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Voices from the Street
posted Jan. 13, 2008


It was a windy day downtown. With book in hand, I walked from my parking place on 11th and Brazos to Starbucks. Lots of people were headed to the Capitol, and amid the noise of cars and conversation I could hear the loudspeaker of a protester denouncing the Bush Admin and war in Iraq. Welcome to Austin!! The voices from the Street are mingled, and I detected at least 3 different languages other than English.

Aside from the wind...........it was a beautiful Jan. day.

Meeting a new friend downtown to have coffee, conversation and then over to the Austin Musuem of Art to view the Roy Lichtenstein currently on display....we detoured from our original plans to include a walk about downtown. Seems he also likes architecture and the urban landscape. We found several places we both want to visit and took several pix. My favorite stop was at the Cathedral of Saint Mary. What a beautiful place!!!

Slowly, my new life is taking on a shape of what I had hoped it would, of what I wanted it to become. All the things that drew me to Austin still exist. It has just taken me a while to understand that the person that I was when I first fell in love with this place over 20 years ago still exists, too.

My afternoon journey..................

*Starbucks at 10th/Congress
*Round trip walkabout down Congress to 6th........to Red River back to 11th.....to Congress down to the AMA
*Cathedral of Saint Mary
*Hickory Street Cafe

Sometimes I hesitate to share my new life with friends and family back home. It wasn't that I hated it there. I just didn't like myself there too much. I have been restless a really long time. When we allow others (or ourself) to put us in a box, we limit our choices..............physically, emotionally, creatively. It might have been a really pretty box.........but it was a box just the same. It has been a year now since my friend AS told me the box had to be destroyed. I truly owe him alot for giving me confidence in myself and my abilities. Without his encouragement, I might still be stuck where I was.

Voices from the Street..................it is not something you hear much of back home. There is so much energy here. Just sitting outside having coffee inspires me. I have a journal piece I will upload later written several years ago about being in a gilded prison.
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