Things I've learned in Miami

We have been in Miami since last Thursday. Josh is recruiting at the Junior Olympic Championships which is being held at the Miami Beach Convention Center. My list of observations are by no means comprehensive, but just a few of the things I have noticed while I have been here.

1. Miami is HOT and HUMID. I know people in St. Louis and Alabama think they have a corner on humidity, but Miami wins hands down. It is usually in the mid-80s by 7:00am with a heat index in the mid-90s. I literally feel sweaty the moment I walk outside. The forecast for the summer months is pretty much identical from day to day... hot with a chance of thunderstorms.

2. Miami is very international. There have been times over the last week where I have felt in the minority as an English speaker. I have heard Spanish, French, and Italian spoken with regularity as I have ventured around the city and Miami Beach. The fashion, food, and lifestyle has an international flavor unlike any metropolitan area I have been in before.

3. Miami reflects East Coast attitudes. By this I mean that most people in Miami drive aggressively (I've heard more horns in the last week than I have in the last year) and they don't go out of their way to be nice or pleasant.

4. The people watching in Miami and Miami Beach is second to none. Seriously. I can't communicate this point effectively without pictures, so you just have to trust me.

5. Women who choose to sunbathe topless may NOT stick to the nude beaches. Enough said.

6. Vacation is a misnomer when Josh is recruiting, even when it is in a place like Miami. This is really not a new revelation to me, but I have been perpetuating a myth by referring to this trip as a vacation. Josh usually recruits for 12+ hours a day at these tournaments... all inside a convention center. And my plans to hang at the pool while he is pounding the tournament floor has been foiled by overcast, rainy weather as well as a nasty cold that struck me on Saturday afternoon. Oh well.