Mardi Gras in Austin
Saturday, February 17

I made my way to Austin in about 9 hours including pit stops. Had it not been for Houston traffic, I would have been here far sooner.

Last night, my friend Pepe took me to a book-signing. His friend Paul Solares, a Peruvian journalist-novelist-UT Grad Student read sections of his spicey novel at a local art gallery. Then Pepe and his friend Drew and I went for dinner at a great Tex-Mex restaurant where they serve Avacado Margueritas - surprisingly good.

A good night's sleep. I hope to see Clint and his family tomorrow (Clint originally invited me to Austin and arranged for my apartment) and Gary Greenblum (my former student) on Monday. There's a lecture on the tango on Monday at the UT. But this is a great city to hang out in and enjoy many internet cafe's - a life not too different from my New Orleans life.

It's cold (cold???) here but, without the humidity, it feels brisk and invigorating.

The long drive was also a good thinking time.