands. We moved when I was asleep and so I'm not exactly sure. I get to go to shore relatively frequently as well as snorkel, play beach football with the guests, swim, go tubing, sail the laser, and ride jet skis. Sometimes my going ashore consists of taking out garbage, but at least I get to see more of these islands than those who stay on board. Most of my work consists of rinsing, cleaning, rinsing, and drying off again. I don't think being a deckhand on a private yacht is what I want to do with the rest of my life, but it might be a perfectly viable option to make money for a year or so. First thing's first, and that's getting course selection approval from the University of Miami where, by the way, I have been accepted. Until next time, don't sleep in so late, stop to watch the birds every once in a while, and eat your vegetables. Peace!

Post-date

I threw a post up for the 26th of Feb. I know it's out of order but I forgot that I never wrote about it. I'm working on getting caught up:
Finding Blaskie
Playing for Money
Yacht Life (this probably won't come for at least a week since I'm not going to start working on a yacht until Monday)

The latest news on my life plans are this: try to get into University of Miami to take a semester of oceanography classes. If I decide it's awesome, I'll stay another semester and so on. If I don't like it, I'll get the STCW yachting certification and spend many months on a yacht while I figure out what I want to do with my life. If I don't get into U of Miami, maybe I'll just be a scuba instructor until Christmas time. Or apply somewhere else that's not as good.

3.14

Today marks the completion of 23 years of being alive. Hooray! I made it! I'm feeling a bit older but I still have the world at my fingertips.

I haven't yet told anyone it's my birthday b/c I'm sure that as soon as I do, people will start insisting that I go out and insisting on drinking drinks that they insist on buying for me. It is easier to just let it go and celebrate with people I know when I go home.

Work is going very well so far, exploring the island has not happened yet, I get my first paycheck on Monday, and I'm trying very hard to find a cheaper and better place to live.

As for post-summer plans, I don't have anything figured out yet. I am really considering taking a semester of oceanography courses and then 6 months or a year of working on a yacht to decide what I really love. Yes, it would postpone grad school (if I go - remember it has always been only a possibility, never a definite plan).

Until next time, keep checking back for more, take care, and live your life with a purpose.

School visits all over again

I'm going to try to visit the University of Hawaii today and see if I can talk to some faculty. I went to dinner and a movie with Meg, a friend of hers, and her friend's husband and half brother. It turns out that this half brother, Danny, studies physics at Columbia, is working with engineers without borders in Ghana at the end of the summer, and in the meantime is doing a summer internship in the oceanography department at U Hawaii. What a coincidence! So I got his number and I'm hoping to make a visit to the school today.

I did really well on the dive theory exams yesterday (way better than I expected), picked out the gear that I want to buy, and went for an awesome hike with Meg, finishing up with a short sunset swim at Lanikai Beach. Absolutely gorgeous. I have to figure out how to get to Honolulu now to visit the university.