10/4/03

Today is likely to be a marathon and my online access runs out at 3 p.m., so I thought I�d better post now.

We spent another night in South Beach. The Friday night scene is quite different than the Saturday night scene. It�s totally touristy and almost every restaurant has the same menu, but it�s such a performance that it�s totally worth it. In addition to the scantily clad restaurant hostesses shouting drink specials at you and shoving menus in your had as you walk by their establishments, there were now also tables of jewelry, bags, sunglasses, bad art, etc. for sale and about 4 times as many people as there had been on Thursday night. There was also some guy promising free drinks if you rented his Seg-way for a half an hour. We dined on seafood and fried plantains and then jumped in the ocean, fully clothed and dripped our way back to a gelateria, which was so outstanding that I�m still thinking about it this morning.

The four of us who went out last night have been friends for over a decade. We have suffered together through the terrors and small humiliations of graduate student life. We now live in four different states and multiple time zones. But it was so nice to be back together as a group � real friends whom, I hope, I will continue to see at least once a year at these things for a long time. There aren�t a lot opportunities in adult life for creating relationships like that, and I find I value them more and more as I get older.

This morning is a stark contrast to the sweaty, neon undulating crowds of last night. I got up to swim some laps and watch the sun rise over the bay, complete with leaping dolphins and boats cruising lazily out to sea. I should enjoy it while I can, because we�ll be in meetings from 8:30 to 5. Tonight we�re attending the conference dinner � a Cuban banquet with a live band and salsa lessons � and a party thrown by our university.

This is probably my last opportunity to post before my return to real life. Happy weekend.

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