Traffic, Bowling and Pizza

Traffic:

Being back at FIU, going to a church that is kinda far (both meriting the Turnpike), and working by the airport (which requires that I take the Palmetto), I have been spending a lot of time in traffic. A LOT. For most people, I think that would make them nuts. But it's been alright. I get more time to think, or listen, or talk (to others or myself). It's been good. And having come back to traffic last week, after being in Colorado where there is not much of it... made me think about this traffic-ridden city that I call home. You know, I used to hate Miami. I just couldn't wait to get out of here. And then it grew on me, like fungus. Don't get me wrong, I love to go other places. It's a big world out there... But Miami really feels like home. The sticky feeling when I step off the airplane, the rude waitress at my favorite restaurant, the 24-hour Starbucks down the street, the inordinate amount of traffic everywhere I go, the diversity of people, and the fact that I know so many people but never, ever run into anyone I know at the grocery store, the buzz about Castro (dead or alive?), the randomness of rain- how it comes out of nowhere, and leaves just the same or lingers for an entire day sometimes, the beautiful sun and blue sky (which finally reappeared yesterday, after a week of depressing haze: http://www.nbc6.net/news/13308389/detail.html). These are the things that make Miami mine. And then there are the things that make it home: the neat people that I serve and work with at Latin America Mission (www.lam.org), the coolest, most down-to-earth, "seemingly boring&normal but actually funny&crazy" family in the world, some 5-star friends, and honestly, the traffic where God sometimes just speaks to my heart... Maybe more than ever, Miami feels like home. It will be weird one day to leave...

Bowling:

I scored a whopping 43 (and go figure that 43 is including a strike; I still can't figure out how that happened...) Can I just say, wow! I underestimated the crazy moves that could be used to manipulate that bowling ball to get it to go where one wills it to go. Check Yannick doing his thing (sorry it's sideways, I couldn't figure out how to turn it):

Pizza:

While I have cooked a couple things since coming back from vacation (like feta-cheese-stuffed chicken burgers) this would have to be considered my triumphant cooking comeback. See the ingredients for the sauce alone:

Drumroll please... this is my oh-so-scrumptious thai chicken pizza.

We scarfed it hot out of the oven, and watched American Idol. Good times. I can't believe it's down to two peeps! (Go Sparks!!)