Hurricanes derailed our Florida vacation plans twice back in November, but we still managed to swing something. Ended up heading to Key West for Halloween with friends, and spent a few days after in South Florida with family.
Key West was for bars, boats, pools, sunsets, seafood, ghost tours, and countless wild chickens. In essence, the parrot head life.
South Florida was for getting time in with the ones I love most, but see the least. Getting to watching my nephew’s personality take shape. Seeing Mom and Dad the happiest I’d ever known them now that they’re grandparents. Attempting to teach my brother how to properly make a drink, but absolutely failing to reach him. Getting to know his partner Olga, and sharing a few late night laughs. Thankful to be able to do these things, faintly stung that I don’t do them enough.
Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes by Jimmy Buffett
Odd fact, I know more words to Jimmy Buffett’s songs than I can even believe. Obscure songs even. Before my family lived in Florida, we’d vacation there, nearly every single year. This meant Dad driving the approximate 1,300 miles from Illinoise to Estero Island, listening to Jimmy Buffet cassettes, non-stop. One man’s hell is another’s paradise I suppose. Gotta say though, it puts a smile on my face imagining my Dad’s state of mind brightening one mile at a time, as the Illinoise winter receded further and further into his rearview mirror, and wearing out those songs about boats, beaches, and bars.
Jacarandas painting our street purple. A first Easter with my Nephew. Yachting on the Intracoastal. Catching the solar eclipse fever. Hikes and bike rides. Cocktails in San Diego. Music in Pasadena. Collecting miles at Disney and Universal. Poolside birthday donuts. This was Spring.
World Sick by The Broken Social Scene.
Finally got meet my nephew Preston in person, just as he passed his 5 month mark. Of course the first thing I did was look him straight in the eye and deliver this classic line from Uncle Buck. I can say with confidence that pictures and videos of his little arm and thigh rolls are no supplement to actually squeezing said little arm and thigh rolls. He’s a curious, handsome, and charming little man who took no time to steal our hearts. Looking forward to seeing this little guy again in a few months time for his first birthday and getting a good look at the Gulf of Mexico together.
Just like that, my one and only brother Joey and his partner Olga, had a son. Turning my parents into grandparents, and me into an uncle. Technically and emotionally I already was an uncle, but this time around it’s by blood.
I’m excited to see our family growing. Excited for my mother and father’s dreams to come true. Excited to make this little person laugh and teach him anything I can along the way. Most of all though, I’m excited for my brother’s future.
Finding direction is a hard thing for any of us, and my brother is no exception to the rule. Over the years, it seemed like more often than not his compass pointed him adrift. But now, now he has his North Star. One that shines brighter and points truer than any compass needle ever could. This thought brings me a lot of peace, and I couldn’t possibly be happier for him.
Welcome to the world Preston James Smith. Looking forward to meeting you in just a few months time.
Family in Florida. Friends in LA. Lazy rivers in Palm Springs. A train ride along the Pacific. A hurricane warning in Los Angeles. Endless bands in Chicago. This was summer.
Wooly Mammoth by Local Natives
Fall was a welcomed change of pace after a summer of relentless travel. We only took off from LAX once all Fall, which has to be some sort of record low for us.
There was a week in Florida. Our first stop being Estero Island, where my family has made memories at since I was six months old. Our first time back after a string of hurricanes devastated the island a couple years ago. Still hasn’t fully bounced back, but I was grateful to get time in with the ones I love disproportionately more than I see. Seeing how fast my nephew Preston is growing is a blaring alarm for me to remember take pictures with him, and hell did I really strike out there on this go around.
After Estero, we drove a few hours north to visit where Alexis scattered her Mom’s ashes, and then we had few more nights at St. Pete Beach. Our main activity there was speculating if we’d get a good sunset or not. Alexis says she feels a lot of peace when she’s there. Can’t say I disagree.
Beyond all that, there were some bike rides. A four day stretch of jury duty that included self-guided architectural and food tours of downtown Los Angeles during our hour and half lunch breaks. A rare show where I not only knew every word of the headliner’s songs, but also of the opener’s. Then of course there’s Mike’s 40th. We celebrated with an immersive theater experience through… Hell? Not sure I’m nailing this description but it was very weird, very cool, and very Mike.
We capped things off with a visit from Alexis’ sister and her kids for Thanksgiving week. They’d never spent time in Los Angeles, so Alexis went all out showing them around. Everyone had fun, and I like to imagine the kids got a small taste of the world outside the confines of their hometown. Even if it takes some time for the seed of what that means to germinate. The honest highlight of their visit for me though, was exposing Micah to the greatest video game ever made, Shadow of the Colossus. It holds such a place in my heart that introducing it to the uninitiated feels as monumental as prometheus gifting fire to man. They liked it.
For the most part, it was a tame Fall, and that sat fine with me.
On Your Porch by the Format