The long viewMt. Tamalpais, CA

San Francisco Bay area sketch by Chandler O'Leary

On the morning I did this sketch, I was supposed to be sitting in a darkened lecture hall, listening to a bunch of scholars talk about art. But I just couldn’t do it. On a day like that, it seemed criminal to pass up such a beautiful place. So I jumped in the car and drove in the opposite direction—in the same time it would have taken me to get to the auditorium, I had reached the top of the world.

Posting this sketch has me remembering that I do this a lot. I have a long history of throwing the itinerary out the window and going off on my own to explore instead. And I gotta say: every single time, without fail, it’s been precisely the right choice to make.

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Comments (1)

  1. Michael

    What an inspirational picture. As though you were on top of the world. Unless the lecture was as inspiring, I guess you did the right thing. When traveling, I tend to stick with the plan but sometimes get lost and stumble on a gem, or just take a half hour to go exploring, or work in a half day of idleness. Then again, sometimes the plan is a disappointment because the event doesn’t measure up to my expectations.
    Thanks for your posting; it was good for reflection.

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