Week 3

I once heard that neglecting to change the sheets on your bed can lead to illness. Nobody really knows how dirty beds are until they see commercials that provide microscopic close-ups of bed bugs and other anomalies that you probably wouldn't want to share the sheets with. So, I changed my bed sheets this morning. Unfortunately it seems that I have my first cold of the season so my actions were not as preventative as they were adaptive. It seems that it is possible to "play" too hard, pushing your body until the adrenaline ceases to exist. One night with little sleep followed by a surfeit of theme park rides will do this to you. 

That leads me to the highlight of this week: Universal Studios. My legs bounce with endless anxiety as I board my second roller coaster ever, and my first outdoor coaster. Even though it is only 9 a.m. my internal clock has not acknowledged the minimal sleep I got the night before, making it feel as though bedtime should still be right around the corner. The coaster inches skywards through a tunnel, blue sky leaking through at the opposite end. There is nothing quite as thrilling as being shot at high speeds towards the sky and then realizing you're upside down. And try as you might not to scream, but it seems that even screaming is more instinctive than I had previously thought. It is over before you know it and your throbbing head is a sure sign that what you just experienced is far from what your body could have anticipated.

Universal Studios is one of Disney's biggest rivals, but being there felt nothing like treason. It is clear that each company appeals to a different demographic. If you hadn't heard already Disney recently acquired Marvel, a company well-known for its comics. Universal Studios has the rights to many theme park rides that are based on Marvel characters, i.e. Spiderman, The Hulk. It will be interesting to see what develops in the next few years over here. Disney has endless room for expansion here, so perhaps we will be seeing another theme park that is more adult-oriented? I can't imagine there is anything that Disney's pocket isn't deep enough for.

On another note, tomorrow is the day that I hit an important milestone in life: 21. The importance isn't rooted in the fact that I will legally be able to purchase and consume alcohol... Alright, maybe that's part of it, but think about it for just a second. The age with the most emphasis placed on celebration that succeeds "21" is probably "over the hill," or 40. Between now and then your birthday is just another day. At least that's what they say. Every adult seems to veil the need for celebration and excitement on their birthday. What a horrible way to go. I hope I never find myself thinking that. Even if it means throwing myself a party, life has far too little time to celebrate and have a good time. 

I am blessed to have such incredible friends here. Tonight I have the privilege of bringing in my 21st with some bombshells. Wait, did I really just say that? Yes, yes I did. Looking forward to it, as well as tomorrow, whatever it holds.

-D