FLFL: Rented Baggage in Fort Lauderdale

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FROM A SEP 2006 TRIP

Having spent the last three days in Fort Lauderdale, Florida I just want to say - maybe global warming isn't all that bad - if it holds the promise that someday California's pacific waters will someday be at the same wonderful temperature as the Fort's. I've decided I'm going to do my bit by buying a Hummer instead of one of those retrograde hybrids

The last time I was here around thanksgiving last year, the town was still recovering from Rita (i think it was Rita) with (literally) tons of uprooted palm trees and shredded shrubs, blue tarp covered blown-away roofs and everyone had a story to tell. There's little sign of the damage now: the roads are once again lined wih palm trees - many supported by funny looking splints which give away the fact that they're freshly planted. Not sure who the mayor is but he's probably not named Nagin :) Its a beautiful if quiet town - the bars emptied out by twelve thirty on Saturday night - I'm pretty sure everyone went clubbing I just don't know where - methinks Miami :)

I also finally ended up seeing the musical version of Rent - it was fantastic, large modern theatre, a huge crowd that was totally into it - clapping along with Seasons of Love at the right times and applauding any cast member who worked their vocal chords, we had great seats thanx to my friend Namrata (di) and there was a great encore medley...I'm totally going to check out the Broadway version the next time I'm in NY. One of my favorite lines from the musical is from Mimi the 'fancy'-dancer when she plaintively woos Roger with - "I'm looking for baggage that goes with mine." Witty and disarming at the same time. Why the hell she likes the un-jolly Roger is beyond me .

I'm lookin forward to heading towards Key West soon. I've asked around about why Key West is supposed to be so much fun when it doesn't have beaches. It seems its everything to do with the practice of starting drinking at 2:00pm and continuing till everyone around the pool is in a stupor before heading to the bars/clubs for the night and and hitting the repeat button. I totally get it :)

Here I am : Lifetune: Life, The Universe 'N Everything

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