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Mission accomplished. Unlike the President, that statement is true.

The trip wrapped up on a very high note. Charlottesville is a beautiful little city, centered around the University of Virginia. I kicked around town a bit before going to my friend Nick's house, taking in the main tourist attraction, which is an outdoor pedestrian mall much like the Flatiron Mall in Boulder (and built by the same developer. Hello, homogeneity). Still, it's a wonderful place for a stroll, populated by local merchants and restaurants-thankfully, no chain stores. It's interesting though that even the places meant to be unique, meant to be the antithesis of big-box sameness, all share the same characteristics in their attempts at anti-. I've been to that mall before, without ever having set foot in Charlottesville before. Your local coffeehouse, the one that's not Starbucks, with the free WiFi and poetry readings and eclectic menu? There's one in every city.

Nick lives in a community of brand-new houses that sits on land that until four years ago was an apple orchard. Beautiful setting though; the foliage-laden Virginia mountains stand tall in the backdrop, and the houses are all built to appear as though they've been there for generations. Big front porches, manicured lawns, a central green with a community gazebo. Great schools nearby, neighbors who actually know each other, whose kids play together. Met Nick's lovely wife Dominique for the first time, and then his three boys, 9,5, and 2. Beautiful family, and as I'd previously only known Nick in the radio/music business world, I really dug getting to see that side of him.

We headed off to King's Family Vineyards, less than a mile away from Chez Nick. Did a tasting, bought several bottles to bring home. Bought an extra bottle to drink there, sitting on the front porch of the winery and catching up on life while staring out at the polo fields and the mountains behind them. Discussed the future of the business, my future within it, reviewing opportunities and philosophizing on life in general. Then, with a strong wine buzz intact, we stopped back at the house to check on the wife & kids (well, he did. I just had to take a leak.) before heading into town again. Dinnertime, with another old friend of mine.

My friend Andrew Silver is the chef/owner of a fabulous restaurant in Charlottesville called Zocalo. Do go there should you be in town. Andrew is the younger brother of Adam, one of the Myrtle Beach 8 and part of the extended group. After greetings all around, Nick & I were set up like real VIP's, going thru a series of dishes that were all perfectly done. Tuna tartare, spicy without overwhelming the fish. Mussels steamed in chili broth, duck confit (all for me; Nick's a vegetarian for some reason), fried cheese in a raspberry-chili glaze. Scallops for Nick, duck breast for me, with an onion & manchego bread pudding. Oh, and the brussels sprouts...never liked 'em before, but goddam if Andrew didn't make me a believer. Shredded brussels sprouts with a smoky bacon. Chocolate bread pudding with a Bailey's/espresso sauce to end it, along with several glasses of various wines in between. We left stuffed and slightly drunk, the way you should leave any meal. Including breakfast.

Quick aside to address a pet peeve: it's not EX-presso, it's ES-presso. Fuckin' idiots...it's not "ex-presso" because it speeds you up. If you don't know the difference, get the hell out of Starbucks or your pseudo-hipster coffee house.

Anyway-got back to the house just before midnight, jumped online to check email and another IM session that lasted an hour or so (and happy to have had the opportunity to communicate with that person) before falling asleep. Woke up early...as I live alone, I'm not used to the sound of three kids crashing around the house at 7 in the morning. Breakfast with the family, some amazingly strong coffee, and then hit the road. The road home.

On Nick's advice (correct, as it turned out) I skipped the major highways in favor of the scenic route. I just can't get over the natural beauty of Virginia. Rolling hills, foliage, horses, pristine roads. Headed out on 64, then up 81 along Skyway Drive on the edge of Shenandoah National Forest. Up 81 thru Pennsylvania, weather getting cloudy and drizzly. More horses. Up thru Jersey to pick up 95 in Fort Lee, over the GW bridge (not that GW, the one who actually had a fuckin' clue and founded this country on an idealism that actually had the best interests of its average citizens as its central tenet). Ugh. Rush hour in Manhatttan. White knuckle time. Gridlock out to the Merritt Parkway. Ultimately, a 12-hour journey home, all the while reflecting on the trip and what it all meant, what it all boils down to...

The goal was clarity. Putting some distance, literally and figuratively, between myself and my recent past. The goal was attained. Remembering who I am, how far I've come and where I want to go. Who I want to go with. WBOS now seems like a distant memory, a faded mental photograph that you look at once in a while and remember fondly, forgetting the ugly moments. Was I really only away for 11 days? Felt much longer, like I'd become a gypsy traveling aimlessly across the land. Many times throughout I felt like a ghost floating thru the ephemera of other people's lives, not really supposed to be there but causing no harm, no rip in the continuum. Saw the two America's, but we'll save that diatribe for another post. 2600 miles over a week & a half gives a man a lot of time to think about what's really important to him, who the people are that really matter in this life. Jobs will come and go. Success is important, sure, but what does any of it ultimately matter without our closest friends and family to share it with? People matter more than anything else. Love can conquer all, even if only on a microscale. Love yourself, love your friends and family. Happiness will stem from there.

There was one person in particular who was constantly on my mind, one person above all the others that I will do anything for, one person who matters most. That's the clarity I sought. The confirmation of something I already knew intrinsically. I can't write about it here; hell, I can't even mention a name. It's just for me. For us. Here I come...