driving over 68 on saturday, away from salinas, late afternoon sunlight lambent over the hills, touching their silver winter grasses with soft fire, flickering honeygold through the trees. led zeppelin seemed to match perfectly the sweep and timbre of the light, plant's voice just another shade of gold. then yesterday, i took the long way to downtown, along the beach. the storm that knocked our power out for eight hours had thrown sand up on the road and swept the sky. tori amos crooned through my speakers, her voice slicing clear and clean as the air. pure beauty.