How is it possible that as I sit in the 57 degree Florida sunshine that I miss Ohio State and its 4 degree misery?

I’ve realized that I miss the sites and the faces that make up my daily routine at school. From seeing my breath when I walk down the steps out of my hall, to the Catfish Biff's "Open" light flicker on until 4 in the morning, to unbelievably awesome people that live on my floor who are always available whenever I need them. (or for the most part)

But regardless, my Christmas break in Florida has been awesome. I've seen most of my friends from high school, ate like a pig (and am still continuing too), and even got a chance to go to Disney World! And for all of you Ohioans, you'll enjoy this: we are supposed to get a cold front in the next few days-- you know like some 49/52-ish type weather-Burrrrrrr, time to whip out the jackets and boots. Most of my friends think I'm just being obnoxious when I wear flip-flops and shorts while they're bundled in their hoodies and jeans.

But oh man, I cannot wait for the rest of my break: Christmas, more food, and a trip to Puerto Rico- in that order (especially the food!). I'm so excited to leave for Puerto Rico and see some of my relatives. I might have mentioned this earlier, but I am half Puerto Rican. Yeah, not many people would notice it with my new coat of Ohio paleness and my horrific Spanish accent. But I just say, who cares how it sounds, as long as you can understand me. So just wait readers, in a few weeks, I'm going to have pictures of scenic beaches and natural wonders. But you all will get the last laugh when I have to go back to your native land in 3 weeks and get slapped in the face by a negative wind chill. That's going to be awesome.

So as I finish this note I would like to say Merry Christmas and I hope Santa is good to everyone. Oh and of course, Feliz Navidad!

Posted by Dare_to_Explore at 2:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So I just got home from my first quarter at OSU. There were ups and downs, awesome football, and I feel like a changed person- in a good way. In just those first few months, I feel like I have learned so much about life from interacting from different people, from all walks of life. I also feel like I know so much more about the great state of Ohio, from its predominant sports franchises to its hospitable people. Also, living by myself, I have developed a new sense of independence and comfort within my new environment. And of course, my favorite thing....... SNOW! I don't know if I mentioned this earlier, but when I saw snow for the first time, I completely went crazy. I caught myself staring at it, watching it fall, as it spun effortlessly and touched the inviting ground below. I think everyone on my floor became annoyed with my curiosity for this falling perplexity. I just could not, and still have trouble, understanding how small little balls of white can form into giant piles of awesome snow. I mean, I've survived through quite a few hurricanes, and I cannot imagine all that rain piling up and creating walls of water. Furthermore, everyone thought I was stupid when I asked how does everyone prepare for the floods? To clarify, I thought that when the sun came out in the spring, all the snow melted at once and floods rushed through the midwest. Yes, I am a foolish southern boy.

So now I am home in the beautiful 75 degree weather that I like to call Orlando, Fl. Sure I miss that awesome snow, but nothing compares to waking up and looking out my bedroom window and seeing bright sunshine and palm trees. Sorry if this is painful for all your Ohioans to read. I'll be back in about 4 weeks and then you can here me mope about the lack of sun.

Hope everyone has a great Christmas break and I'll return soon to let you know of my adventures.

Posted by Dare_to_Explore at 2:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There is nothing better than Thanksgiving turkey. I don’t know what it is, but for some reason, but turkey just tastes a lot better when it’s surrounded by the aroma of stuffing, mash potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Needless to say, I had an eventful Thanksgiving break, on and off the dinner table.
On the Friday after pounding Mr. Turkey, I met up with all of my friends whom I haven’t seen since I left for Ohio at Paneras. As I sat there and “caught-up� with everyone, I tried with all of my physical capability to pull my T-shirt sleeves and shorts up in order for the Florida sun to grace my pale body with its rays. Sadly, I was unsuccessful and still look the same. Later that night, my buddies and I hosted an Alumni Tailgate at our high school football game. We were playing one of our rivals Boone, and this time we were 10-1 and on a mission for the state championship. Unfortunately, it was if the team played bad because I was used to failure, and we lost 17-7. It was tragic.
For the rest of the weekend it rained, which created a perfect time to catch up on my sleep. It felt wonderful; I haven’t had a solid good night sleep in a while.
And now, as I sit in the Orlando International Airport, I begin to think of the next two weeks and oh *gasp* finals! Ugh, this is the one part of the school year that transforms my calm and collected mindset into a completely stressed out and insane tornado of worry. Let’s just say, I’m that kid in the corner that stays up until 4 in the morning while trying to memorize everything while drinking 3 Mountain Dew Monsters. Thank God that finals week is only a week, or else I might go crazy.

Posted by Dare_to_Explore at 4:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)