I am flying over the Rocky Mountains. The snow-covered peaks makes a detour through Salt Lake worth it. I just want to parachute out of this little plane and ski down the mountain like James Bond.

Last night in Orlando, I went clubbin’ through time and cultures at Disney’s “Pleasure Island,” a nighttime hotspot for tourists and bored locals. My friend Toni was my guide for the day, and we started had dinner at Gloria Estefan’s Cuban restaurant called “Bongos.” The meringue band shook the dance floor and boiled in every corner of that place.

We ate plantains and rocked to the pulse of the band whaling on the drums. It was kind of like at the most intense part of Ricki Martin’s “She Bangs.” I felt like I was in Miami again…oh those late nights in Miami. I think I want to be Cuban, but right now I am working on being Mexican. I was black while I was in Harlem.
Toni and I ransacked the Disney Quest, and interactive arcade warehouse. My favorite ride was virtual reality magic carpet ride with Aladdin. Actually, I was a monkey and that was cooler than you’d think.

From there toured the nightclubs on the strip. One nightclub called “Mannequin’s” played techno with rotating dance floor. It was fun, but you couldn’t help but feel like you were on display for the balcony squatters. Having frequented the rave scene long ago, I get embarrassed any time I see someone swinging glow sticks around. Not only that, and the men there didn’t seem to miss the women.  I did, so we left.

The 70’s disco club got a thumbs-up because they were playing New Kids on the Block singing “The Right Stuff.” I grabbed my belt buckle and started swinging my legs like Danny Donny Joe John Jordan. I kicked a lady but she needed to get over it. They had big TV’s playing the video, Donnie chasing a girl with big curly late 80’s hair. Then they played a parade clip when Ferris Bueler sang “Twist and Shout.” What a fun song! I thought the walls were going to break open that place was so stacked with people. You know, I’ve been to some of the hottest nightclubs around the country, and that’s cool. I love cool vibes and glam and all, but there’s no substitute for having fun.

(We are flying over a big canyon right now, though I wouldn’t call it “grand.”)

I prayed in a chapel that could’ve been from the year 2040. The walls were windows slashed up like a Jackson Pollock painting. They were frosted different textures and tossed the light around the room. Kneeling down looking to crucifix, I forgot about the 300 teenagers I was there to speak to. It was so wonderful to get lost in prayer.

I was in Orlando to give a talk to the youth of the diocese. The day was long, but the people made it worth it. The teens were so hungry for intimacy…for truth beyond the whims of the day. I gave them all I have. It was so nice to see my cousin Christina there. We’re all growing up.

What a crazy weekend! I am so tired…I only slept a couple hours last night. We’re flying over north Phoenix now. Soon we’ll barrel to left and sweep into the desert.

I couldn’t have weekends like this all the time, but it happy they happen once a week.