School books, goodbyes and drug addicted city planners.

Well, the past few days have been a blur. While Le'Rae and her mother were here, we worked on getting the downstairs area of this house liveable for me; and believe you me, that's not an easy task for one as O.C.D. as I am. The place will do until Jeff gets back and we finish everything.

We were also able to get over to the campus and get a few things done. The books are all purchased (one still needs to be picked up) and the campus has been explored. I found a back entrance to the campus from Wards Road (equivalent to U.S. 41). The road practically goes up a sixty degree incline, so that will be fun during the winter when there's ice! I cannot get my parking sticker until the first day of classes because, like all institutions of higher education, they want to make nothing simple and practical. I guess they thought I would have nothing else to do my first day of classes!

I am totally convinced that the city planners for Lynchburg were taking every kind of recreational drug known to man when they designed these roads! Now, I consider myself to be an understanding and lenient person when it comes to the limitations of cities to cater to everyone, but this place is absolutely ridiculous when it comes to roads. I have successfully navigated Tampa, Miami and Orlando road systems. All three of those cities are larger and more hectic than this sleepy little farming town, but yet they are much easier to get around in. Not only will the same road have two or even three different names all at the same time, but the north and south (or east and west) parts of the road will be on opposite sides of town. The roads also have a nasty habit of instantly changing from one road into another just for the heck of it. For instance, Wards Road is also business 29 North, but that's totally OK because back home, U.S. 41 is also called Cleveland Ave. and Tamiami trail at times. State highways sometimes have distinct names depending on the town they pass through. The problem arises when Business 29 North decides it no longer wants anything to do with Wards Road, so it splits off from the thoroughfare completely while Wards Road changes its name to another state highway and then promptly ceases to exist!! If you are on Wards Road/Business 29 North and you know a certain destination is up the road, you would logically assume that when you come upon a highway exchange from Hell, if you take the exit for Business 29 North ramp, you would remain on the road you had been on...WRONG!! You find yourself traveling through back wooded hillbilly-land hearing nothing but banjo music!! Anyway, if you want a visual of what I'm talking about, go to Google maps and look up Lynchburg...its guaranteed to turn your logical little mind into mush!

Anyway, Le'Rae and her mom left Tuesday via Roanoke airport. It isn't fun saying goodbye to your girlfriend for months at a time, but that's life. We will still see each other almost every night thanks to the wonderful internet (thanks Al).

Well, if I don't post anything for a week or more, its because I followed the road signs on my way to the store. I'll probably wind up in Canada or something...

The house

Well, I'm as settled as I'm going to be for a while. We worked all day yesterday and today to get all my stuff inside and thrown somewhere. The downstairs living room (bottom two windows on the right of the picture) is my room for now until Jeff comes back and we get the bedroom drywalled and painted. It will be a nice room once it's done. Until then, things are strewn everywhere. My kitchen downstairs is also waiting for some improvements. The dishwasher down here is broken so Jeff has the old one from upstairs in the middle of my kitchen floor down here. We will replace the broken one for the one that was upstairs. I will take more pictures as things get organized and finished.

Finally here!

Well, we arrived in Lynchburg at about 5:30 after another long day of traveling. I met just one of my 4 roommates, Jonathan. All of my roommates are pilots. Three are flight instructors for Liberty and the fourth will be soon. Jonathan was kind enough to help unload the trailer only 2 minutes after meeting me. We only got about half the trailer unloaded because I have to find room for all my stuff first. My room is under construction so I have to take over the downstairs living room/den. I will have to set up shop here until my room is done in September. The house has a lot of potential and even though its stuck in the 70's, it's not bad. Jeff is working wonders for what he's remodeled so far. I'm hoping that I can be involved in the remodeling process.

As for now, I'm exhausted and need to sleep. Pictures will come soon.

Still on the road...

We are currently driving through South Carolina. The time is: 12:27 PM. Le'Rae is driving my truck while I take a break...although, I'm not sure that I can relax while she drives. At least the sky is blue and we can clearly see the little red trailer that has every one of my possessions in it. I hope to be at my new home by 3:00 or 4:00.

Rain, rain and shredded tires.

Well, Florida gave me a wet and soggy send-off. It rained from the minute we left Fort Myers until we were well into Georgia; with only a half hour break around 2:00. I am so sick of this dumb rain!! Once we got close to Savannah, GA, one of the trailer tires started to unravel! Luckily, we were only 1/4 mile from an exit. We got the trailer to a gas station, unhooked it and went to the local Wal-mart to get the tires fixed. Since it was in the evening, we decided just to stay in Savannah for the night. We'll get an early start in the morning and get to Lynchburg around 1:00 or 2:00. So far my scorpion, Sasori, hasn't died so that's a positive thing. I really hope that tomorrow is a bright and sunny day all the way up to VA. I don't want to have to unload in the rain.

On the road...

Unless you are reading this at an ungodly hour (like before 4:00 AM), I am currently on the road. We are trying to make it to Lynchburg, VA in one day. I know we'll at least get within a few hours even if we don't make it. Today was so busy, I didn't really get a chance to say goodbye to Florida...not that today's weather was nice or anything. At least I could've gotten a nice send-off with a beautiful sunny day.

Shark Week Blues

It's a cruel twist of fate that the week I'm leaving my Southwest Florida home, Shark Week is airing on the Discovery channel. First, I am so busy with all the moving that I'm barely able to watch the specials. They have programs on all day, but still...not very easy to watch when I'm packing up a condo. When I load up the trailer today along with my TV, that will really be a downer.

On top of all that, the realization that I'm leaving my sub-tropical paradise hometown, full of its mangrove swamps, beaches and exciting wildlife, for an almost arctic destination is really depressing. I'm an aspiring shark researcher; and Florida is one of the shark capitals of the world, but yet I have to leave it to achieve that ultimate goal. Why is it that Liberty couldn't have a Southwest Florida campus? It's not easy being an aspiring creationist marine biologist.

P.S. Could somebody record tonight's Shark week program for me?