Why D.A. Smith is unconquerable, even by his own devices:

Because I can face down the misery of work, mere hours beforehand, and still enjoy myself, courtesy of Linda, Dave, Scott, Julie, Luckies, dry toast, coffee, writing, Lone Star, Shiner Bock, the X-Files, the internet, and my record collection.

While I still yearn to recreate, no matter how half-assedly, certain weekends at 19713, I think I've come as close as possible without being back at that address. It's not the same, of course, and I won't bother trying to describe why I'm fixated on those days- I can't even claim that "if you know me, you'd understand why" and mean it- but I'll be damned if certain elements of my current state of existence don't echo those days.

Sweet Jesus, I love the examined life.