Project Austin

I’m looking out a window at the downtown Austin skyline.  I can see the Frost Tower lit up like a spaceship.  Off to the right, the Texas Capitol building stares back at me with its solid brown presence, steady and grounded. The sun is starting to reflect off the buildings, throwing light across the city in a way that makes everything feel live and connected. I’ve got a coffee in my hand and a quiet buzz of excitement in my head as I sit here almost having to pinch myself to make sure it’s real. This is my view now. This is our place. This is our space.

It feels exciting, but it also feels a little uncomfortable. Jess and I bought a second home here in Austin. Part investment, part retreat, part way to create something for ourselves. Right now it doesn’t fully feel like ours yet. It still feels new, unfinished, a little uncertain. But maybe that’s what meaningful things often feel like in the beginning. There’s a good tension here.  The kind of tension that reminds you that you’re stretching into something entirely new.  The words floating in my mind are progress, change, risk and novelty.

I personally believe that sometimes you have to move on the things that matter to you. You have to make the decision, invest in the idea, and take the risk you’ve been putting off.  Don’t do it recklessly or without thought. But don’t always wait for that perfect moment, sometimes our quest for certainty keeps us from going through that door that unlocks an entirely new opportunity for life. This place is more than a real-estate investment for us. It’s a small down payment in a future Jess and I want to keep creating together. A future where our kids are older and are starting to build lives of their own, and where we still keep building ours too. A place for novelty. A place for connection. A place to keep life from becoming too predictable.

In September of 2003, Jess and I loaded our cars and a small U-Haul with all of the things we owned at the time and said good-bye to Austin and hello to San Antonio.  These last 23 years in the Alamo city have been amazing and provided a life full of family, career opportunities, friendships and experiences that we have been truly blessed with.  Our home and family is still SA.  What will Austin be for our future?  Not sure yet.  But life is short, so do it while you can. Run that mile while you still can, drink that margarita at the cool Mexican restaurant,  Take the quick trip to Austin on a whim. Build the life you want while you still have the time, energy, and people to enjoy it with. Don’t just admire the idea of a good life from a distance. Step into it.