late one afternoon i carried myself on down a grayish road. the trees had want for leaves, the potholes for loose gravel. i saw many a passerby, but we did not look each other in the eye. we were lost inside ourselves, the mindless dialogue on autopilot in our heads. the gray matter of my brain was extra soft and squishy. it was sleepy, so without an ounce of prevention on its own part, it simply went into hibernation.
on and on down Hibernation Road did I meander, stopping to observe the scenery on a few rare instances. in the end, though, i saw almost nothing.
Hibernation Road has an intersection, or maybe it has many; i wouldn't know if i missed em or not. but one morning i did find myself at a crossroads and i heard some voices laughing just a little ways down. i followed the voices and began a travel through time, through the seasons and the colors they came a whirlin and a swirlin and i started twirlin, i took some more turns and started to get lost, i knew i didnt have a map but i didnt care. now i've been lost for a time but the road's getting more colorful and gaining more scenery day by day. ive joined up with those voices and put faces to them. now we're a skippin and a jumpin hand in hand and there's no turning back.

from Walden

No man ever followed his genius till it misled him. Though the result were bodily weakness, yet perhaps no one can say that the consequences were to be regretted, for these were a life in conformity to higher principles. If the day and the night are such that you greet them with joy, and life emits a fragrance like flowers and sweet-scented herbs, is more elastic, more starry, more immortal- that is your success. All nature is your congratulation, and you have cause momentarily to bless yourself. The greatest gains and values are farthest from being appreciated. We easily come to doubt if they exist. We soon forget them. They are the highest reality... the true harvest of my daily life is somewhat as intangible and indescribable as the tints of morning or evening. It is a little star-dust caught, a segment of the rainbow which I have clutched.

Austin is a magical place! things that have me buzzing bzzzzzzzz:
--> getting to play with really cool musicians at the pita pit and the hideout, nearly every day!!! and realizing that work can be a party... the employees at the pita pit have such a good time together!
-->getting to play with Acoustalyn, just by chance... this band has shows booked in central TX every weekend throughout the spring and i get to be the alternate violin player at a lot of them =0)
-->getting to play for the gilbert and sullivan society
-->getting to play at school
-->hopefully traveling to nearby state parks with Kevin to create a biker's dream guide
-->Erik. Especially when he plays jokes on me.
-->THE PEOPLE! i feel so excited and blessed to be alive in this place and spend time with these wonderful folks. I am surrounded by role models, all the time... whaaaaaaaat.