vacation and American Idol

So today I leave on our (the mission volunteers and our city director's) year end retreat in where else but the sunny Bahamas!!! That's right, one of the benefits of living on the edge of America as we know it is the fact that you can get $40 flights to the Bahamas, or pretty much anywhere else in the Caribbean (except Cuba). So my housemates and I, after living a year of $100/mth stipends will be living in a beautiful beach side hotel in Nassau (that the capital of the Bahamas for you geography buffs). I am so excited, but I can't believe that the year is over.

Luckily, after much searching and prayer and worrying, I have gotten a job offer out of the countless number of resumes that I sent out all over Miami. I could be the volunteer coordinator at a place called Daily Bread Food Bank...it's a Christian non-profit food bank that helps to support local food banks all over the city. I still am going to a few more interviews and will have a week to decide. I am searching for a place to live, but haven't had any luck quite yet. I still wish that I lived in Cincy for that because 1. there were never a lack of rentals available and 2. living expences are a lot cheaper there than in Miami. The same 800 sq. foot 2 bedroom apt that I lived in last year in Cincinnati would cost me almost double in Miami! This city is crazy expensive.

Anyway, I will fill you all in on the details of the rest of my summer adventures later, but for now let me leave you with this: I went to the American Idol Concert kick-off in Ft. Lauderdale! My friend (the contestant) gave me free tickets and we sat close enough to be nearly kicked by Constantine (those of you that sadly watched the show as I did will understand this joke...to the other 99% of you reading I am sorry that this humor evades you). Anyway, the show was awful and we got to meet all of the "idols" after the show and let me tell you that Carrie Underwood is one of the least personable "stars" that I have ever met! She barely holds a conversation before just walking away, and not in a "I'm so cool that I'm too busy to talk with you," but more of a "I have no idea what's going on and would rather be by myself than talk with you" vibe. I guess that's what instant fame would do to me as well, but if it were your first concert, wouldn't you be excited....or something like that? She seemed more like a deer caught in the headlights than an up and coming pop princess....I guess we'll see.