You are everywhere.  I rarely go more than a minute or two without something reminding me of you.

Food:  you were such a gourmand.  You loved anything involving cheese or bacon, preferably both, routinely had a dozen different bags of chips (all opened), stocked your fridge with beer from around the world, had been known to indulge in a Guero’s margarita or two, favored New York style pizza, macaroni salad and big sandwiches, and had a compelling desire to experiment with ordinary foods to create the extraordinary.

Traveling:  new experiences called to you, and when you could answer, you did so with abandon…Big Sur, New York, Carmel, New Orleans, Asheville, Napa, Seattle, Quebec, San Francisco, D.C., San Juan Islands, Orlando, La Jolla, Sundance, Long Beach, Williamsburg, Orcas, Montreal, Laguna, Park City…and so much more was yet to come.  You brought back rocks from your travels as Dad and I do.  We have your rocks with ours in the rock garden you gave me for Mother’s Day a few years ago.

Music:  live music at Austin City Limits or South x Southwest was greatly anticipated and rarely missed, and living in Austin you spent part of most weekends hearing live music somewhere.  You always wanted to play the guitar and learned how to at the very advanced age of twenty-something.  You never did give that recital you promised.

Creating:  working with wood, glass, metal, stone, film, or pen and paper.  Designing and building furniture and works of art and, when using your favorite medium, making short films, some realized and some only just conceived.  But I think your greatest talent was in writing.  Your mind could take you anywhere, and did.

Anything Tech:  so many times I would pick up the phone and run something by you.  You always knew the answer to any question asked, but if ever you didn’t, you gave your answer with such authority that you were never doubted.  You got that talent from Granddad; he was the master.

Basketball, cars,  politics, books, gum, biking, gnomes, architecture, frogs, hiking, fantasy football, furniture, pubs, tools, taking risks, working hard, dressing sharp, enjoying life…you got so much out of your 34 years, 11 months and 11 days.

“What is essential does not die but clarifies.” – Thornton Wilder