Interesting about private collector/gallery symbiosis. 

On drawing.. don't think you should give up so soon. Van Gogh starting out was an awful drawer.. it took him many years to get to his masterpieces (10000 hours??). You should pick up "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain".. it's a classic in that it consistently gets people to a respectable skill level in about 40 hours of work. As the title states.. it can help release your creativity and perception too. You really start to appreciate pieces in museums when you truly understand how difficult some of the techniques they use are. I used to just walk by graphite/chalk sketches without batting an eye.. now they're my favorite.. and can spend half an hour looking at one sketch. I can't even begin to appreciate the color wheel yet.

Austin area by far has best BBQ. Landers downtown for fancy BBQ or Salt Lick for amazing rustic experience OR if you want to get serious go to the town of Lockhart for the original experience. Austin has a more authentic Texas feel than Dallas. Dallas is just an LA wannabe. You won't find cowboys and steers unless you go to Ft Worth. The happening spots in Dallas is the Uptown and surrounding area.. lots of 20s/30s (and 40/50 year olds who think they are 20 years younger) with tons of clubs/bars/restaurants.. a very walkable area. The rest of Dallas is a concrete highway. 

BTW I lived in Dallas for 15 years and 8 years in Austin and have been every where in between.

"Healthy at 100" by John Robbins convinced me. Very fair and clearly written argument. It's not even an argument after you look at all the scientific research he cites.

The bookt focuses on the few high percentage centenarian cultures and what they eat.. then throws in the China Study bombshell to smack down all your apprehensions. Also discusses other non-food related things that are equally as important (other than the obvious exercise more).

The only issue with soups, beans, or veggies from a can is the BPA lining the can walls. Look for cans stating BPA-free (hard to find) or the ones that are in cartons.

Always good to see others in agreement on this. Went to college 10 years ago at a pretty good school.. and I shit you not I quit with 9 hours left to graduate. I couldn't stand the obsolete and unnecessarily rigid curriculum anymore.. I was learning nothing and felt a diploma was a sham. I'm an autodidact and learned practical DBA skills out of college (the college's database classes which were great for basic theory were AWFUL for real world use.)

What I did get from it, and you confirmed, are my best friends. For me in hindsight.. I see college as where I went to meet like-minded ambitious people.. who turned out to be business partners and travel buddies. But as you said again.. with Meetups, etc.. you can meet these people without the tuition. 

If I could do it all over again.. would I go to school again? Hell yes.. it was way too much fun. Except this time I'd do freshman year in the dorms where you are forced to meet tons of people (like I did).. and THEN quit after that. Then live off-campus for a few years with some buddies I met freshman year. I'd use that time to learn stuff that I am curious about while they continue the time/moneysuck that is college. Kind of best of both worlds.