From the Pride of Key West to the golf courses of Boca Raton

Wow the last few days have been a whirlwind of emotions and fun.

Sunday we woke up and went to the Key West Pride Parade.  It was a blast to be.  I drove the van in the parade.  It was so cool to see the large amount of people out for the parade.  I saw more men in their underwear than I think I have ever seen.

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One of the things that impressed me the most about Key West that even through its diverse amount of people everyone seemingly got along.  I partied at Sloppy Joes and Hogs Breath beside men and women, straight and gay, and yet all were there just to have a good time.  I loved the fact that all the people there embrace the city's mantra of "One Human Family"


Key West is what I hope for the rest of Florida. A forward focused, progressive, walk-able, semi-independent, multi-industry community made of a mixed income, races, and gender identities.  As I work this campaign I'm having the opperunity to meet the many great citizens that call this beautiful state home.  It's helping me fall even more in love with this state.  (I actually have a tear in my eye as I type this, no joke).


After the parade we explored the small and not so impressive beaches.  Sunday evening, our last evening in Key West, the whole team went to Mallory Square to watch the sunset.  What a beautiful sight!

After everyone was in bed for the evening, well after everyone had wrapped up in blankets on the floor, I packed my bags and headed back to Orlando for class.  I left Key West around 1am.  The drive back to the mainland was beyond anything I have ever seen.  I was the only person on the road, no street lights. The sky was filled with more stars than I think I have ever seen and reached from the sea on one side to the edge of the water on the other side.  I saw a few Key Deer, they seemed more interested in me than I was of them.

The rest of the drive was long.  Towards the end of the trip I began getting extremely sleepy, to the point of literally hallucinating/dreaming at one point.  I stopped and gathered myself and kept driving.  I arrived home around 8am and was finally able to sleep.


I woke up in time for class which was extremely long and boring.  After class some friends came over and we watched the documentary that Michael was in a few years ago, New Urban Cowboy.  Its always fun to watch documentaries with sociologist! lol.  After everyone left I went around to some of my local bar/lounge hang outs and met some old friends and made some new ones.  Tuesday was spent taking showers and dealing with peeling from the awful sunburn I got the week before.  


Today I woke up early and headed to Deland where I picked up some supplies for the group.  Then I headed to Boca Raton.  I love driving the interstate alone, windows down, radio blaring, its so freeing.


We were forunate to have a snow bird loan us her condo overlooking the golf course.  The area is extremely nice, such a difference from Key West.  Here everything requires a car ride.  Everything is spread out, wide roads, little shade, and lots of security guards.  It amazes me how different parts of Florida, and really anywhere, are.


The whole time in Key West I kept getting messages from a German friend of mine who had visited Key West while on a road trip through Florida.  She had seen so much of the state and yet there is still so much to see.  This trip is letting me see many different parts of the state, some for weeks at a time, and yet I am still missing out on so many other places and events.


The campaign itself is like anything within politics, some days are good while others seem rocky.  Overall though I see us making progress as Michael bikes his way out of South Florida and into the rest of the state. I can't wait to see what new treasures this amazing state has in store for me next!