This may be the most personal post I've ever made

Back in college, there was a young lady who would frequently ask me how I'm doing. I would usually reply with, "I'm alright." To which she would respond, "Just alright?" I never quite knew how to respond to that. I wasn't unhappy in college, but I wasn't happy either. Being alright was the best I could do. I didn't quite understand how that wasn't good enough for her.

Fast forward several years, and I was still just alright. I would have burst of happiness, but such bursts were always short lived. Then something happened. I was attending a lindy exchange in New Orleans and was really enjoying myself. That's fairly common for exchanges, and I usually crash pretty hard when they are over. But this one was different. I didn't crash when it was over. A month later, I was still just as happy as I was during that event. I'm not sure what the trigger was, but if I were still in contact with that woman from college, I would have told her that I was doing good, or maybe even great. I finally understood why alright wasn't good enough.

This period of happiness lasted most of the year. It was followed by a brief period of more happiness than I had thought possible, and then followed by a very big crash and my move to Austin, which totally changed my life. It's been a rough 4 months since I've moved, but I think I'm at the point where I'm doing alright, most of the time. Now that I know the difference between alright and good, I'm trying to make things better for me, rather than just let them stay alright. Here's hoping it doesn't take too long.

What a difference a storm makes

Not So Trickling Water
Originally uploaded by qortez.

When I was hoping for a good storm last night, I had no idea that we would have one the next morning. It prompted me to visit the creek again today, just to see what difference it made.

As I was walking across the bridge, I could hear the massive amount of water flowing underneath me. When I got closer, the waterfall was all I could hear.

I like this place.

I think I may have found a happy spot

Trickling Water
Originally uploaded by qortez.

It's really close to home, too. I found it on accident as I was walking back home from my second trip to the tracks. Although this place is under a bridge, I found it to be quite relaxing.

I can't wait to visit this place after (or maybe even during) a good rain storm. The trickling water should be a bit more dramatic, then.

I did end up going to the tracks...

Looking Down the Line
Originally uploaded by qortez.

...but I didn't win any money. Maybe I went to the wrong kind of tracks for that. I'm pretty sure these tracks aren't used at the moment, but I still found myself being somewhat paranoid about the potential of oncoming trains. I kept looking over to the street at the guard signals, just to reassure myself that I was safe. Still, I think I want to go back and walk down the line some more.

My trip to Dallas was somewhat disappointing. This makes the second trip in a row that didn't live up to what I had hoped. I still had fun, though, and it won't stop me from going back to Dallas next weekend. If this next trip is also a bust, then I might have to rethink the frequency of my visits.

Another First

I saw my first snake in Austin today. It was in between the buildings at work.

I'm sure everyone cares about that.

In other news, I have this unbelievable urge to walk to the rail road tracks near my apartment tonight. If I do, I'll probably have some pictures up next week (after I get back from Dallas).

The first one!

I saw my first possum of Austin tonight.

Yeah, so my updating sucks lately.