Summer in Michigan

"You don't realize what you have until it's gone." For a long time, there, I thought this was only what girls must have thought after they broke up with me. But after living in Vero Beach for nearly 8 months now, and traveling back to the Great Lakes State in June, I realized that the phrase might be applicable to more than just the regrets of the women I've ever went on a date with.


I don't think you can't fully appreciate the things you encounter on a daily basis. At some point, no matter how hard you consciously try to not take things for granted, you start to get numb to the senses you experience day in and day out.

My most recent trip back to Michigan was enjoyable on many levels. I was able to catch a Tigers game, hang out with the family for a weekend at Mackinac Island (one of my favorite places), and spend a little time back home in Flushing. The trip went WAY too fast.

To get back to my initial point, I realized how freakin' sweet Michigan can be. Even Flushing, which has nothing out of the ordinary going for it, is absolutely beautiful in the summer. Jogging back at home was one of the more enjoyable parts of the weekend. Northern Michigan, however, has to be one of the most underrated places on earth. Nothing holds a candle to Northern Michigan in the summer. I can't wait for August when it looks like we'll be making our annual camping trip.

A note to all who make my blog your homepage, I'll be making a trip back home the 4th of July weekend with no plans. Seems everytime I come home I have big plans. I'm looking forward to coming home for a few days and just doing whatever.

-Cush

The fam and I in Mackinac immediately following a race I ran (hence my stylish garb).

Florida, flying, and other happenings.

There's a reason why they call this the Sunshine State. The weather here has been crazy good, and has allowed me to fly much more than I would have ever been able to back home. So far, in the 5 months I've been here, I've turned my heat on twice and the a/c on twice.

I absolutely love my job and the people I work with. My students have all been great and fun to work with. Below are a few pictures of me with a couple of my first students. Both these guys are bound for the Nigerian Air Force.


Mamman and I

Bolaji, Me, and Mamman

A perk of living in Florida is being so close to so many MLB spring training sites. When my sister and her family came down on vacation, we caught a Tigers game in Lakeland. We couldnt have asked for a better day than we got sitting out in the outfield grass. Miguel Cabrera hit a HR that sailed over my head by no more than five feet. I had my glove ready and everything.

Me n Tess!

The only negative thing I can say about my job is that, at times, work has been pretty slow as I had an extremely low student load. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a glass half full kind of guy(well, you know now). So I decided to take advantage of some of the extra time I've had. You know how the saying goes...when life hands you lemons, I say you go to mardi gras (or something like that). Matt Cuttitta lives in the shadow of downtown New Orleans, literally. So I decided to make the drive to the Big Easy and met his brother Tony for the final and biggest weekend of the celebration. Matt's an engineer for Shell and scored tickets through his work to a party with a balcony over Bourbon Street. For those of you who don't realize the significance, that's like scoring box seats to the World Series.

Matt, Tony, and I.

Me on the balcony over Bourbon St.

Well, that's it for now. I'll be in town from April 10th-13th if anyone is interested in meeting up. I will be spending a majority of that time in Detroit as that is opening day weekend.

-Cush