Eureka: I have found it!

Actually, I'm in Arcata, CA, home of Humboldt State University. This town fosters my kind of people. I partly wanted to check out this town because my grandparents met at school here, back in the day, and my Dad was born in nearby Eureka. The town's atmosphere and layout (with a central plaza and all) reminded me of many villages in Costa Rica. Laid back hippies smoking ganja. Arcata rocks both the pine and the palm.

Two beautiful worlds colliding here, with California Chill and the Grunginess of the South Sound. Steen showed me around the city, and I was called into a bar called TJ's (which are my initials), which was sporting the yin/yang sign out front. I couldn't resist.

Dude on the street: "Do you have a cigarette?"
Me: "Oh, no, man. Sorry."
Dude: "Oh, don't be sorry; be silly! It's more fun"
Me: *jaw dropped*

For those who think that they know my heart, you know that Eastern Philosophy really resonates with me. Arcata stands against the ocean, facing the lands far across the sea, and lets the Buddhist and Taoist thoughts whip in like the rains that took down a power line this morning. Also appealing to me in this town: Mountains, Surfing, Redwoods, Green, Cows. Don't be surprised if I end up here for a while, anybody. Arcata is kinda like Bellingham and Olympia ran off together, headed for Mexico but got lost in the woods, started a farm, had a kid, and that kid dropped out of high school because he smoked too much pot. Years later, that kid started a successful tea shop/used book store. I don't know... Arcata is sweet.

Lutheran Church in Arcata. Looks like a fortress.