Miami + Caribbean Cruise

As some of you know, I recently took a weeklong vacation in Miami and the Caribbean. And the bylaws of this blogspot clearly state that I have to write recaps anytime I go on long vacations, so here goes.

This was my first time to Miami, and we actually spent pretty much the entire time we were there in the South Beach area. As you might expect, South Beach is a very different experience than Chicago (or the Midwest in general, for that matter). Palm trees, sunny weather, hot girls, and flashy cars everywhere - it's somewhat of a shock to the system when you first get there of how "beautiful" everything is.

However, if I had to describe my impression of Miami in one word, it would be "superficial", and not really in a good way. As pretty as everything appears to be at first, I left the city feeling a bit empty and unsatisfied. For example - at first, it sounds great to have sunny weather and 80 degree temperatures every day, but for some reason it didn't really feel as comfortable as I would have expected. Maybe it's the humidity, or the lack of shade and breeze, but it seemed like the same description of "80's and sunny" was about 10x more pleasant when I went to San Diego, than in South Beach. I'm pretty sure "80's and sunny" in Chicago is nicer too, if we ever get there.

The one area that probably most effectively represents Miami in my mind, is Ocean Ave. As Anuj put it, walking down that street is like going to a exotic car show. All you see are Maseratis, Bentleys, Rolls, Ferraris, Lambos - to the point that BMWs and Mercedes almost seem ordinary in comparison. Now, I'm a car lover as much as any other guy, but even I felt a little sickened by seeing that parade of excess roll by.

I found it to be especially ironic to think that all of these expensive cars are built to be capable of top speeds in the hundreds of mph - yet at most given times on Ocean Ave., the average speed on the road is probably under 5 mph - slower than some of the pedestrians walking along the sidewalks. Obviously, the drivers of these cars aren't there to get from one place to another in the shortest time, but that in itself just seems to sum up the culture of South Beach right there. Lots of show, not much substance.

In fairness, I was only there for a couple days, so it's not enough to form a complete opinion of a place. Sorry if I offended any Miami lovers with my evaluation. On the plus side, I did enjoy the food in Miami a lot, and I was particularly impressed by the Lincoln Ave area. Overall, I would say it's a great place to vacation for a weekend, but I would never want to live there permanently. In that way, I think it's kind of like Vegas, except with more beaches and less gambling.

Right after the Miami leg of the trip was our 5 day cruise in the Caribbean. Something you don't see every day is 11 guys getting together on a boat to celebrate a bachelor party, but that's exactly what our group was up to. It seems like these days, everyone else does the Vegas thing for bachelor/bachelorette parties - but most of the guys in our group have already been to Vegas plenty of times, for other occasions. I definitely liked this idea of doing something different, and now that we're back, I can say that it was really a blast for everyone that came. I'd go so far as to call it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Lots of memories that will last for years (mostly positive ones, haha).

The unique thing about a cruise with your buddies, other than the fact that you're living on a boat, is that pretty much everything is only a short walk away. At times during this trip, it almost felt like being back in college for a week. I'd forgotten the convenience of having all of your friends living just down the hall in the other cabins, like we had in the dorms at U of I. And I really enjoyed being able to just walk around the ship and find the other guys scattered in random places - whether it was the buffet line, pool area, nightclub, or the most likely place, casino.

On a side note, it was also a reminder of how much we have come to depend on cell phones these days. I really wonder how people ever managed to find each other and meet up for things before we had cell phones? Especially speaking as the main planning lead for this trip, it was a logistical nightmare on some days just to round up all of the people so that we could get something done.

Anyways, I have to say, being on a cruise is one of the most "efficient" ways to vacation. As I mentioned before, everything is pretty much right there on the boat. You live in a room that gets cleaned twice a day by the staff, there's plenty of activities during the day (pools, waterslide, mini-golf, workout room, ping-pong tables, casino), shows to see at night, bars/clubs/lounges for late night, and most importantly, all the food you can eat. When they drop you off on the islands in the morning, all you need is ready to go at the dock. Beaches are always just a walk or quick bus/taxi ride away, shops and restaurants were usually not far either.

In other words, you never really have to think much about what to do on a cruise. We didn't spend much time (if any) planning on places to tour, fiddle around with maps or travel guides, worrying about transportation, converting foreign currency, finding restaurants, hotels, etc. Once you step onto the boat, it's basically 5 straight days of entertainment, escape, and relaxation.

However, the one main drawback of the cruise experience kind of goes hand-in-hand with that same advantage I just described. With everything planned and laid out for you, the whole trip does become a bit too tourist-y as a result. It's nice that they provide shopping on the docks, and offer pre-arranged "excursions" on the islands, but for me, that kind of takes out the excitement of traveling to new places.

When I go on vacations, of course I love beaches, the ocean, sunny weather, entertainment, all that good stuff. But a part of me definitely wants to also take the opportunity to actually dig in and immerse myself in the place I'm visiting. I love to observe the culture and lifestyle of a place and compare it to the other places I've been to. I enjoy the randomness of being in a new setting, and encountering things I didn't expect or plan on. I appreciate having quiet moments on my own, to unwind and reflect on my thoughts, while getting away from the routines of home.

Honestly, I didn't really get to experience much of that on this trip. We'd get dropped of at an island, and then do pretty much only "tourist" kind of stuff while we were there. The only contact we ever had with locals was when they were hosting or serving us as visitors. I never felt like I was anything other than an outsider, and never got to know and understand the subtleties and nuances of each place. Especially considering the fact that we were never at a given place for more than a few hours before moving on. And while it's nice to have all the amenities provided for you at the beach (towels, people bringing you drinks, chairs and cabanas), it also takes away from the feeling of escape and isolation that I like the most about being near the ocean. It's kind of hard to have a peaceful moment, when you are surrounded by hundreds of other people on the same beach and waitresses coming by to take your drink order ever few minutes.

Having said all of that, I hope it doesn't sound like I'm complaining or that I didn't love this trip. It was, after all, a bachelor party for Anuj, and for that purpose, I think it was about as much as anyone could've asked for. I had an awesome time and I think it was worth every bit of effort and money put into planning. If I were taking a vacation with a gf or wife, then of course I would want things to be much different - but this cruise was the perfect setting for 11 guys to party and celebrate together, and I would do it all over again the same way in a heartbeat.

In closing, I know I say this every time I get back from a trip with the boys, but I always value these opportunities more and more as we all get older. Life continues to change constantly, and over time it only gets harder to stay in touch with your friends. In a matter of a few months, some more of us will be moving away from Chicago, a couple of the guys will be getting married (no, not to each other), and people continue on with their lives in different directions. I can't say enough about just how much I appreciate getting to spend that week with the 10 other brothers on this trip. Pirates forever!

Mother May I

Can't believe it's May already. April completely flew by, but it was really an excellent month in more ways than one. I don't have time to cover all my thoughts here at the moment, but figured I'd still leave some thoughts and notes for the record.

- Leona Lewis - "Spirit" is a phenomenal album. She's got an exceptional voice and great songwriters behind the scenes. It's been a while since anyone on the pop scene has shown this much potential. I'm excited for Leona's prospects in the coming years.

- We strung it out longer than expected, but Sally's finally about to move out in a matter of days. For most of the past month, it has just been me and Sallzz at the townhouse, and I have definitely enjoyed these final weeks with the little bastard child. It's been a joy to watch her continue to grow and learn how to behave (even if she still needs a lot of PB time to keep her in check). I'm not sure what it will be like at the moment I have to say goodbye. I'm sure it will be sad, but knowing that she's going to a permanent home with good parents makes it more bearable in the end. I imagine it will be kind of like a father watching his daughter go off to college, or something like that.

- Attended my first Sox game of the year, a very wet affair against the Yankees. Despite the 2 rain delays, it was one of the best Sox experiences I've ever had. The game went back and forth before a Joe Crede single drove home the winning run in the bottom of the 9th. With a fair amount of NY fans in attendance, it was definitely the most exciting non-playoff game atmosphere I have seen in a long time. When it wasn't raining, the weather was actually really nice. And even during the delays, it just meant more opportunities to gorge on the food... haha.

- People say that gray hairs are caused by stress, and I always figured that it was just one of those things people say, but have no real basis. Lately though, I'm starting to believe it more than I did before. I found my first gray hair during one of the most stressful times of my life, and continued to find them occasionally over the years following that, which were also times when I wasn't in the happiest place. But since then, I realized that I haven't noticed any more gray hairs popping up in a while. When I stop to think about it, my stress level is actually pretty low right now and I'm probably the healthiest and happiest I have been in years. I'm eating fairly well, cutting down on drinking, working out/running semi-regularly, and getting good sleep. Granted, this is a very small sample size and far from a scientific observation, but I thought I'd mention it anyways.

Current Playlist

Haven't posted one of these in a while, so I thought I'd share some of the favorite songs on my top 10 most played songs of the moment:

Miley Cyrus - See You Again

"The next time we hang out, I will redeem myself..."
Sure it's a catchy song, but I think it's stayed on my playlist for this long because she says "I will redeem myself". I have no idea why that line cracks me up so much, but it does. I think it just reminds me of something me and the guys would say to each other while playing sports or video games or whatever.

Good Charlotte - Dance Floor Anthem

"Everybody put up your hands, say 'I don't wanna be in love, I don't wanna be in love'..."
No, I'm not gonna become a hardcore emo-rocker, but I have to admit some of their music is surprisingly well done. Quality song.

The All-American Rejects - It Ends Tonight

"When darkness turns to light, it ends tonight, it ends tonight..."
Some songs just have a strange way of capturing the feel of a moment in your life so perfectly. I can't speak for exactly what the band was thinking about when they wrote the words to this song, but I think they might as well have been listening in on one phone call I had in particular, not all that long ago.

Casting Crowns - Who Am I

"Whom shall I fear, whom shall I fear? I am Yours..."
The lyrics seem a little cheesy at first, but in my mind they sums up so well what it means to be a child of God. Recognizing how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of the universe, but at the same time realizing how much we are still loved and cared for in spite of our imperfections, is such an amazing feeling.

Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar

"He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar, the only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star..."
First Carrie Underwood, now Taylor Swift. Am I turning into a not-so-secret fan of country music? Hmmm... maybe I just love them country gals. Now that you mention it, I did like Shania and Faith Hill too. I must admit that I've always had a thing for girls with Southern accents.

One Republic - Apologize

"I loved you with the fire red, now it's turning blue..."
While I don't agree with the lyrics (I'd like to believe that it's never too late to apologize), this is still one of my favorite songs of the past year. It's another one that's managed to stay on my playlist a lot longer than most songs do. The music carries such a uniquely creepy tone, and I think one day we'll all look back at it as one of the defining songs of 2007-2008. I especially liked how it was used in one of the key moments of an episode of Gossip Girl. Haha - only half joking.

Commodores - Easy

"That's why I'm easy... I'm easy like Sunday morning..."
Had to include some old-school stuff. This song is a perfect example of the phrase, "oldie but goodie". I absolutely love this one.

Britney Spears - Break The Ice

"You got my body spinning like a hurricane..."
A completely mindless song with no meaning whatsoever, that I had trouble even coming up with a favorite line from it. Still, it was my favorite track even last year when I first got the CD. I thought I had listened to it to death at the time, but it's weird how when they start playing it on the radio as a single, it breathes new life and gets you back into the song again.

Flyleaf - I'm So Sick

"So you'll SHUT UP!! And stay sleeping... With my screaming in your itching ears..."
If you ever wondered what a female vocals version of Linkin Park would sound like, wonder no more. Special credit goes to Rock Band for bringing this group to the "mainstream".

Flo Rida & Timbaland - Elevator

"She got a nail kit, she got a hair kit, she got a Gucci bag, brand new outfit..."
One of those beats that gets stuck in my head during the day at work and helps me pretend like I work at a dance club. Only problem is, I can't tell if I'm actually bumping to this song or "4 Minutes To Save The World" by Madonna/Justin Timberlake. I think Timbaland decided his beats were so good, that he could make more than one song out of the same beat and release them at around the same time. At least it's a catchy beat though.

Love Your Mater

"To thy happy children of the future, those of the past send greetings"



As I briefly mentioned before in the last blog entry, a company recruiting effort brought me down to U of I recently for a short visit. After graduating almost 6 years ago, I've been back down to Champaign more than a few times since, the last trip being for the '07 Homecoming weekend. And pretty much every one of those trips has had its share of adventures. Some stories I can share (and have), while others will have to stay classified to protect the not-so-innocent.

This time, however, my trip down to school actually felt much different than all of those previous experiences. A large part of it was probably because I was there on business (and not for wafflemaker hunting), but a lot of little things about this visit made me feel more like an older alum than someone who still kind of fits in with the college students. Definitely a new feeling for me.



One of the notable parts of this visit was staying at the Illini Union hotel for the first time. Like many students, I spent a big chunk of my college years in or around the Union. In between classes, there was no better place to go shoot some pool, grab a bite to eat at the food court, check your email in the computer lab, or find a spot to study/hang out. It was also a common place for job interviews, holding events in the ballroom, or for people to get cold-packs/contraceptives from the McKinley booth (not me of course).

At any rate, I must have walked through the Union at least thousands of times during my 4 years at school, that it was practically a second home. But one part of the Union that I never saw was the 3rd and 4th floor hotel rooms - that is, until now. Some of you may not have even known that there were hotel rooms at the Union, but I'd heard of them before and always wondered what they were like. Well, wonder no more:







As far as hotels go, the Illini Union hotel is pretty average, maybe even a bit below average. It's clean and has all the neccessary amenities, but the rooms are a bit on the small side and the AC/heater is noisy. Of course, it didn't matter to me because I was so fascinated by the novelty of staying overnight at the Illini Union (I'm easy to please like that).

One other thing about the Union that I should mention is that the basement McDonald's is no more! It has been replaced by a Chick-Fil-A.



Out of the 3 big restaurants in that food court, the last one I would've expected to go would be the McDonald's. Yet somehow Sbarro and Rice Garden both outlasted the golden arches. I was pretty shocked.

Whenever I visit Champaign, it seems like the place that changes the most is Green Street. I still remember the days when there was a "CO-ED" theater, dingy little stores that sold records and posters, and multiple Chinese buffets named Yen Ching. Now, the place has been transformed into a pedestrian friendly strip of chain restaurants that I'm guessing would barely be recognizable to an older alum than myself.

This time around, I don't think Green Street changed all that much (although it has only been a few months). The one thing I noticed was that the Legend's sign is orange and blue now (I think it used to be red and green).



My favorite part of the trip, as you might guess, was dinner. I convinced the folks I was with to come with me to Kamakura, one of the nicer places around town for Japanese food. The prices there were always a bit too steep for a college kid to go regularly, but that didn't really matter now that the company was covering the expense. It made me feel particularly special to dine at the Teppanyaki (hibachi) grill side of the restaurant for once, I don't think I ever ate in that section when I was a student.



One last thing about this trip that reminded me that I'm not in college anymore, was picking up a DI (that's Daily Illini, the student newspaper for non U of I grads). The format of the paper has changed to look a little more professional, but what amused me was reading the front page headlines:



I have to say, only on a college campus would you see the top stories be "US Recession May Benefit Environment", and "Bill Aims To Legalize Marijuana".

March Badness

March is always one of my favorite months of the year. It is a time when the winter cold starts to wind down, baseball spring training gets into full swing, and of course the NCAA tourney to spice things up.

Unfortunately, this year we're 0-for-3 so far on those things I just listed. It has been the worst Chicago winter that I can remember in a while, and even as I look at the weather forecast for this week, there's still more snow and single-digit temperatures ahead. As for spring training, I guess I'm cautiously optimistic about this coming season for the White Sox, even though they didn't appear to improve much in the offseason. I'm sure the excitement will hit me eventually, but for now, I'm only half-heartedly following the spring training results. And about the NCAA tournament, well, let's just say this hasn't exactly been a stellar season for Illini basketball.

On top of those things, this March I will most likely have to say goodbye to my favorite sister and my favorite pup. With both of them moving to Minnesota, I will be living in an empty house for the first time since the earliest days when I originally closed on this place. Though I kind of enjoy living alone, and people have already been flooding me with suggestions on turning my place into a bachelor pad, or about what kind of new puppy to get, I'll still definitely miss having both of them around.

Fortunately, it's not all doom and gloom lately - here are a few positive things of note lately:

- Helping my sis pick out a banquet hall for wedding reception is one of the most enjoyable responsibilities ever. Getting to "sample" meals at each place is like a dream come true for me. Now all I need is to get my own show on Food Network, where I do nothing but eat good food.

- Went out to the bars for the first time since the smoking ban went into effect (at least I think it was the first time). It felt kind of weird to leave a bar at the end of the night, and not feel like I was covered in smoke residue. Weird but definitely nice. I could get used to that feeling.

- Normally I don't do the "give up something for Lent" thing, but this year I decided to actually make a commitment, and I am actually very glad that I did. So far it has been a very good experience for me. Even though it was a very small thing to give up, sticking to this commitment has still helped me to see and understand more of the meaning behind the 40-day fast. I'm not sure yet on whether or not I'll continue my "fast" after Easter, but we'll see what happens.

- Heading down to Champaign later this month for a company recruiting thing. If you ask me, it's always fun for a alum to visit the alma mater, no matter the circumstances. This time around it will be on business, so most likely there will be none of the craziness of other recent trips (at least I hope not). By the way, if anyone wants me to pick them up some Pokey sticks or a PrimeTime calzone, let me know. I'll see what I can do.

- Have had my new Nokia N82 for over a month now, and I absolutely love the thing. It's so great to have a camera, mp3/video player, GPS, full internet browser, calendar, etc. with me every time I leave the house, all in one little candybar sized phone. The camera in particular is almost too convenient - I find myself taking pictures of almost everything around me, which I'm not sure is a good or bad thing.

One of the very underrated features I like is the "Nokia Lifeblog" software that came with the phone. Basically, it syncs up all the pictures and videos you take, along with text messages you send/receive, etc., and organizes it all in a timeline format. The first time I saw the results, it was actually kind of startling to see my daily life laid out and recorded like that. But I gotta say it's pretty darn cool to see how much a little phone can integrate itself into your life so seamlessly. I was definitely impressed.

- A few years ago, I wrote in this blog about how I loved the "Fall-Back" part of Daylight Savings Time so much, that instead of doing "Spring-Forward" to get back on track, they should just "Fall-Back" 23 more times throughout the year and give up a day in the process. Well, my thoughts on that have definitely changed. "Spring Forward" (which happens this Sunday, I think), is now a very exciting time for me. I'll gladly trade in that extra hour of sleep if it means more sunshine in the days ahead. Gotta have my sunshine.