florida

Leaving Florida

Jacob Redding — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 22:29:26 +0000

A week ago Diana and I left Florida after spending two weeks visiting my family. She and I are moving to China so I'm not exactly sure when I'm going to see my parents and family again although I don't think it will be too long. We said our goodbyes and wished each other well but I, unfortunately, didn't film any of it. Instead I filmed me saying goodbye to all of the material objects left behind. My guitars, the pool, the house and Jake (but he's not a material object).

Through this video I'm not attempting to put material objects in front of family. This video is mainly a reminder to myself that my life is about to dramatically change. I've sold, donated, or stashed away almost every material object in my life. My entire material life is contained withing 1 suitcase, 1 backpack and 1/2 a duffel bag (and Diana's the same). When I left Florida it all became real my life is changing and there is no going back.

In a few weeks or months we'll arrive in China and begin what essentially amounts to a new life. We'll be living in a new country, new city in a new apartment. Furniture, cookware, appliances, beds, couches, chairs, linens, etc. will have to be repurchased. Our traditions recreational activities will most likely have to be replaced with something new. We will have to find new friends and new hangouts. Our entire lives will be completely turned upside down.

I'm welcoming this change with open arms and I can't wait to land in my new home! China awaits... but first Denver, Colorado and more family in California.

The final goodbye has yet to come...

Train Ride to Florida

Jacob Redding — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:00:11 +0000

The train ride to Florida on Amtrak was awesome although our roomette (Actual name) was rather small. It did, however, have everything that Diana and I needed for a short overnight trip (27 hours) from New York City to Tampa, Florida.

I would definitely do it again!

Jake The Explorer

Jacob Redding — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:09:43 +0000

While I'm overseas in China Jake is staying with my parents. To get him used to his new home I took him outside and left him play in the "yard". He didn't go too far just over to the nearby ferns and then coiled up and settled in.

The climate in Florida is pretty much perfect for him although he does tend to like it much cooler.

The rain in florida

Jacob Redding — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:04:30 +0000

The rain in florida is intense and it comes almost out of nowhere. In about 5 minutes the sky can go from bright and sunny to dark, deary and then.... rain sheets of intense rain just fall from the sky as if a giant bucket was tipped over. I shot this video last night when, in about 20 minutes , several inches of rain fell from the sky.

Today we're helping out the pool by swimming widly and splashing about in the pool to get rid of the "excess" water. Oh florida.

Trains, Swimming and little kids

Jacob Redding — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 01:14:57 +0000

Roughly a week ago Diana and I boarded an Amtrak train at Penn station in New York City. We had just finished packing and cleaning up our house not more than 10 hours before. We shipped a few boxes to China, shipped a few boxes to Florida and took the rest with us on the train. We traveled with three suitcases, three guitars, one amplifier, and two boxes. It took us roughly one month to rid of ourselves of nearly all of our worldly possessions except the items we could not part with (yet).
I kept...

Sent to China
- 1 box of winter clothes (shipped to China with Diana's clothes)
Sent to my parent's house for safekeeping (i.e. I won't see them for a while
- 1 box of books
- 1 box of artwork and my College diplomas (I can't part with Alice's art)
- 3 guitars (Electric, Classic and Acoustic)
- 1 amplifier
Traveling with Diana and I
- 1 Suitcase filled with clothing
- 1 backpack filled with electronics (laptop, f/w drive, digital camera)

Diana has a similar list but that's it. We will arrive in China with just three suitcases and two backpacks between us with a single box of winter clothes awaiting us in China. We have both dramatically simplified our lives by reducing our material possessions and preparing to travel in foreigns lands for the next few years.

Now back to that train ride. We boarded the train in NYC at roughly 12pm on Tuesday July 31st and arrived in Tampa, Florida around 3pm on August 1st. The train ride took roughly 27 hours. We could have flown to Florida in roughly 3 hours but the train was more relaxing, easier and quite a bit of fun. We purchased a roommette, which was quite small but ample, and all of our meals were prepared for us and included in the price! Oh ya, the meals were free! If you buy a room on Amtrak the meals are free (exclusive of alcoholic drinks). oooohhh, I love free meals.

Check out the video of our Amtrak room.

Since arriving in Florida over a week ago my days have been consumed with something of a completely different value. I haven't been "busy" per se but I have been soaking in much valued time with the family. Everyday is filled with talking to, screaming with, running around after, flinging and throwing around, and, of course, swimming with my three year old niece. Of course I've also been spending time with my Sister and brother-in-law as well as my mother and father.

I have a pretty small family and I am the only one that lives far away (recently in NYC and in the future, China) so I have to soak in the family time when I get it.

That's all I have for now until next time!

Back to the city

Jacob Redding — Sun, 11 Sep 2005 07:05:00 +0000

Well after spending a week in sunny Florida it is time for me to return to New York. I spent the last week writing cover letters, revising my resume, lounging in the sun, sleeping late in the day and just generally relaxing. I'm not quite sure what I needed a vacation from but I did need to bring my car down here and I wanted to see my parents. Like normal people they work during the week, unlike me right now, so I had to stay through two weekends so that I could spend a bit of time with them.

OH I did do two really cool things while I was here.

1) We went to Busch gardens. I like that park.

2) I learned how to ride a motorcycle. No really I did.

Well that's it for me. It is time for me to get to bed and jump on a plane tomorrow.

One Last Thing: Happy Birthday Amanda!

France or Frances

Jacob Redding — Wed, 01 Sep 2004 21:49:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I flew out of the country of France and now it seems that a little bit of France has followed me. Of course it has to be in the form of a Category four hurricane known as Frances! Wonderful.

If you have no idea what I am talking about you really should pick up a newspaper or turn on the evening news sometime. Here is a link though so you can get up to speed

Hurricane Frances is not related to nor affiliated with the country of France