If I could pick one thing I love about Austin, it’s probably a sense of variety that I find missing in so many places I’ve been too. In a day and age when you can go to the same strip mall in Minnesota and Florida, there’s less and less that makes places or moments special. Not too long ago I sat in a coffee house while a talented singer/songwriter warned me about his army of kittens. The next week before I saw a 12 piece chamber orchestra of high schoolers playing folk rock. More recently, I went swing dancing, where the live band included a guy that looked like ZZ Top, a young immigrant playing brushes on the drums, and a girl with a sultry alto singing and playing violin.
In a world that looks all the same, I find myself searching for things that are different, even if they aren’t great. I’ll take a quirky indie flick without a plot over a tired special effects extravangza, even if the indie movie is going to leave me bored and scratching my head. Here in Austin, there always seems to be variety, but you don’t have to sacrifice quality to get it.
This is the point where I usually make some cultural or spiritual comment based on my earlier observation. But all I really want to say is: I love this city. Now I think I’m going to get out and enjoy it.
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