The Grateful Dead came to me at the ripe old age of sixteen. And I welcomed the band into my life. I was intrigued about all the interesting and mind-altering avenues the band, and more specifically following it, had to offer. I was like a sponge, absorbing every last drop of excitement. These were the days of spontaneous youth, of abandoning yourself. And I knew deep in my heart that these days, this life, could not be wasted.