Osler's Razor

As you can probably tell, I liked Alpine, Texas and the people there. In a funny way, it felt like a comfortable place-- sometimes there is a fit, and you don't know why. I feel the same way about New York City. Sometimes I get too dug into the place I am, and don't let myself feel what another place is like. Where we are from is not always where we belong.

Which reminds me of a story some of you have heard before. My Mom and Dad were travelling in Ireland, driving around in a little car. They really loved it there; they stayed in simple places and ate dinner in pubs and met a lot of people. One night, they were out in some far-off village at the pub, long after they had finished dinner, talking to the locals. After a few rounds, one of the men turned to my Dad and asked "Hey, are you Irish on both sides of your family or just one?" He said "neither," but went on to explain "I'm the first Irishman in my family."

They accepted that, lifted their glasses, and moved on to the next topic. Sometimes, if you're lucky, it's like that.