The End of the Road...

After last night we are all a little exhausted. The airports are full of somber carolina fans who would pay anything to get out of San Antonio. The going rate for one ticket to the National Championship game... Whatever you can get! I sold my ticket before the game had even ended for 100$. To make matters a little worse I've finally come down with a nasty cold. San Antonio was great for a basketball tournament if you were on the winning team, but I can't say that I'm eager to get back. The river walk, albeit a friendly stroll on a spring afternoon, gets old after about 20 minutes. No matter how bad it seems we all have one thing to be grateful for today. We don't live in Kansas. If I were an economist I would predict a sharp decline in consumer spending for the state of Kansas in 2008. The reason cited is that more than 15,000 people spent half their annual income on bringing their families to San Antonio to watch Kansas beat Roy. I did get the chance to sit beside a 10 year old boy last night who had no specific ties to any of the teams. After going down 40-12 in the first half I told the kid I needed him to be a big UNC fan and reassure me that a comeback was not out of the question. The kid did exactly that prompting a 24 point swing over 12 minutes with his tarheel pom-pom. By the end of the game the boy from San Antonio was more deflated than I was about the failed comeback effort. The only consalation that I had to offer the kid was that he should work really, really, hard in school so that one day he could come to school at UNC, where our storied basketball tradition and wonderful academic standards make us the most hated University in all of the country. Of course being a kid I had to reassure him that if for some reason, like our comeback efforts, he failed... He could always attend Kansas. My only thought now is to get back to Raleigh and enjoy my last several weeks of Spring in the only home I know. What a long strange trip it's been. My life has no doubt been enriched by the experience of seeing 17 States over a 6 week span. Meeting wonderful people along the way I feel much more complete in my understanding of what it means to be of "America". A place where our political idealogy often gets in the way of willingness to help each other become better people. Without getting sentimental, which is hard to do, because there is just something very sentimental about having your eyes fill with water when you come to the ledge of the Grand Canyon, not because your sad, but because your mesmorized. To my mother who thought this cross country trip was a bad idea, but gave me the benefit of the doubt. I wouldn't give it back for anything. Defenitely not a bad idea. Love you Mom~

For the last couple of years Austin, TX is a place that I've heard a lot about. Friends have often mentioned this city among the hottest, and most trendy communities to live in the U.S. There are many reasons that Austin somehow ends up in just about any conversation about great places to live. The arts thrive in Austin, TX. A place where there is actually a festival called "Keep Austin Weird", this capital city also boasts several major annual film festivals, as well as the Austin City Limits Music Festival, and South by Southwest Music Festival. Aside from the many co-op groceries, state monuments, and super parks, Austin is the home of the supersized public university. Most visitors find themselves seeking out the nighlife of famed 6th st which sits in the middle of the scenic downtown. The poppulation seems very health conscious, and can easily get its fare share of excercise in the moderately warm climate of South Texas. The accessibility of running trails and river walks makes Austin a great place to enjoy the outdoors. Local businesses survive and even thrive in a place that still holds onto much of it's old Texas roots. I get the feeling that I'm back in the South here in Austin, and I must admit I kind of like that about the place. The community itself is like a built up "Carrboro" for those of you who are familiar with the progressive suburb of Chapel Hill. Another aspect of Austin often overlooked is that the economy here is blessed with several very large corporate entities, the best known of which is Dell Computers. Most people have grown fond over the years of eating and shopping at Whole Foods Markets. It's a trend that has taken flight in the era of target marketing, and this Austin founded company has created quite a buzz. Just ask yourself when the last time you sat down with your overpriced, organic compilation of meats and vegetables was? Austin's Whole Foods Market was the first in the U.S. opening in 1980 with just 19 employees. Now there are thousands all over the world, and if you want to get an idea of what kind of people flood the streets of Austin you need look no further than your local Whole Foods Market employee's. They would almost all fit in well here. Other featured delicasies of the city include it's enormous public pool which is more like a public lake, and of course there is a great river that run's through the outskirts of downtown where people jog, kayak, canoe, and enjoy the great views from a natural setting. If you needed any further confirmation that Austin is in fact one of the coolest places on earth right now, I will add one more variable to the equation. "The Tree of Life", a movie being filmed in Austin, TX has brought Brad and Angelina to the city as permanent residents for the next year, and their have been citings all over the city, not to mention Brad Pitt, who is taking the role in Heath Ledger's absence is co-starring with Sean Penn in this film, and yes... Sean Penn has also planned to be in Austin for another 9 months. The city has got a whole lot working for it, and sometimes when you are walking through the streets you almost forget that you are still in Texas.