The Florida Mom & Son Adventure - Day 4

I awoke to birdsong and fountain noises directly outside our first-floor room at the Malaga.  It was a refreshing change from the highway noise typically experienced in roadside hotels.  The Malaga is a renovated boutique inn created from twin townhouses built by two brothers-in-law during the civil war.  Construction on the town homes began shortly after Alabama passed it's secession ordinance in 1861 and was completed a year later.  The renovations created a square structure with a central courtyard filled with native plants, shade trees and a large, central fountain.  Each of the 39 rooms is individually decorated and styled.  You can choose which room you want when you make a reservation.  The Kansas Hicks' highly recommend this hotel with two enthusiastic thumbs up!  (BTW - it's haunted.)

We had things to do and places to see, so we had to leave this little slice of heaven behind to take a quick drive south to Bellingrath Gardens where we had planned to spend our morning. Bellingrath is the retirement estate of Walter and Bessie Bellingrath.  Walter was a Coca-Cola magnate who purchased a 25-acre fishing camp overlooking the Fowl River.  Bessie was a gardener. In 1927, after a trip overseas, they hired an architect to transform the rough camp into an estate and gardens to rival the ones they had seen in Europe.  In 1932, they opened their completely transformed acreage to the public.  The home was finished in 1936.

I visited this garden in the 80s with my parents, so it was fun to walk through it with Isaac pointing out the spots I remembered.  We meandered through the property with Isaac holding the map and calling the shots.  We also had a cheat sheet of things that were in bloom so we could properly identify what we were seeing.  

The rose garden was particularly beautiful and in full bloom.  We also saw purple and white Delphinium and Hydrangea, dazzling red Fuschia, yellow and white Marguerite daisies, several Petunias of all colors, purple Phlox and white Viburnum.  We listened to the bamboo clinking and clacking at the entrance to the Bayou Boardwalk.  We shared a chicken salad sandwich at the garden cafe and gift shop.  We also finally learned the name of the evergreen trees we had been seeing everywhere - the Bald Cyprus.  Isaac was impressed at the use of seashells mixed with gravel to pave the parking lot and was really good at spotting 7 turtles, several lizards and even one snake.  All in all, we had a fantastic, relaxing morning and were ready to head out on the next section of our drive.

We drove back north to Mobile, across the Mobile Bay and down to Pensacola where we crossed the Pensacola Bay and eventually connected with the Oskaloosa Island at Destin, Florida.  From there, we followed the Gulf Coast taking in the sites until we reached the Panama City Beach where we stopped for an early dinner at the Oishi Thai Restaurant and Bar.  We ate our fill of Edamame, Sushi and Sashimi served with apple fries and cucumber slices.  I had a Saki Mimosa that was pretty darn tasty.

As we drove, we were making some serious progress with The Lost City of the Monkey God.  The book was written and published in 2017 by Douglas Preston who is a freelance journalist.  His stories have been featured in The New Yorker, Smithsonian, Harper's and National Geographic.  This story is about a project headed by documentary filmmaker Steve Elkins.  The book is a fascinating account of how Steve used lidar - a technology used to make 3D maps of difficult to reach areas - to search for and map archaeological sites in the Mosquitia region of eastern Honduras.

This story has it all.  There is a surprise encounter with the fer de lance (technical name Bothrops asper), an aggressive snake that can shoot venom up to 6 feet and fangs that can penetrate even the thickest hiking boot.  If not treated promptly, the bite can cause sepsis, acute renal failure, internal bleeding and death.  Douglas awoke in the mornings to the call of the howler monkey right above his tent - a sound that can be heard for up to three miles.  He saw lions, tapirs and jaguars.  And he showered himself with Deet more than once daily to avoid the myriad of jungle insects. He would ultimately end up being bitten by the sandfly - a bite that would cause an infection of an incurable flesh eating disease called leishmaniasis.  The parasitic disease, if left untreated, eventually eats away the victim's face leaving a gaping hole.

Despite all this, the team of engineers, filmmakers and scientists entered the jungle and discovered the now famous archeological City of the Jaguar and mapped it.  The latter half of the book dealt with the question of figuring out who were the city's inhabitants and why they seem to have left the city and disappeared from history.  Needless to say, we were both hooked and could not wait to get back to the book the minute the car doors were closed.

After dinner, we headed inland to Tallahassee, Florida - our next stop - and arrived at the Holiday Inn Express to the north of Florida State University.  We were quite tired after a full day, good food, tons of beach air and some serious progress with the book.  We had also just crossed the time-zone line.  So we called it an early night and went to bed.

The Florida Mom & Son Adventure - Day 3

 This morning - both the Rav and the humans needed some fuel (due to COVID, coffee service had been discontinued at our hotel - the cherry on top of a not-so-terrific stay).  So before heading out we fixed both of those problems at a nearby gas station.  After filling up we headed straight east towards Jackson, Mississippi.  We got a little nostalgic as we crossed 'Ol Man River into Vicksburg, Mississippi - we had been through that very spot on an earlier family vacation.  So we took a quick and unscheduled detour into the heart of town to look around at the civil war period architecture.  

Although I have been to the Vicksburg battlefield twice, I have not visited downtown.  (At least I don't remember visiting downtown - I was pretty young during my first visit.) So we slowly drove the marked historic scenic route through downtown and ended up near the old depot and river's edge.  It was Sunday morning so everything was closed and the traffic was very light.  It was also close to lunch so we decided to park next to the James Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum.  We grabbed some snacks out of the back of the car and wandered around the river's edge and the model of the Mississippi River that was near the museum parking lot.

I decided to take some pictures of the area when I noticed in the camera's lens none other than the Queen of the Mississippi heading up the river and straight toward us!  What you need to know is that Ross and I have started a retirement bucket list.  On that list is a Mississippi riverboat cruise and the "The Queen" is one of the boats we have researched.  So - like true landlocked Kansans with nowhere special to be - we hung out and over-analyzed the entire landing process trying to guess what was going to happen next.  We were like kids in a candy store - or at least I was.  IT WAS AWESOME.  After the boat was fully docked, we decided to hit the road once again.

It was a short, green jaunt from Vicksburg over to Jackson.  We got in a little more of the book and arrived just in time for the museum to open at 1:00 p.m.  The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum offers free admission on Sunday afternoons, so after leaving our zip code at the ticket desk - we walked on in.  There were three exhibits to view.  The permanent exhibits were the civil rights exhibit and an exhibit on the history of the state.  On the second floor was a temporary exhibit called "Wet Mississippi."  Intriguing.

Since our primary goal for the day was the civil rights exhibit, we started there.  The exhibit is laid out in a circle like a donut.  You enter and travel around the outside circle to the left, weaving in and out of the inner circle.  The docent on duty explained that the inner circle is meant to be a respite from the heavier material around the outside.  The exhibit begins with the British slave trade to the American colonies and continues through the civil war, the reconstruction period, the days of Jim Crow and White Supremacy, the world wars, the time of civil unrest through the 50s and 60s and ends with a contemplative final exhibit to help you process all you have just seen.

A trip through this exhibit is intensely personal. The presentation is thorough and immersive - containing warnings in some parts where graphic details of violent events are explored.  It can easily take your entire afternoon.  We realized we had been there two hours and hadn't even made it past the world wars.  So we had to skim over some of the more recent history in order to see the entire museum.  Much of the history and stories on the walls you have seen if you have paid any kind of attention to documentaries, movies and articles on civil rights.  What this exhibit does is bring all those disparate pieces together enabling the viewer to grasp the genesis, development and importance of the entire civil rights movement.

The thematic question posed at the end of the very first room (the end of the Civil War) was: 

"Where do we go from here?"  

For the first time, I was able to connect the failed attempt at reconstruction to the events that followed placing everything into context in a clear and understandable way.  Early attempts of politicians to help the broken nation heal contained positive rhetoric, but failed in practice.  Mississippi Senator Lucius Lamar included this quote in his controversial eulogy for abolitionist Senator Charles Sumner who died of a heart attack in office in 1874:

"My countrymen!  Know one another and you will love one another!"

The world wars did much to bolster the confidence of the young men of the south and sparked early organization of the civil rights movement. 

"I had low self-esteem.  The army built me up and made me proud of myself...And I've still got it in me."  Nathan Harris, Mississippi Delta.

Isaac and I shared our thoughts as we wandered in and out of the various rooms.  We spoke about abuse.  We spoke about the seduction of power and greed.  We spoke about bystander behavior.  We sang "This Little Light of Mine" and other gospel songs with the music piped into the inner circle breaks.  We ached in frustration with the mothers of murdered sons.  This is exhibit is heavy.  This exhibit is necessary.

After leaving, we did a little mindless shopping in the gift shop to recover from the experience.  I picked up some spices and a recipe for southern chicken salad.  Then we headed upstairs to the temporary exhibit which turned out to be about prohibition.  And here, we learned one of our favorite new 'fun facts:'

Apparently, Mississippi holds the distinction of being called the "Wettest Dry State" in the nation during the days of prohibition.  This oxymoron takes a bit of time to process, but it's helpful if you remember that during prohibition, making, selling and drinking alcohol was against the law.  In Mississippi, like in all the other states, alcohol was made, sold and drunk all on the black market.  But apparently, it was made, sold and drunk to such a degree that the state also managed to pass a law to collect taxes - yes I said taxes - on liquor being sold on the black market.  Fascinating.  

I also picked up a recipe in the exhibit speakeasy of author and Mississippi native William Faulkner's favorite toddy which can be drunk either hot or cold.  Apparently Faulkner transported quite a bit of alcohol into New Orleans during prohibition.  I found an article about Faulkner's activities during this period with the recipe included.  Essentially his standard toddy consists of:

• 2oz of bourbon or white whiskey
• 4oz of water (cold or boiling)
• If cold, 1 lemon slice; if hot, 1/2 lemon, both juice and rind
• 1tsp of sugar

"The key to the toddy, according to Faulkner, is that the sugar must be dissolved into a small amount of water before the whiskey is added, otherwise it 'lies in a little intact swirl like sand at the bottom of the glass.'" - Robert Moor, The Paris Review

We now had one hour before the museum closed at 5:00 p.m.  So we wandered at a moderate pace through the history of Mississippi exhibit comparing and contrasting the difference between Mississippi history and Kansas history.  For example - there was nary a tipi in the 'early Mississippi' exhibit as the early natives in that area were farmers.  We studied a nicely executed, life size comparison of the living rooms of a slave cabin, a farmer's home and landed gentry from the same time period.  The exhibit pointed out how each room had common elements (fireplace, places to sit and gather, and sometimes places to sleep) allowing the viewer to notice the stark contrast in purpose, style and size of each of the rooms.  We found a terrific reconstruction of an 80's living room that contained an exact replica of the record player my family had during my childhood as well as other toys and items that were part of my childhood.  We sang and danced in a reconstructed juke joint that allowed you to select songs by famous Mississippi artists on a juke box.  I will say there was a shocking absence of Elvis.  And then it was time to go.

We grabbed some more snacks out of the back of the car, queued up the book and pointed the car south toward Mobile, Alabama.  We arrived near dusk and checked into a courtyard view room in what quickly became my favorite hotel of our stay - the Malaga Inn in downtown Mobile.  I found the hotel on VRBO - the place I always check when I travel.  The spots I have found never disappoint.  The Malaga has entered into my top 10 all-time favorites - even with reduced services due to Covid.  We arrived in time to take a quick, early evening walk around downtown Mobile to enjoy the evening air.  And then it was back to the hotel for bed and a terrific night's sleep.

The Florida Mom & Son Adventure - Day 2

 Today was a driving day.  We are a family of introverts, so we like a quiet car when we are driving.  However, since I knew we would be in the car for a large section of our week, I spent a little time preparing a menu of audio books just in case Isaac might be interested.  He was interested although made no promises to actually listen to anything.  I had five titles ready for him that I had checked out with my State of Kansas library card.  This first leg of our trip was all about picking what we would be reading.  

To create the list, Ross and I examined several lists with titles like "100 Books Every Man Should Read"  Some books that made it to the short list were stories Ross had read and enjoyed.  Some were books I had read and enjoyed.  And there was a wild card.  The titles were:

• King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard
• The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston
  
• A World Without Email by Cal Newport
• The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
• The Body by Bill Bryson

After reading the title and summary of each - Isaac made his choice.  True to form, it was the book with, in my opinion, the Best Title.  He chose The Lost City of the Monkey God which is a true-story tale of adventure into the Honduras jungle to find Ciudad Blanca - the White City - or, as the title indicates, the Lost City of the Monkey God.  This story was a perfect companion to our driving adventure and - we would discover later - became an important element in what one might say was a theme of our trip.  To make a long story, short - the book lives up to its title.

That decision made we aimed the car to Hugo, Oklahoma and our first stop at the Endangered Ark Foundation (EAF).  The preserve is just east of town and is home to a herd of 60 Asian elephants.  The Foundation was formed to provide a home for retired circus elephants. Due to the endangered status of the Asian elephant, they also run a vibrant breeding program.  When we were there we got to meet the preserve's newest occupant, two-year-old Cameron.  He was born last August and is one cute hairy little guy.

We had tickets for 11:00 a.m. and started our experience in a shed that operates as a gift shop, restroom, and welcome center.  When it was time to start we were ushered to a door in the back of the gift shop.  Right inside ready to greet us was Cameron and his mother, Wimpy.  In the next half hour we learned that 46-year-old Wimpy was a very good mom who has had a majority of the 7 babies born on the preserve while she has lived there.  This is no small feat as the gestation period for elephants is two years and then baby elephants nurse for a total of four years before they are ready to be on their own.  Cameron and Wimpy showed us some of their circus skills.  Wimpy did a wonderful job.  Cameron, who was still learning step one - the trunk raise - did a good job after being promised a banana.  We watched another elephant get a hoof manicure and then watched her paint a canvas and t-shirt which will no doubt be for sale in the gift shop soon.

Elephants are the 5th smartest animal on the planet.  They are beat by dolphins, then rats, pigs (I can attest to that one), and the Bonobo ape (a close cousin to the Chimpanzee).  As such, it is important to keep them intellectually stimulated as well as physically active.  They are treat motivated - and like any good elephant preserve - bananas are endless and at the ready.  The trainers, who clearly love these animals, are generous and full of fascinating information.  When the educational part of our hour had concluded, the keepers loaded us into a trailer fitted with patio chairs and a box stuffed full of cut up bananas.  We were pulled by tractors out into the preserve to see the rest of the herd.

Waiting patiently for us (and the bananas) were Isa and Lilly.  These two entertained our group for quite a while.  Isa was being shy.  When she wasn't eating she would hide her head behind a tree playing a kind of peek-a-boo with the crowd.

Elephants symbolize strength, power, wisdom and loyalty.  When up close and personal, they exude sensitivity, intelligence, peace and playfulness.  I was blown away and felt blessed to be witness to this suspended moment of worship for God's creation.  Regardless of age, size, creed or color - all of us on the tour were one in play and harmony with the grace and heart of these animals.  I stood teary eyed watching person after person approach hesitantly, holding their bananas carefully in two hands.  Then, when they crossed the invisible line into the elephant's space, each face would burst into uninhibited laughter and delight as they were welcomed, touched and explored by the waving, curious, friendly trunks of Isa and Lilly.  All concern, stress, and worry vanished.  There was no space for emotions such as these.  Time was suspended and pure, unadulterated joy hung thick in the air.  It was beautiful.

I could not help but think how fortunate were the keepers of elephants.  The foundation team were wonderful - patiently answering questions, snapping photos, holding bags, helping people clean their hands after feeding, and offering second and third moments until the box of bananas was empty.  I could have stayed for days so entranced was I by this wonderful scene.  Reluctantly we said our goodbyes and climbed back into the trailer.  We were slowly taken back to the spot where our cars were parked.  No one was talking.  We all knew we had been given a great gift.  Refreshed, awed and at peace with the world - we turned to the south and drove on.

In Texarkana we stretched our legs walking through the Owl's Nest Flea Market.  We skirted Shreveport, LA and buzzed by the Duck Commander headquarters long enough to take pictures in the then empty parking lot.  We came to a stop just east of town.  It was a good, full day of adventure.

The Florida Mom & Son Adventure - DAY 1

This spring, I led the financial aid team through the creation of an office strategic plan. As part of the exercise we also created our team values.  To start, I gave each team member a list of common values to prime the pump and told them to find five words that best represented their personal values.  I did it too.  My words were:

FAITH, LEARNING, AUTHENTICITY, EMPATHY and ADVENTURE

It was a good exercise.  It also made me realize that this pandemic has had me trapped at home for far too long.  It was time - past time - for an adventure.

Isaac's spring break was coming up.  Isaac has spent his entire freshman year of college living, eating and attending classes in his residence hall room.  His university is doing a terrific job keeping the doors open and the pandemic at bay by offering a majority of classes online and allowing students to live in a single room for a double room charge.  It's a good arrangement.  But it's not the ideal, and definitely not the typical, college freshman year.  He's met people.  He gets out.  He's matured and is learning things about himself.  But still.  I sensed he would jump at the chance to join me on my quest.

Ross understood this need but did not share it.  It was too soon after our vaccination.  He chose to stay home, guard the fort, watch the dog, and limit his potential exposure to COVID.  So on Friday, April 16, I packed up the Traverse with the supplies we were taking with us to Florida (food, an aquarium for Sam, my clothes and my backpack) and left work early.

My old travel buddy and I had enjoyed multiple discussions via Zoom and text about the trip.  His instructions were, "I want to see things I haven't seen before."  With that guidance, I chose a meandering route avoiding large cities and stops approximately every 2 hours - the Hicks family rule.  To say we were excited was a gross understatement.

When I left Winfield, it was cold and rainy.  Snow was expected in the northern part of the state later in the week.  I spent the two hour drive to Tulsa and Isaac's residence hall listening to the latest Off the Cuff episode and re-listening to a couple of older ones.  I drove to Isaac's residence hall, unloaded the Traverse into his room and we drove together to the airport to pick up our 'ride.'  I had reserved a car from Enterprise about two months earlier and discovered that was a wise move.  Rental cars are currently at a shortage due to the pandemic.  

We parked the Traverse in the airport parking garage - cheap insurance in case of hail storms - and went to the terminal to pick up the rental - a white, Toyota Rav4.  We drove back to campus and loaded the car with our supplies - the car had a nice sized storage compartment and there was plenty of room to stow everything we were taking.  

We did a quick drive through McDonalds for dinner and were on the road south in about 60 minutes from my first arrival.  We rolled into the Holiday Inn Express at Okmulgee, Oklahoma around dusk and had plenty of time for a relaxing evening before going to bed.  So far, so good.  A solid week of adventure awaits!

Rep at Large - It's Official

Nothing like seeing your name in lights.  But there it is.  As of the NASFAA conference business meeting and the end of this year's annual conference, I have officially begun my two year service as a member of the NASFAA Board of Directors.

And I have a feeling I will be in for a very interesting ride.

I had the opportunity to sit in the peanut gallery of the current board of directors to "dip my toe" back into the waters of NASFAA service.  I have also already received two official board memos from the NASFAA President, Justin Draeger.  I cannot tell you how good it feels to be back in the saddle and part of the game.

But there is one point of bitter sweet.  This conference was Jeff Baker's last.  Jeff is the Department of Education's Policy Liaison and Implementation Director.  I have received my most up-to-date federal news from Jeff since the moment I first arrived on the scene in financial aid.  He was one of the reasons that I knew I was going to fall in love with this profession.  Here was this crusty old guy (and I think he would be ok with me describing me in this way), who had to say some pretty controversial stuff at times, but who was real, authentic and honest in his delivery.  His dedication to financial aid and his job was easy to observe.  His interest in listening to the financial aid community and his understanding of the challenges we face was a relief.  His shoes, and the imprint they have made, are large indeed.

I will miss Jeff.  And Jeff, in answer to your comment during your final Federal Update, when you were talking, I totally was ALWAYS taking notes.

Moses - A Regular Guy

Tomorrow it's my turn to do the children's sermon.  The Bible story for this week?  Moses and the burning bush.  Sweet!  I love Bible stories like this one.  Any Sunday School attending Methodist kid worth their salt knows this story and with a little prompting - you just sit back and let the kids do your job.  Real Mark Twain stuff.

But Boy Howdy.  I can feel the hand of God in and around this moment and this promise I made over a month ago.  God is with me, God has been with me this whole time, and God will remain with me forever.  It is an incredibly comforting thought. 

My Bible verse from yesterday was Psalms 119.  "Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles."  The devotion was on the challenges of parenting.  "God will sometimes stir up ingredients in your life like suffering, struggling and pain to remind you to depend on him...God promises he will be with you in it and through it, and he will preserve your life.  The process is not always enjoyable in any realm of thinking, but...in those moments, you must be aware that the promise of his presence on the other side is your hope!"

And tomorrow, I get to talk about the story of Moses and the burning bush with a renewed sense of understanding.  God asked Moses, at the ripe age of 80 years old, to lead a virtual city of Jews out of the land of Egypt to the promised land.  And what I love most about Moses is that his reactions to this news are so real.  First, he is curious..."Looky what we have here...a bush that is on fire but it isn't burning up?  Cooool."  Then, he is stupefied, "This is God.  God is talking to me?!  Whassat?  Quick, take off your shoes...better bow...holy moly!"  And finally, God drops the bomb.

And Moses - with every bit of knowledge of the importance of the request - says to God - "Ummm, are you sure?  I mean, I don't think I'm the right person for that job."  His reaction is hilarious, priceless, incredibly normal, incredibly human.  But God answers him right back, "Hey dude, don't worry, I've got this.  I've got your back."

And that's the key right there.  God really does "have our back."  The hard part, is letting him. 

"God is good.  All the time."  And the people say, "All the time.  God is good."

R.A.L. - Who Do I Represent - REALLY

Picking back up where I left off.....

Facts are facts. (See RAL post dated March 18, 2017)  But facts aren't everything.

It is popular practice when working with high school aged children to make them take a career assessment.  Each time I have done one, the result I get is funeral director.  I'm not sure what that means, but what I am sure of is that very few people leave high school thinking, "I want to work in college financial aid."

In fact, I would venture to guess that most people don't even think of financial aid as a vocation.  Financial aid people are an afterthought - like a bookshelf in the public library.  They exist, performing an important function.  But they and the job they do are nothing that anyone can remember with any accuracy - even after spending a good amount of time in their presence.  And the interesting thing is, I think most financial aid people are ok with that.

A bookshelf, though it goes through life mostly unnoticed, feels important.  It holds in its arms everything from Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel and Blueberries for Sal to Pride and Prejudice, Walden, and The Republic.  Bookshelves don't care about your wealth, your looks, or your political and social prowess.  Bookshelves care about making it easier to access the knowledge you seek.

I wandered into this profession in the summer of 2002, one year following the birth of my second son.  I began my experience locked in a Colorado College residence hall with hundreds of financial aid people from across the Rocky Mountain region at an event called Summer Institute.  Our purpose?  To dive into the nine volume, regulatory handbook of "things you need to know" and "things you need to do" to be a good steward of federal taxpayer funds.

At the front of the room teaching us were these people who knew what being a financial aid administrator was really about.  And what became clear to me - and the reason I am still plugging away in this profession - is that being a good financial aid administrator has very little to do with regulations.  Regulations change seemingly at the whim of whomever is currently in power in Washington DC.  Learning them is important and necessary.  But learning and following the regulations is not why we do what we do.

Rather, at the heart of a good financial aid administrator is the primal knowledge that there is potential in every individual.  At the heart of a good financial aid administrator is the compelling desire to help those individuals wade through the volumes of regulations to gain access to the opportunities they seek.  At the heart of a good financial aid administrator is the desire to fight to make the path smoother, simpler, wider, prettier so that it isn't so scary for those who may be intimidated by the thought of walking it.  At the heart of a good financial aid administrator is the burning desire to serve.