Having the weekend to embrace life is a blessing. In previous jobs, early Saturday mornings made Friday night festivities difficult, and my Saturday afternoons consisted of never-ending naps to compensate for lack of sleep-in time. In my current job, I am off every weekend, and I certainly jam-pack as many activities and adventures into one weekend as possible. Of course, my weekly endeavors also focus on similar feelings of triumph and an attitude of "carpe diem." However, having three nights and two days of play is something I will never want to lose.
This weekend marked the FIRST South Florida Spikeball tournament at Deerfield Beach hosted by two of my friends! If you have never heard of Spikeball, you MUST pause and watch the following video to learn the basics behind this fast-moving, dive-inducing, incredible game:
This weekend marked the FIRST South Florida Spikeball tournament at Deerfield Beach hosted by two of my friends! If you have never heard of Spikeball, you MUST pause and watch the following video to learn the basics behind this fast-moving, dive-inducing, incredible game:
The Official Rules can be found here, and I encourage you to explore the option of playing Spikeball further if you haven't already. I was first introduced to the game when I worked at a Physical Therapy clinic in New York a few years ago, and it disappeared from my life until its magical reappearance in recent weeks. The void of Spikeball was filled by Kan-Jam, which I am certainly suffering withdrawals from (I will be introducing my fellow South Floridians to the game ASAP). I was thrilled to find out South Florida Spikeball (click to "LIKE" the page on Facebook) would be hosting its first tournament and spread the Spikeball cheer to anyone I met--regardless of if they've played before or not. My friends did an amazing job of pulling together Floridians from local southerners to residents of the Orlando area! Despite morning rainfall, the beach and sky offered us pristine weather for pool play, followed by elimination tournament. Everyone had a chance to play multiple games, and the winners are going to the 2015 USA Spikeball Roundnet Regionals-Southeast. Future tournaments will certainly exist, and I cannot wait to participate (and brush up on my skills to advance further).
After an epic morning of beach Spikeball and volleyball (with intermissions of dodging jellyfish in the ocean), I headed to the Wynwood Art District in Miami for the monthly Art Walk. The second Saturday of every month, Wynwood Art District keeps its art galleries open late, and a myriad of vendors flood the graffiti-filled streets. There was a slight underlying aura of chaos in the streets, however, due to the massive crowds. In the smaller, private "Secret Garden" area, live artists and less crowded vendors were present. I felt the vibe was more relaxed and felt creativity flowing through the walls as we were surrounded by deep house beats and blacklights. I especially enjoyed the neon body paint by professional makeup artists, and my dear friend's life mandala painting. Overall, I feel I can better appreciate the art in Wynwood during less crowded times and with more daylight, but play to return to Art Walk when I can arrive earlier and stay later.
The weekend was topped off by another dive with my scuba buddies! Two of my girl friends I got certified with are as enthusiastic about scuba diving as I am, and are also extraordinarily comfortable in the water despite us being new divers. We went out with our friend and his family's boat again, with plans to do a 60-foot wreck dive, but someone stole our spot so we had to detour to a smaller, not-as-scenic wreck. Nonetheless, I tried out my new Atomic Aquatics BladeFins, Atomic Aquatics Frameless Medium Mask, and EVO Elite 3mm Wetsuit! Overall, I felt the BladeFins were not of incredibly superior quality, though I did notice their push in the water. They were uncomfortable (perhaps it was the 5mm EVO high-top booties? The foot pocket? The fact that I chose the blue fins? I'm not sure) and actually slipped off my narrow feet a few times in the water, requiring a few adjustments (a problem I've had in the past with rentals). The wetsuit was PERFECT with a great stretch throughout the neoprene extremities, and it kept me warm in the deeper water. The mask was INCREDIBLE, allowing clear vision under water, a comfortable fit, and leak-free diving!
From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface
and he is free.
- Jaques-Yves Cousteau
ॐ KConn
and he is free.
- Jaques-Yves Cousteau
ॐ KConn