All things considered... New Paltz can be a pretty awesome place for convenient distraction (as well as a bit of serenity). Spring is finally showing its colors, and days have been pretty clear and sunny lately. It's a little warm for my liking, but even I'll admit -- ME, who's generally comfortable at the "freezing or below" temp range -- that the weather's been hanging around there ever since October, without deviation... So, I think the change is due.

In accordance, today was the perfect day for a bike ride. (Didn't bring mine up here, of course, 'cause I didn't think I'd use it -- BAH!)... BUT, it was only five bucks for a daily rental at the gym! ...Not bad at all... (Nice bikes too)

In any case, today was a rather peaceful day. Went out with a few friends up the rail trail and inhaled nature -- all that good stuff...

Later tonight, I took the bike out myself for a late night excursion of my own, while listening to music. Fortunately, the night sky was just as clear as the day was, so the stars were really plentiful (even without straying too far off campus, which I did anyway XP.) This is, by the way, why I did this alone... 1) because I could do it with music, and 2) because I could avoid the lectures and the warnings of the "gunman behind the tree." (I'm not an idiot seeking danger, but I don't waste opportunities to place my mind at ease...)

I have to admit, after awhile I kind of grew into my own little world while riding, as I began to proudly belch out the lyrics with staunch introversion, regardless of any "passers-by" (who undoubtedly started questioning my sanity). But then I realized... 1) This is college, and 2) This is New Paltz.......... (Indeed, I did receive a few glares... but if their reactions were anything akin to mine, in the past, upon passing a beaming whistler or even a 3am rapper, they'd probably just think, "Damn, he looks at peace with himself. Hope I can be that free... some night..."

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Each of us gets off by something different... Late-night bike rides might not be your cup of tea, but provided the circumstances in your life give you reason to want "solitude without pain, obligation, or necessity," then there's a lot of other moments in that vein worth reveling in -- for courtesy of the moment. After all, we all need to develop a healthy life of experience, feeling content with ourselves, in order to take ourselves seriously when bringing what we've gained to the table. It makes all the similar moments you'd spend WITH others to seem all the more intimate....