The Further Adventures of an Accidental Ninja

Two days of driving, with a slight stop-over in Orlando to visit a friend and sleep, and I made it down to Miami.

I now live in South Miami, which is technically a different city than Miami, but it falls under one of my general rules about cities: “If it’s all connected by a local metro system, it’s one bloody city.”

So I now live in Miami. I’m in a nice little efficiency, with a little patio, in the middle of what appears to be a one block jungle. Driving up to my new place, it’s nothing but your typical city neighborhoods, all in the South Florida style. As soon as you hit my block, you’re suddenly trekking through the jungle. It’s nice. Plenty of shade, and eventually I’ll stop jumping every time a leaping lizard moves through the trees around me.

That’s right, I have leaping lizards in my yard. They’re adorable.

And now for my report on the trip to reach Miami:

I drove… and drove… and drove. It’s a freaking long drive. It’s not like I had ample opportunities to get out of the car. Don’t you judge me!!! But it did have one highlight:

Wasabi Peas!!!

While getting gas, I took a step inside, and in the middle of every peach product known to man, be they canned bottled or other, I found this huge bag of Wasabi Peas. If you’ve never had this wonder of the snacking industry, I feel sad for you. They’re just addictively good.

Also of note, If you ever have to take a long drive, pick up the audio book version of Sleepless by Charlie Huston. It has a little bit of the detective novel, a little bit of the undercover cop falling too deep into his cover and a little bit of the end of the world. And best of all, when on a long drive, you just don’t feel sleepy compared to all the disease and drug induced insomnia victims of the world Huston created.

Time to sign off, but first: Thank you Florida. Thank you for letting me know, on my first stop in your lovely state, that I’m now living in a land where the wildlife wants to kill me.