Gulfport 3

Aug 24, 2012

What a blast I am having!

I spent the morning gathering information about what it might be like to spend more time in Gulfport.  I'm not convinced that this town fits me, but so far I'm enjoying it a lot.

At the library I learned that I can be a literacy volunteer, not in Gulfport itself, but just down the street in St Pete.  I was interested in this program when I lived in Massachusetts, but never got around to going to the training.

At the Gulfport Senior Center, I had a stimulating conversation with the coordinator, Cynthia, about volunteer opportunities, classes I could take (including advanced Spanish) and lead, where I could find a furnished rental for three months at a time, and agencies that might hire me as a home health aide (just a thought I had as a way of helping people).  She is a wealth of information and was willing to spend quite a bit of time with me.

I walked about five miles in the midday sun.  A kind young woman had a table with information about health care services in front of a store, and when I walked by she said I looked as though I could use some water.  So she pulled out a bottle from her cooler and gave it to me.  I wonder what I have written across my forehead that makes people want to do things for me.

That night I went to a Tampa Bay Rays (baseball) game.  OMG - what fun!  I'd been communicating with a guy, Dave, from plentyoffish.com, a dating site, and he invited me to go with him.  He's a season ticketholder and knew just where to park and how to find his way into Tropicana Field.  This stadium is IMMENSE, totally enclosed, and air conditioned at a constant 72 degrees.  We got free Rays t-shirts, free sodas, and he bought me a Kayem hot dog (my fave - the last thing on my Must Eat List).

The sights and sounds were larger than life.  I was reminded of the year I lived on the Fenway in Boston while getting my MBA.  Fenway Park was directly behind my apartment, and I could hear the announcer's calls, the organ music, the cheers, everything.  Only this night I was part of the action.  It hardly seemed to matter (to me) that the Rays lost because there was so much going on around me, e.g., Dave and other season ticketholders talking about baseball and stats and trades; recorded sounds to get people to cheer, electronic signs (I saw that the Red Sox beat Kansas City).

After the game, we stayed for the concert by O.A.R., right in the stadium.  The acoustics were poor, though, and we left after three songs to go to Ferg's, a huge sports bar.  I found a beer that I like, Yuengling.  It's different from Imperial, but it has a nice flavor.  On the way home, Dave put the hood down on his 1989 red Mustang and we enjoyed a beautiful ride.