March 14, 2021:

It was exciting to drive from my house in Salinas down to Santa Barbara for study group with friends.

Being in motion was exciting. Being out of the house was exciting. Being around smart young people was exciting. Learning new things was exciting.

But I think the most visceral impact on me was being in Southern California.

Driving over the pass into Gaviota, the light changes. The sky changes from gray to blue, the water changes from gray to blue, colors are more vibrant, shadows are more defined. I feel an immediate positive impact on my state of mind and overall vitality.

This all combined — overdetermined — to fuel the first feeling of true vitality I'd experienced in very many years.