The Eye of the Speculum

For several months I have heard that there is a woman living in Brandon, FL who looks exactly like me. I have heard this from my students. I have heard it from my friends. On Friday I met Antoine in Brandon for lunch and some shopping. We went into Teavana, an expensive tea store in the mall that I had meaning to go to for sometime AND where, coincidentally, my doppelganger works. We were tasting teas and generally acting like fools comparing teapots and cups when my doppelganger entered the store. Antoine pointed her out. I didn't quite think she looked like me. She had glasses and a funky haircut and dressed similarly...so I could see why, in the land of Floridian replicants, humans like us would stand out and be mistaken for one another. Antoine told my doppelganger he thought we looked a lot alike and we said we could see it, but weren't convinced. The guy behind the counter thought we looked incredibly alike. Anyhow, after another fifteen minutes of discussing teas, laughi...

I am getting ready to leave Tampa, a.k.a. "The Armpit of America," and move to Baton Rouge. The process has been long and frustrating. I have to be out of my apartment in Tampa on the 31st, but have to stay and teach through the 6th. During the interim I will be relying on the kindness and couches of strangers. Actually, friends. But I needed to get the majority of my shit out before the 31st. So I have spent the past week or two slowly packing up boxes and last night my two lovely friends, Ben and Sarah, drove here from Baton Rouge, packed up a U-haul truck with the assistance of muscle man Pippin and myself, and left this morning to drive it all back and unload it in my new place. They are amazing people. Now I have embarked on what I am referring to as "Urban Indoor Camping Trip 2007". I have an air mattress, my laptop, some clothes, a pan and a few dishes, and Misha. I am slowly going crazy sitting on the bare floor inventing ways to entertain myself. Here is a ...

Today Antoine and I decided to visit Tarpon Springs, FL, a.k.a. "the sponge capital of the world". Tarpon Springs is a small Greek community about a 45 minute drive northwest of Tampa. It boasts a plethora of small shops selling homemade soaps, traditional Greek items and souvenirs, shells, clothing, art, and of course, sponges. We spent the day browsing through shops and enjoying the scenery. Antoine bought a beautiful painting at the Art on the Docks Gallery and I bought a large, iridescent shell in which to burn sage. Though we were enjoying our time browsing and chatting, we kept wondering, "Where are the damn sponge docks?". Toward the end of our shopping excursion we decided to ask a local. We thought we would see docks made of sponge, or at least be able to see sponge off the docks, and perhaps touch it or relax by rubbing our feet on the sponge. No. It turns out we had been walking on the Sponge Docks the entire time. It is just an area where people have be...

Last weekend I went with my friend Sara to The Holy Land Experience so she could continue research for her dissertation (which is on the site). The Holy Land Experience is located in Orlando, FL just moments from Disneyworld and is a theme park/living biblical museum. It features many live shows replete with music and dance as well as other educational features like the Scriptorium, the Wildnerness Tabernacle, and Qumran Caves (the last of which was closed during my visit). The Holy Land Experience promotes itself as a replica of Israel, and boasts a "Jerusalem Market". According to some of the staff at The Holy Land Experience, there is no need to spend the time, money, and vacation time to visit Israel, when you can do it in the comforts of sunny Florida. Check it out http://www.theholylandexperience.com. Just for kicks, check out the comparison of this picture of me at the entrance to The Holy Land Experience modeled after the Damascus Gate (on the left) and me at the ACT...