Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

One year ago, Tampa’s own Roxanne Escobales came back from the U.K. after 7 years abroad. A former Creative Loaf-er in her 20’s, Roxanne went on to work for big media sources during her time in London. Upon her return to Tampa, she quickly joined the WMNF family as a volunteer reporter (becoming News Volunteer of the Year last year), and when beloved staff reporter Andrew Stelzer left the station last summer, Roxanne was hired on.

Friday was her last newscast on WMNF. Tomorrow she’ll board a plane to head back to England to do international news and spend time with her friends and family on the other side of the ocean.

During her short stay, she covered at least one story per day on events that directly affects each of us here in Tampa Bay, notably the Centro Ybor building, various city council meetings and November’s election. Roxanne and I shared many cigarette breaks (even though I don’t smoke) on ‘MNF’s back patio where she advised me on writing, dream chasing and not being afraid of Eric Snider.

Roxanne, a Tampa Bay native, did good for us and now heads off to do more - on a larger scale - as a citizen of the world.

In other news, on my radio show this Monday morning, my guest host was WMNF’s Assistant News & Public Affairs Director Mitch Perry.

Check out Mitch’s indie rock playlist and go to the archives to listen to us chat about news outside of the mainstream media. On March 26th, CL’s Wade Tatangelo will guest host and the first Monday of April will be the Sporadic Ska Show.

Any longtime readers of my Jack Tripper blog know I met my roommate, Jenn, through the internet — and we’ve lived together 2 1/2 years in nearly perfect harmony. (It helps that she’s smart, cute, and absolutely loves doing housework.)

Meet Jill. Jill is looking for a roommate of her dreams for Fall 2007. In Jill’s words:

Hey, I”m a female USF student and I’m looking to rent an apartment next year, somewhere in the area of the university.

If anyone knows they will be needing a roommate (or has a friend who will) please let me know! In case you were wondering I’m a fairly neat person, definitely willing to do my share of cleaning. I don’t have any pets but don’t mind if you do. I’m very accepting of people of different backgrounds/beliefs as long as you are accepting of me. I don’t smoke and only drink occasionally but I have no objection to others drinking/smoking in my presence.

Reply to me at jmongato@mail.usf.edu or just post areply here. Thank you!
Posted by JillVader.

http://www.43places.com/person/JillVader

See? She’s neat! Go get ‘em, kiddos. Maybe you’ll end up with a “roommate of a lifetime” like mine.

It’s always scary meeting online friends. A year or so ago, I remember being mildly surprised that Tommy and Brett were not the types who lived in their parents’ basements. Not really, anyway.

Of course, the rest of the Sticks crew made me realize that the Internet appeals to more than the just the people who send anonymous hate mail. And a few of you have made the meeting process even more than extremely enjoyable. Still. The idea is sometimes frightening.

I’m not alone. Others have expressed the same trepidation with me.

• “Are you normal?”
• “Is your hair really that big?”
• “Own all your own teeth?”

No worries, folks. I know how to clean up, make eye contact and laugh appropriately at all the right moments. I’m a godd*mn delight.

And so it was that Husband and I went out last night with another transplanted Tampa-to-Colorado couple: Chase Squires and his lovely wife Saralee.

I used to read Chase’s work regularly in The St. Petersburg Times. So sad when he left the bay area last year. Yet he somehow caught wind of my site and realized we were both moving to the same state. An online best buddy was born. It’s about time we made each other’s acquaintance in person.

We had a fun double date. Chase showed off Denver with all the pride of someone who’s been here for years instead of months. He and Saralee had better luck selling their home back in Z-hills and offered up several ideas, imploring us to “get out of Florida once and for all.”

While Chase bought round after round, and even our dinner, we talked about everything: trail running, politics, vasectomies, plastic surgery, tattoos, and tennis. My head is so much bigger than his - but he was polite enough not to notice.

This is the beginning of a wacky, western friendship.

*Cross-posted to Out in Left Field.

I’ve been acclimating fairly well to Tampa Bay so far. The Democratic House candidate winning a landslide, the County Commission and state government being filled with Republicans, palm trees, rain in the summer, sunshine in the winter. I get it, and I like it. It’s topsy-turvy world on perma-vacation, only I can’t just sit around under the palms and booze it with the wife, I have to wait until the weekends. One thing I won’t do, is adjust to the local sports gods.

I am not a Florida fan (my wife is actually an anti-Florida fan), I do not care for the Devil Rays, I am completely indifferent to the Storm and I have actual animosity towards the Capitals division rival the Lightning. Although I’m a giant humbug when it comes to Tampa teams, I do root heartily for the USF Bulls. They’re playing Louisville tonight and I’ll definitely be all about the home team. But my blood boils at the mere mention of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

They weren’t even a blip on my radar until my junior year of college. That’s when Dan Turk (former Buc, R.I.P.) botched the snap to Brad Johnson (who won a Super Bowl for the Bucs) in the waning seconds of the Redskins second round game against the Bucs in the ‘99 playoffs. When I saw Johnson pick up the ball and try to run with it on his awkward stork legs, my fists clenched and I let out an unearthly, guttural howl. Our first non-utterly-crap season since St. Joe left the team had been stolen out of our grasps by 1 point, bad luck and pirates.

Then, in 2003, war broke out between LaVar Arrington and Warren Sapp over Sapp’s practice of running through opposing teams warm ups. Luckily, you could almost shoot a “Where Are They Now” episode about those two clowns.

The final straws came last year. For your entertainment I am including an old-timey Sports Illustrated story that details the 36-35 Bucs win over the ‘Skins, which concluded with Mike Alstott not crossing the goal line. Incredibly, the refs called it in his favor, even though everyone at home could see that he was wearing the wrong color uniform… and did not in fact cross the line. Also for your viewing pleasure, I am including a humorous video montage of the “Redskins Thrashing The Bucs In The Playoffs When It Matters” in the style of Tecmo Bowl.

Even though I’m actually paying to see two of the worst teams in the entire NFL battle it out for bottom of the barrel, this has become a rivalry over the years, and a Redskins victory in Tampa, in the year 1JC (Jason Campbell), is one that I would savor almost as much as watching Tony Romo get face planted by Philip Daniels.

So bring it on Tampa Bay.

Cross posted @ The Delightful Yank

We have a feature here called Ask a Tampan wherein you - the reader - ask one of us (usually Tommy) - a Tampan - a question. We’ve been known to answer them from time to time.

I’d like to turn the tables a bit, only I’m having trouble coming up with a title for this likely one-time event.

For the last two years I’ve been a New Tampan. Though I’ve made efforts to love my neighborhood, it’s hard to look past the lack of neighborliness and Bruce B. Downs, the four-lane, eternally congested elephant in the room that is New Tampa.

Fortunately thanks in large part to the generosity of my in-laws, the wife and I will soon be moving away from South Wesley Chapel. We’ll be living in Temple Terrace, which makes my wife and I…

What does that make us? Contrary to any conclusions you may now be making, it does not make us eighty. Actually I’ll be the fourth person from my 1998 high school graduating class of 40 people to have moved to this “city for living” in the last year. There goes the neighborhood.

But back to the task at hand - the first installment of Ask a Temple Terrace Resident: what are you? There’s got to be a way to make that title a little less awkward.

Temple Terracite isn’t terribly flattering. Temple Terracist is far worse. We could play on initials and call you Teeters.

Either way I’ll soon be one of you, so I’d like an answer soon. If any non-T.T. residents have any suggestions, please comment. But be nice - after all, Tampan isn’t exactly flattering either.

I admit it. I’m starting to like it here. Even though I’m a Redskins fan, even though I like seasons, even though the Lightning beat the Caps, I think Tampa is darned nifty. There’s always great tunes coming out of the Orpheum and New World Brewery, JGLB is always having a good time and I’m having a good time in my band. My job is pretty rad too, considering I get to drive around to far flung places like New Port Richey and Lakeland and visit with the locals. Today I even got to watch Air Force One land from the window of my office. Granted I’ve seen Presidents and politicians in D.C. before, but it was cool to see the reaction had here, as well as the swath of protesters lined up outsided RayJay.

But back to seasons. That’s right, I’m going to qualify this effusively positive love story. I was at the post office yesterday, mailing out a cd to a loyal fan, when I noticed an autumnal motif plastered on the walls. And that’s when it hit me. It’s still 80 degrees outside and it’s almost October. There’s nary a squash, gord or crimson colored leaf except for the cardboard representations supplied by the United States Postal Service. I guess I should have seen it coming, but I just wasn’t prepared. I’m guessing that I probably won’t mind so much come January.

When I was living in survival mode in Seattle, unable to break free from my corporate chains for employment I actually enjoyed (or at least didn’t induce to tears every day), I became obsessed with finding out what other people did for a living. Especially if they enjoyed it AND it gave them financial security. All things I’ve never had.

I started interviewing my friends. Most had jobs they weren’t particularly passionate about and were low paying. We all had dreams but couldn’t figure out how to make them happen. So much for the fab life of artists.

Onto the practical folks. I was acquainted with a few Microsoft people. I had done loans for Microsoft people. They make tons of money. I have no idea what that feels like. They’re very loyal, hard workers who enjoy their level of comfort and work long hours as needed to keep it up. But their stories didn’t apply to me because I didn’t want the stuff they had, I wanted the free time they didn’t have (which their paychecks could buy. Stupid Catch-22’s.)

I want the time away from work to do the things I really want to do. (I’m light years from being employable in my field(s), but more on that later.) Then I made acquaintance with a new filmmaker.

(more…)

The group choosing the site for the 2008 Republican National Convention will be in town on Sunday. As is expected, they will get a tour of some of the best parts of Tampa Bay, and a spit-polished version of the average places, while the less impressive areas will remain hidden. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Paul Dellegatto and Steve Jerve are co-leading the task force on ensuring good weather for those three days. Here are a few highlights from the itinerary:

• Check into the Marriott Waterside hotel
• Dinner at a private home on Harbour Island
• Breakfast at the University Club
• Tampa Theatre
• Driving tour through downtown, including the Channelside entertainment complex, stopping at the Florida Aquarium and American Victory ship
• Lunch at the St. Pete Times Forum (main convention site) and a tour of the Tampa Convention Center
• Dinner at the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City
• Cruise on the Yacht StarShip
• Don CeSar Beach Resort and Spa
• Tropicana Field
• Tour of Renaissance Vinoy and Golf Club

If that was all you saw of Tampa Bay, you might think this place was O.K., wouldn’t you? And I suppose for a week-long convention, it’s fine to just hit the highlights. But what if someone was thinking about moving here? What if they wanted to know the REAL Tampa Bay?

That’s not a hypothetical question, doncha know. Let’s check the Ask-A-Tampan inbox. Here’s one from reader FDA:

What would you say to a newcomer?

My wife and I are contemplating a move to the Tampa region and were impressed with your vibrant and insightful blog. We are weighing the pros and cons of leaving the Midwest for a new opportunity in Tampa. We are empty-nesters, in our mid-50s, very active in the arts and culture, music, dining, etc.

What would you and your readers want a potential newcomer to know about the region - both good and bad? What would a person wish he/she knew about Tampa region before moving there? The “would-a, could-a, should-a” disclosures that the Chamber of Commerce and your Realtor won’t tell.

There you go, guys. What is the good and bad about living here?  What would you have liked to know before you made the move?

I finally got my Florida license plate after living here for 3 months.

Tommy has complained about the overwhelming number of license plates available to Floridians. He thinks there are just way too many. Good thing he doesn’t live in Virginia.

In Virginia, you can get almost anything on a tag. And I mean “anything.” Choices range from Sons of Confederate Veterans to simply Chesapeake Bay. Virginia brags of “approximately 180 special plates” for you to choose from. But some have very little to do with the Commonwealth of Virginia. For instance, you can get a Parrotheads specialty plate. Or even one for Florida State University. Yes - in Virginia.

Here in Florida, the choice is a little narrower, but boy is it a choice. Florida has 150 or so to choose from, probably due to limiting the college plates to institutions actually in Florida. So which tag did I get?

Did I want the manly shark, or the docile manatee?  Somehow, after managing to look at all the custom plates for the hour that I was stranded on the 14th floor, I decided.  I got cartoon animals. I ended up with the “Animal Friend” Spay and Neuter tag. I’ll be clear: the reason I got the tag is because I want my money to go to a good cause, not because I want cartoon cats and dogs on my license plate. I swear. My wife giggled when I brought it home.