Ruminations From the Front Porch

Ordinarily I'd be typing from my usual comfortable spot in my recliner, but tonight, circumstances force me elsewhere. Right now, our internet at NMSI is being switched or...tweaked...or...um...reconfigured? Pretty much all it means to me is that we don't have wireless on campus tonight. Since I still had plenty of internet related things to do, I couldn't be deterred from using the internet by a minor detail such as no available wireless connection. About 9:30, my buddy Ty and I walked a few blocks to a 24 hour Dunkin Donuts...only to be kicked out at 10 because it was "closing time". That was the first time I've ever been asked to leave a 24 hour establishment. (it took 3 minutes of racking my brain to confirm this)

Returning to the house, I found that some kind soul near here has an unsecured wireless router...so I'm typing from my porch, borrowing the signal. Even though it's the front porch, I'm still sitting in a pretty great chair...one I found on the side of the road a few weeks ago. Thanks to a little dusting, a bit of stubbornness, and a substantial amount of Febreze, this tweed rocking chair makes for some pretty sweet porch sitting.

So I've been sitting here, working on flight itineraries, emailing people, and searching for a replacement for the Saab (an entire post devoted to how it met its bitter end will be up very soon) in my chair, on the porch. And in the past hour or so, I've decided that I'm still not used to Florida. Not at all. This place is so muggy. So oppressively hot. I can't even chew gum without sweating...and it's March. Even though I'm sitting in a tweed recliner that has at best a questionable history, the mugginess that is Florida compels me to sit here shirtless...which I would do if I were in better shape or had less concern for passers by. Alas, I sit here fully clothed and fully drenched.

Yea, so I'm still not a fan of this state...

Even so, I have found Florida's silver lining.

Drumroll......

Publix!

Yep, a grocery store...not the beaches (I've seen better), not the sun (I already have enough freckles for a connect the dots book), and not the culture (cause it's mostly manufactured). But for real, Publix...it's the best thing about Florida...and that's not even a knock on Florida.

For example, today I went into the store and the following things happened:
I saw my reflection in the clean floor
A nice lady gave me a free sample of some kind of great chicken
I saw a ton of buy one get one free deals (including Gatorade and Cheez-its)
I bought bread for $1.30 and a gallon of milk for $2.80
And now the kicker...they have great sushi....I went to the sushi desk, and again, encountered a very kind lady who offered to make me whatever kind of sushi I wanted! So she did...she made my salmon/cream cheese roll on the spot, and it cost me $6

If grocery stores were cars, Publix is a BMW.

Yep...Publix. The best thing about Florida. I think that should be their new ad campaign...shoot I'd even volunteer to be in the ad!

So that's it...now I have to confront the fact that my life has come to spending a considerable amount of time writing about a grocery store...and other inane details. And now you have to confront the fact that you just spent 2 minutes reading about it...