It's Not Dead

So I've been tardy in writing posts for the blog, obviously, since the last post was quite a few months ago. However, I'll be writing a few posts this coming week detailing my past few months in Miami, and my future plans. Stay tuned.

Biking Home from South Beach at Night

The title says it all. After spending the afternoon meeting intelligent, genuine, people in South Beach, I biked home and decided to snap some pictures.

 Miami Beach Marina

 South Pointe

South Pointe Beach

 More of South Pointe Towers

Classic South Beach Photo: Ocean Drive

Some Miami Art Deco for You

Lincoln Road & Collins Ave

 Miami Skyline from Venetian Causeway

The Key to Meeting Good People: Talking

I do believe I'm breaking out of my "it's hard to make good friends" rut. Lately I've been meeting cool people just about everywhere I go...and the key to meeting these people, just talking to anyone who seems interesting. Also, not being afraid to go out on a limb and invite them to hang out.

Today was a perfect example of just talking to people. 

Case 1:
-I had today off from the restaurant, so I decided to work on my tan and relax at the beach. I put down my gear and listened to some music and just decompressed after a long stretch of work. Two young guys were sitting near me. I asked them to watch my stuff while I went swimming, and one of them made a comment about my mate, the Argentine tea beverage that I was drinking. We ended to talking for the next hour at the beach about life in Miami, etc. They're brothers, one attends the U of Miami's law school and the other is a freshman at UNC Chapel Hill. Long story short, we all decided to head to Monty's Raw Bar for happy hour and spent a total of 4 hours talking about life, religion, growing up, and many other things. I exchanged numbers with the guy who lives in Miami and we're planning on hanging out sometime soon.

Case 2:
-While waiting in the line to get oysters at Monty's, I started talking with this guy next to me about local happy hours. He turned out to be a local Miami resident who's since moved to Miami Beach with his girlfriend and runs his own legal services company. We talked about running a business, the changing of Miami neighborhoods, and the South Beach lifestyle. Seeing as I'm really lacking male friends and  extremely hard to meet genuinely cool guys in Miami, I decided to just ask the guy straight up if he'd ever want to hang out sometime. He gave me a business card and said to shoot him an email to set up a happy hour hangout with him and his girlfriend.

So, my friends, that's how you go about meeting people. I've always considered myself an outgoing person, but these two experiences today were a bit more outgoing that usual, but both turned out great.

Long Summer.....

Everyone in Minnesota, or the North for that matter, is familiar with the phrase that is uttered many times every October and November:

*sigh* It's going to be a long winter *sigh*

The other day, while at work, one of the native Miami residents that I work with uttered, with the same tone of despair in his voice:

*sigh* Jeez, it's sure gonna be a long summer *sigh*

I couldn't help but laugh when I heard him say this. People here dread the long, hot summers just as much as we dread the long, cold Winters in Minnesota. It'll be interesting to see how these next four months of oppressive heat affect my body and mental health. 

Should I need to stay cool while in the heat, I plan on wallowing