First bike ride

Yesterday I called up the non-profit bike shop and talked to Andrew. He was really cool to talk to and I was really interested in buying a bike. I called a cab to take me there. After half an hour, a non-taxi-looking car came by. I was dressed very casual but I felt like I must be going somewhere fancy that I forgot about or called the wrong service line. The driver came out of the car and opened the back door for me. He asked me if I had any luggages. Again, I was confused. I was given a limousine service ride along with a driver of great personality with an option of choosing the genre of music for the ride.

As he was driving he was telling me about Sarasota and what places to visit. He said I should definately go to Siesta Key. I took a couple of the Sarasota magazines in the cab. It's really beautiful here in Sarasota. There is so much green and the cultural community is very strong and distinct. The cab rates are the same as anywhere else you'd go, but the service that I got - which could have been my luck - was just fantastic. I gave him a good tip. He gave me his card and even waited for me at the bike shop to make sure I was going to be okay. After talking to Andrew and seeing the bike I told him that he can go and that I would bike home.

I ended up buying a $40 bike that was perfect for me. Andrew is such a great guy. He's doing some great things for the Sarasota county and I wish him all the best. I offered to help him out with making digital versions of the bike-route maps he has created. There's more about his non profit shop at bikewalklive.org . Andrew biked home with me so I wouldn't get lost. It took about 20 minutes. Once we hit Ringling, it was about 5 minutes to get home.

Today I biked around the block. I went to the Ringling campus, which opens next week and biked around the different buildings. I still haven't gone inside yet but the outside is beautiful. There are places to sit everywhere. The hallways are all outdoors. There are even display cases outdoors! I love the structure of the campus. I guess when you have weather like Florida and lots of space for scattering campuses, you're bound to have a beautiful school. I wish the city of Toronto had realized the importance of that before they extended OCAD's building. I know that I will be comparing OCAD and RSAD so much while I'm here. It's inevitable.

I've never been so excited about going to school! I guess when I was first entering college I was excited, but Ringling seems to be so much more solid than OCAD in terms of community and services. Not to put OCAD down at all but it's the truth. I love OCAD for allowing me to come here to experience this once in a lifetime opportunity. So, thanks OCAD. Thanks a lot.

I got an email from the Student Services welcoming me and letting me know about the Student Orientation Meeting next Tuesday right in between my classes. I think Ringling has their classes set up so that there is a common free slot for everyone. The studio class times seem to be harmonious for all students. Again, structure seems to be great. However, my class hours are a bit overwhelming. Each studio class is 3 hours twice a week and my web class is 6 hours long! I hope it's not too bad and not too stressful. I am here to learn, but I'm also here to relax and enjoy my leave. We'll see how things go.

Bike bike bike. I love it. It's summer all the time. Actually, not to complain, yesterday and today was about 16, 17 C (low 60s F). It will get really hot soon though, so I'll be quiet.