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The Open Road

Selections from
Song of the Open Road
by Walt Whitman

Afoot and light-hearted, I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me, leading wherever I choose.

...

You road I enter upon and look around! I believe you are not all that is here;
I believe that much unseen is also here.

...

You air that serves me with breath to speak!
You objects that call from diffusion my meanings, and give them shape!
You light that wraps me and all things in delicate equable showers!
You paths worn in the irregular hollows by the roadsides!
I think you are latent with unseen existences—you are so dear to me.

...

All seems beautiful to me;
I can repeat over to men and women, You have done such good to me, I would do the same to you.

...

Now I reexamine philosophies and religions,
They may prove well in lecture-rooms, yet not prove at all under the spacious clouds, and along the landscape and flowing currents.

...

The efflux of the Soul is happiness—here is happiness;
I think it pervades the open air, waiting at all times;
Now it flows unto us—we are rightly charged.

...

Mon enfant! I give you my hand!
I give you my love, more precious than money,
I give you myself, before preaching or law;
Will you give me yourself? will you come travel with me? 230
Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?

---

The last week has been mostly pleasant. Highlights include Thursday evening, when Marc called and Summer and I meandered through some gallery night stops on the way to Brandon's for movie night. Saturday bore the good news that Jamie has agreed to officiate the wedding, and I was accepted to Law Review. I also found this week that I have a happy class rank, and determined dates to attend the beach with family and to steal away my brother and hopefully catch up with Julia in New York as well! Summer and I are planning on getting a Meyer Lemon tree and a dwarf banana to continue to spruce up and oxygenate the apartment. We have been keeping quite busy. Summer's new commitment to lab means just that, and I myself will have meetings for all my extracurriculars before school begins oh so soon. Work continues as usual, and will continue for about 2 more weeks.

Summer and I watched movies.

Brick was as excellent as anticipated. All the darkness of noir somehow maintained and balanced against the humor of a high school setting. So much fun.

I believe I already mentioned City of God? Probably even better--heavier, but still with its moments of amusement, and the startling revelation at the end that it is not just "based on a true story," as the original film clips that supplied some of the dialogue reveal that it stays more true to real life than anyone would hope.

Based on our problems with subtitles and skipping movies, we purchased a $10 DVD player from a kindly craigslister, and it works phenomenally. I am considering reassigning the computer to my desk in the bedroom, though I am now trolling craigslist for an LCD monitor to save a bit of space on said desk should I elect to pursue that arrangement.

I think there might've been other movies, but all I can think of is The Big Lebowski. Everyone probably knows how I feel about that.

Saturday Summer and I celebrated our 1 year preanniversary with a trip to La Laiterie, the restaurant adjoining a local gourmet cheese shop. We dined in high style and the day felt appropriate. I am eagerly looking ahead, and as we consider details and talk to people, things feel ever more right.

Busy days ahead, and time for me to return to the papers that envelope my office.