I went to Sea World as a chaperone with some of the kids from my high school. It was mostly Biology and Marine Science students and this particular trip had an overload of people volunteer to chaperone initially. I’m not sure what happened, but about a week ago they ended up with too few chaperones. I was not even going to ask to go, but I’m thrilled it worked out. I’m not sure I will ever have another opportunity to go to Sea World for free. ?

Anyway, I’m sure you are much more interested to hear about Manta. It is amazing. I am a roller coaster fan and have never really played on anything quite like this. Besides that jolting second loop, the ride is smooth, freeing, and made me laugh with pure glee the entire time. I rode Manta with a couple of other teachers, one of which was dead set against going when we got to the park that morning. I think she just experienced so much enthusiasm throughout the course of the morning that she got all caught up and in the end she was the most excited person in our group.

I know Sea World is not known primarily for the thrill rides, but I think they made a brilliant move when they brought this one on board. It’s worth the entire price of admission. Well, that and those super cute puffins.

So, Youssef Megahed was acquitted by a federal jury today. This, despite the other student he was riding in the car with when they were stopped and arrested on suspicion of illegally transporting explosives and possession of an explosives device in their car near a military base in South Carolina pleaded guilty earlier.

I ask you, if an American were to be thrown to the mercy of the courts in Megahed‘s home county of Egypt, would they EVER have been given a trial that would have resulted in being acquitted simply because in the end they could not prove he KNEW about the pipe bombs. You know, the pipe bombs that were found in the trunk of the car owned by his brother. And this, even though his “buddy” admitted he was guilty of aiding terrorists.

It is indeed difficult to prove what was or was not inside someone’s head. It’s just as easy to lie.

Now the guy wants to go back to USF and finish his degree. Let’s see how long it takes for him to get caught up in another shady situation.

On the other hand, forever green and flowery Florida becomes even more green and flowery beginning in late February and early March. Trees all over the place have pink and blue and purple blossoms. The oak trees and the maples are putting out astounding amounts of pollen, and new baby leaves. It is, in a word, breath-taking. The overall beauty of Florida increases a hundred-fold in the spring.

As I said, I’m conflicted. I’m miserable, and in awe. I’m achy and tired and bleary-eyes, but my mood is elevated by all of the color and light and fresh outdoor smells. And, I keep reminding myself that before I moved to Florida I suffered through two allergy seasons a year – spring and fall. I was born and raised in the Washington, DC suburbs. Four seasons are nice, but with those additional seasons come additional allergy seasons. I miss autumn, but being able to breath effortlessly throughout the autumn is a more than fair tradeoff.

This year has been very different. We’ve had hard freeze warnings over and over. Most mornings in the past three weeks when I have left for work/school at about 6:30 a.m., it’s uncomfortably cold. I have had to chip ice off of my windshields all too often this year. And the truth is, we just don’t keep ice scrapers in our glove boxes down here! Along the same lines, I have a woefully inappropriate wardrobe for this long stretch of cold. Thank goodness I found a pair of Birkenstock clogs in my closet. My poor feet were getting quite fed up with my insistence on wearing sandals every day.

We had the Superbowl here this past weekend and I felt a little bad for all of the people who made plans to be in town to see the game. I imagine many were expecting a little fun in the fun. Instead, it would have been quite acceptable if they had worn their northern coats and scarves. Don’t even think about the beaches, either. The air coming in from the water makes the temperature feel all the chillier.

And so yes, I am talking about the weather. And as mundane as that might seem to you, this extended period of very cold weather is big news here in Florida.

However, that was a few years back. I’m past my partying days and more concerned with finding fun family activities to do with my daughter this weekend. I have had it in my head all week to go over to Apollo Beach tomorrow. Another cold snap hit town and that means another good time to go over to the Manatee Viewing Center.

I mentioned my plan to one of my friends last night and she asked to come along. The more, the merrier. I mentioned the plans to another friend this afternoon and she reminded me that the traffic in Tampa is horrific right now. This weekend is just going to be insane with the additional people in town for the game and the parties. An awful lot of out-of-towers are clogging up the roads in rental cars. It’s not pretty.

Unfortunately, the quickest route to Apollo Beach is across the causeway and through Tampa. Apollo Beach is just a little south of Tampa. And while it is just across the Bay from me as the “crow flies”, I’m no bird and need to use a bridge. Someone suggested heading south, taking the Skyway and coming back up the other side of the Bay. Yikes, I hate taking the Skyway – it sways!

So, right now I am in flux. I need to call the friend going with us and see if she has any input. The thing is, she rarely does.

It pains me to think of missing this opportunity. The next time I have my daughter for a weekend is two weeks away and I cannot know now if it will be chilly enough to attract the manatees.

*sigh*

The new exhibit at the Orlando Science Center is Grossology. It premiers January 31, 2009

Grossology is actually a phenomenon that started with the book by Sylvia Branzei called Grossology: The Science of Really Gross Things! We use it in the school, because the kids absolutely love it. It’s engaging, interesting, hilarious, and genuinely informative. That book led to several others in the Grossology series.

Now, you can experience Grossology hands-on with Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body at the Orlando Science Center. This is actually the second Grossology exhibit at the Center. Adults and children alike were delighted with Animal Grossology in 2006.Other area attractions might have spinning teacups and pirate rides, but where else can you go down a 30-foot long slide that travels through a 3-D model of the digestive system? How cool is that?

Grossology Exhibit – Orlando Science Center
The Center is open Sunday – Tuesday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and
Thursday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. You can order your tickets online, or call 888.OSC.4FUN for more information.

Unfortunately, Tampa Bay’s adult industry thrives during mass events like the Superbowl. I say unfortunately for a couple of reasons.

First, it sickens me to think of the type of person who leaves their family to attend the Superbowl and then also partakes of hookers and lap dancers. It’s bad enough that men cheat on their wives and girlfriends, but to take the kind of risks using a se worker offers and to spend money on sex in a time when so many families are feeling a financial squeeze is just pathetic.

Also, it is just flat out sad that of all the things Tampa is “famous” for, one of them happens to be our sex industry. The city of Tampa alone has 30 licensed adult dance clubs, adult theaters, live model studios and adult bookstores. It’s pretty much the highest rate per capita nationwide. And, that’s just the city of Tampa.

I suppose one clue to the leniency of our laws might be that no matter where you go in the Tampa Bay area, you can find bars with nude dancers in strip malls right next to family restaurants. There are adult bookstores on the main highways, sitting next to car dealers and office supply stores. There is an all-nude “gentlemen’s club” with a parking lot that bumps right up next to the grocery store around the corner. The zoning here is insane.

Clubs like the Mons Venus are planning on getting as much out of the Superbowl as possible. The cover charge will possible go up to $60, from the typical $20. One dancer there said she made $6,000 in four days during Tampa’s 2001 Superbowl game.

In reality, lap dancing is now illegal in Tampa. This was a huge headline story a few years back. Nude dancers are supposed to remain at least 6 feet away from customers at all times. However, most dancers and most club owners laugh in the face of that law.

Escort services are gearing up for the Superbowl as well. One service is even offering a 10% discount to Super Bowl customers. At $250 an hour or $1,800 for an overnight – I suppose 10% helps. Of course, it could also save someone a lot of money if they would just learn some social skills and find a real girlfriend. You cave to really wonder about the mentality of the customer one escort service owner referenced who is coming into town and hiring an escort for a 7-day stint. Lonely much?

One shining light in the midst of all this filth? Undercover operations have been in full swing for a while now in preparation for the Superbowl. Informants are allegedly in place at pretty much every adult entertainment establishment in the area. So a note of caution to all of you people of questionable morality coming into town, leave enough cash for your bail.

I was just talking the other day with one of the biology teachers about a fieldtrip she wants to take to Apollo Beach and today I saw an article in the paper about the same spot. With all of the cold weather we have been getting in Florida, the manatees are gathering more than ever in places like Tampa Electric Co.’s Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach.

There are reports of as many as 50 manatees gathering in the warmer waters of the Big Bend Power Station this week. The viewing center is located at the west end of Big Bend Road in Apollo Beach, which is on the east side of the Tampa Bay, south of Tampa and pretty much parallel with St. Petersburg.

We also generally have a family of manatees that come to the lagoon in Tarpon Springs each winter. I have not been up there yet this year to see if they have come to visit again. I’ve also spotted them while standing on the pier of the Safety Harbor Spa in Safety Harbor, FL. Those would be easier drives for me, but the situation in Apollo Breach has the benefit of pretty much ensuring that you will see of the many manatees that are there to enjoy the warm waters generated by the power plant.

For one, most people in Florida don’t really own clothing appropriate for very cold weather. I saw kids at school yesterday who showed up in t-shirts and shorts, because they assumed the day would warm up into the 70, like it generally does this time of year. Those poor kids were miserable when we ended up sitting outside on the bleachers for over an hour while the police swept the school after the bomb threat that was made over the weekend. I think I felt the worst for the girl I saw who was wearing a skirt and sandals.

My wardrobe isn’t much better. I realized this morning I only have three pairs of long pants to wear to work. The rest of my pants are Capri length.

We’ve got a hard freeze warning over a good portion of the state for tonight. I live along the west coast, so my immediate area is a small region that will probably only see frost. Our strawberry farmers over near Dover are on full alert, though. A hard freeze is never good for our berry crop.

The tourists I saw over at the beach on Sunday were shocked at the weather. People come to Florida all year for vacations, but in the winter they are especially looking forward to a warm paradise that will allow them to escape the cold at home. We surely aren’t enjoying beach weather right now! If you’re going to enjoy water sports here this week, bring a wetsuit.

Tomorrow we actually have a snow advisory or something along those lines. It could come as far south in Florida as Pinellas County. I know I have seen snow in Gainesville before, but never here near Tampa. I am a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico and if I see this happen I will have seen it all.

Of course, there is the little matter of a bomb threat for tomorrow at the high school, too. Yikes, huh?