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Florida

2/19/2016

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FIRST THINGS FIRST. THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS IN FLORIDA

Volunteering in Palm Bay

I was back at it again with Habitat for Humanity.  I get the feeling that it will be a theme for this last leg home.

Adventures in Palm Bay, Cape Canaveral and Pensacola

Florida gave me a gift that I hadn't anticipated.  I didn't realize how much I missed seeing palm trees and that I haven't seen one since I was in California. 

It's flat here man. Seriously flat. It makes Nebraska look like the Rockies. 

I tried to watch a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, but it was scrubbed due to thunderstorms each day that I was in the area.  It ended up launching the day I left for the panhandle.  It was a SpaceX rocket - not the one that they successfully landed recently, though.

SpaceX launched and landed a rocket vertically recently.  If you haven't seen the video of their attempt to similarly land a rocket, vertically, on a platform floating in the ocean, here it is for your viewing pleasure:

WATCH THE EXPLOSION AT THE END
I also managed to find my way back onto the golf course with the fun part of the family in 80 degree December weather. 
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Only in Florida. ​
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It was about time that I got to meet two of the funnest (of my 53 2nd cousins - ask Tracy if that is actually right).  Eric and I had an awesome margarita "date" that peaked with watching some very talented individuals "singing" karaoke.
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I was also able to meet some Delta Chi brothers from Troy University.  I am always amazed by how deep the brotherhood runs and by the amazing people that it has put me into contact with.

One of my favorite memories of my entire trip was a meet up that was arranged with Bobby Dewrell, John Farris and a few beers over some great conversation.  The two men are special people, but the circumstances were plain.  It was just a couple of beers, some pizza, a Christmas parade and a chat about life.

I realize now, looking back on the trip, that it became so much more about the people that I was meeting and less about the things I was seeing, or the experiences that I was having.  The people made the trip the amazing experience that it evolved into.

And it, like so many other parts of the trip, happened because of random luck. chance.    

I made the Facebook page for this trip, which was shared by a local fraternity alumnus.  It was seen and by a former fraternity national president, Steve Bossart.  He invited me to stay with him while I was in Cleveland and put me into contact with another former national president of the fraternity, Greg Hauser.  He eventually put me into contact with Jim Marascio, the head of the fraternity national education foundation, who called Bobby Dewrell and arranged a place for me to stay within 5 minutes of meeting me for dinner in Charlotte, North Carolina.

That is a big lesson I learned on the trip: asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, but refusing it is a sign of stupidity.  

See you in New Orleans
0 Comments

    Thank You Wilson Family

    I hope that I get to see the fun side of the family again soon!  I loved being able to finally meet you all and be ridiculed constantly by Kenzie.  

    Thanks for the styling tips

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    Thank You Dewrell Family

    I am so grateful for the "parade that you threw just for me" which shut down the whole city.

    It was a pleasure meeting your family and John Farris. I'm glad that Jim was able to connect us and thankful that you were able to put a roof over my head on such short notice.   

    Hopefully, I will be seeing you all soon. 

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