Early

Posted by on May 24, 2004 in Journal

Houma, LA It’s 2 PM and I’m sitting in a huge screened in porch at a beautiful home in Houma, LA. This is the house where I’ll be staying tonight and interviewing the homeowners. They graciously offered to put me up without even talking to me before. How great is that? I learned of them through a friend and fraternity brother. He set it up and here I am. The television is turned to mother nature. I am sitting in a lounge chair with my laptop on my bag. To my right is a running fountain (again, the water). Outside to my right is another fountain and numerous bird feeders. The chorus...

Read More

Southern Hospitality

Posted by on May 23, 2004 in Journal

Fairhope, AL I’m sitting in a co-workers home office from the Mobile branch. I ended up coming over to Fairhope, AL last night. Fairhope is a small town across the bay from Mobile. If you’re looking o the map, look at the top of the Gulf of Mexico and you’ll see the bay. As I got into town last night at about 7, I was taken back a few years. I made the turn and drove down a four lane slit highway with the greenest grass I’d seen in a long time lining the middle and each side of the highway. There were trees all up and down the side of the road as well. After being in...

Read More

Driving

Posted by on May 22, 2004 in Journal

Pensacola, FL It’s not even dinner time and I’m ready to crash. I just drove close to 500 miles from Clearwater Beach, FL to the Kinko’s in Pensacola. I woke up this morning at the hostel in Clearwater Beach. What a location. It is 2 blocks from the beach and I was surprised to find that it was across the street from the restaurant Kevin and I ate at on Thursday night. The location was great, but I did not sleep too well last night. I checked out of the hotel at 11:10. This was ten minutes late and the maid knocked on the door right at 11:00. I was piddling around sending...

Read More

Out of Florida

Posted by on May 21, 2004 in Journal

Tampa, FL I’m sitting in a Hampton Inn in Tampa. My first hotel experience of the trip has been nice. I holed up yesterday and hit the gym, pool and laundry. I’m now ready to head out on the road again. I have to be in New Orleans on Monday for an interview. That’s a bit of a trip, and it also means that my stint in the state of Florida is over. What a place. If you’ve never been to south Florida, go somewhere. Fort Lauderdale is a party and the water taxi incredible. Miami is huge and South Beach is worth a look. Tampa/Clearwater is a great place. Just don’t pull...

Read More

The Law

Posted by on May 20, 2004 in Journal

Tampa, FL Yesterday was one of those days when I felt like a black cat had crossed my path. It started off well enough with a 7 hour drive from Marathon to Tampa. I was coming to Tampa to meet a boyhood friend of mine, Kevin. He was coming here for business and we were to meet for golf and some catching up. The drive out of Marathon was gorgeous. The bridges of the Keys cannot be topped. The 7 Mile Bridge, which, you guessed it, is a bridge that is 7 miles long. I think they filmed the end scene from True Lies (with Ahnold) here. You drive with the blue ocean water on both of sides of you. I...

Read More