I believe that every era in a person's life offers its special rewards as well as its special drawbacks.

So I see my own era and it has its ups and downs. I've past the time when I can think my actions have no important consequences, that ended after college for me and maybe earlier for some. I've long accepted my lack of invincibility and rather have started to embrace fragility of life.

But the truth is that even though at times I feel more like a forty year old with a bad back, I am still young and therefore lucky in certain special ways. For one, my life is not yet commanded by a series of inevitable daily and yearly imperatives like paying off a mortgage or raising kids. That means that right now I have the freedom of space and time that lets me do just about anything and also gives me the opportunity to attempt to shape my life however I may wish. That is no promise for a good life, but it is certainly a good chance that I shouldn't give up too fast for more stability and less unknown. The unknown is exciting.

Which leads me to the question: what kind of life are you really seeking, because you have just about as good a chance as anyone of achieving that life.

The answer, for me, is something I can't quite describe. I would like to be surrounded by jolly people and a good amount of friends among them. I would like the weather not to drive me indoors all day but I also wouldn't mind a night by a fireplace from time to time. I want to never get bored with the world, which means I should probably inhabit a place with a culture that doesn't promote apathy (scratch most of my mother country off the list). Of course I would like to have love and perhaps a family in my life for I think those thinks are like sunny weather to your life (but also not necessarily essential for happy life because one's own company can also be pretty good, haha)(let's face it, we achieved self-consciousness partly in order to not go insane when we are alone and that also meant we were capable of even more crazy things).

So with my rare freedom I can only promise to do my best to go out and seek it. Currently I am interested in the city of Melbourne. It sounds like my ideal city.

I hear that New Yorkers often get addicted to their city. A New Yorker, after at least a couple years of residence, may feel that any other place would be inadequate in comparison. And the truth is they might be right. If you get used to that kind of life then it would be hard to ween off. Of course you could also burn out. So that city is kinda like a drug (again, let's face it). A cool guy named Mark once called NYC "the belly of the beast." I think that might be a good characterization. Thanks dude. Well I am not really going anywhere with my NYC reference, so I guess I'll just end here. I do plan on stopping in the city at some point in the next year (just to warn you, "big apple," Ted's a comin' atta way, you mos bettah watch it, coz).