I'm updating from my BlackBerry, as I chose not to pack my laptop despite wifi access, so please excuse my typos. I'll make sure to fix the ones I don't catch in the posting process when I'm back home and on a more normal keyboard.
Right now, I'm in Key Largo, FL. I've been here since Christmas. Pretty sweet, right? The weather is all-around incredible, staying around 80 degrees and sunny. We've been involved in interesting activities like snorkeling (this morning, which wound up being a resounding failure), swimming with dolphins (yesterday, which was one of the better experiences of my life to date), and eating way too much protein because these people generally don't understand the concept of pasta. It's all fish, burgers, and steak. Sometimes chicken. Anyway, the other major bummer is that there aren't really beaches in the Keys. Man-made canals of ocean water go in between every street off of Rt.1 and the ocean, bay, or Gulph of Mexico reach right to the rocky coral remains at the end of the foliage on either side of the islands, never tapering off to a soft spot to spread a towel. On the other hand, it's really cool how basically every house or building not on the main highway has its own dock.
Of course, Florida hasn't been my only adventure since my last update, which is part of why this is a public post for a change.
I totaled my car.
Ugh, I hate the way that sounds/feels/looks.
Ok, so I wasn't really the one who had anything to do with the damage that makes it more or less totaled (keep in mind that I'm saying this without hearing from my claim agent about the verdict yet... But I should know for sure by the end of the week). The first portion of the damage on my car was due in part to the ice coating the roads at 4am on December 24th and the fact that my neighbor at the bottom of the hill from me/the rest of town feels the need to keep a Private Drive street marker sign at the bottom of his driveway. Thanks, buddy. It's cool though because when I missed a tree and the decent embankment to a creek in my swerving, I also completely took out his mailbox.
That was only some of the damage. 2 hours after I left my car stranded on this guy's lawn, another neighbor 360ed down the same hill on his way to work and totally took out the back end of my car, pushing it another 10-15 feet into this guy's yard and completely on top of a small tree that, I hope, recovers from several hours bent 90 degrees almost at the roots under my car before it was towed.
The interesting twist to the story is that, if Josh weren't with me, I would probably be dead from airbag impact from hitting the tree we barely missed. Not only did he direct me to downshift into first gear instead of braking, like my instinct told me to when my speedometer started creeping up inching down the hill, but he was the third steady hand on the wheel turning at the last second and only completely fucking up the rear oassenger side wheel, tire, and axle. So, um, thanks Josh for saving my life and shit.
The adventure actually got more harrowing because it took us a half hour trying to cross icy yards and driveways up the other end of the hill to get back to my house (he crashed on the couch due to driving conditions). I still have a bruise on my right knee from one of my several hard tarmac spills. Note to self: when the roads are an ice rink, don't wear flats to look cute. Go with the more basic instinct to wear Uggs so when you give up and try to crawl across a driveway with barehands and your knees get soaked, at least part of you is still warm.
To add insult to injury, my loving and wonderful father gave me another New York winter survival kit (windshield de-icer, windshield washer fluid that won't freeze, lock de-icer...) that I opened not 24 hours after my awesome adventure. Oops.
So I hope that clears up some questions as far as my facebook status regarding poor Lesbo. I'll add more details probably in another friends-only post about the Florida trip when I'm home since tomorrow we're going to Key West! WILD KITTIES WITH 6 TOES!
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