:root {
    --essays-ink: #172121;
    --essays-muted: #5e6d68;
    --essays-paper: #fbfcfa;
    --essays-line: rgba(23, 33, 33, 0.14);
    --essays-leaf: #2f7a63;
    --essays-deep: #0f3f38;
    --essays-blue: #d7e9f7;
    --essays-mint: #dcefe8;
    --essays-coral: #f5b29b;
}

.essays-index-page {
    color: var(--essays-ink);
    background:
        linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(220, 239, 232, 0.55) 0, rgba(251, 252, 250, 0.98) 520px),
        var(--essays-paper);
}

.essays-nav {
    background: rgba(251, 252, 250, 0.92);
    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--essays-line);
    backdrop-filter: blur(16px);
}

.essays-nav .nav-brand,
.essays-nav a {
    color: var(--essays-ink);
}

.essays-hero {
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 0.88fr) minmax(420px, 1.12fr);
    gap: 48px;
    align-items: center;
    width: min(1120px, calc(100% - 40px));
    min-height: 760px;
    margin: 0 auto;
    padding: 132px 0 72px;
}

.essays-kicker {
    margin: 0 0 12px;
    color: var(--essays-leaf);
    font-size: 0.78rem;
    font-weight: 800;
    letter-spacing: 0;
    text-transform: uppercase;
}

.essays-hero h1 {
    max-width: 720px;
    margin: 0;
    color: var(--essays-ink);
    font-size: clamp(2.8rem, 7vw, 5.4rem);
    line-height: 0.98;
    letter-spacing: 0;
}

.essays-hero p {
    max-width: 620px;
    margin: 24px 0 0;
    color: #27433c;
    font-size: 1.14rem;
    line-height: 1.82;
    font-weight: 500;
}

.essays-hero-board {
    position: relative;
    min-height: 520px;
    border: 1px solid var(--essays-line);
    border-radius: 8px;
    overflow: hidden;
    background:
        linear-gradient(rgba(23, 33, 33, 0.045) 1px, transparent 1px),
        linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(23, 33, 33, 0.045) 1px, transparent 1px),
        linear-gradient(135deg, rgba(215, 233, 247, 0.68), rgba(220, 239, 232, 0.46) 50%, rgba(245, 178, 155, 0.3)),
        url("/images/photos/music-practice.webp");
    background-size: 28px 28px, 28px 28px, auto, cover;
    background-position: 0 0, 0 0, center, center;
    box-shadow: 0 24px 70px rgba(23, 33, 33, 0.1);
}

.essays-hero-board::before {
    content: "";
    position: absolute;
    inset: 0;
    background: rgba(251, 252, 250, 0.78);
}

.essays-hero-board::after {
    content: "";
    position: absolute;
    inset: 68px 58px;
    border: 2px dashed rgba(47, 122, 99, 0.32);
    border-radius: 999px;
    transform: rotate(-7deg);
}

.garden-pill {
    position: absolute;
    z-index: 1;
    display: grid;
    align-content: center;
    min-height: 82px;
    width: 170px;
    padding: 14px;
    border: 1px solid rgba(23, 33, 33, 0.16);
    border-radius: 8px;
    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9);
    color: var(--essays-ink);
    text-decoration: none;
    box-shadow: 0 14px 36px rgba(23, 33, 33, 0.08);
    transition: transform 160ms ease, border-color 160ms ease;
}

.garden-pill:hover,
.garden-pill:focus-visible {
    transform: translateY(-3px);
    border-color: rgba(47, 122, 99, 0.55);
    outline: none;
}

.garden-pill strong {
    font-size: 0.98rem;
    line-height: 1.25;
}

.garden-pill span {
    margin-top: 5px;
    color: var(--essays-muted);
    font-size: 0.84rem;
}

.garden-pill-main {
    left: calc(50% - 98px);
    top: calc(50% - 58px);
    width: 196px;
    min-height: 116px;
    background: var(--essays-deep);
    color: #fff;
}

.garden-pill-main span {
    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.78);
}

.garden-pill-a { left: 7%; top: 12%; }
.garden-pill-b { right: 8%; top: 15%; }
.garden-pill-c { left: 10%; bottom: 13%; }
.garden-pill-d { right: 9%; bottom: 12%; }
.garden-pill-e { left: calc(50% - 88px); bottom: 5%; background: #f8fff9; }
.garden-pill-f { left: calc(50% - 84px); top: 5%; background: #fffdf4; }

.essays-section {
    width: min(1120px, calc(100% - 40px));
    margin: 0 auto;
    padding: 72px 0;
}

.essays-taxonomy {
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 0.9fr) minmax(360px, 1.1fr);
    gap: 36px;
    align-items: start;
    border-top: 1px solid var(--essays-line);
}

.essays-section h2 {
    margin: 0;
    color: var(--essays-ink);
    font-size: 2rem;
    line-height: 1.22;
    letter-spacing: 0;
}

.taxonomy-cloud {
    display: flex;
    flex-wrap: wrap;
    gap: 10px;
}

.taxonomy-cloud span,
.essay-stage {
    display: inline-flex;
    align-items: center;
    min-height: 30px;
    padding: 6px 10px;
    border: 1px solid rgba(47, 122, 99, 0.22);
    border-radius: 999px;
    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.82);
    color: var(--essays-deep);
    font-size: 0.8rem;
    font-weight: 800;
}

.essays-section-heading {
    max-width: 720px;
    margin-bottom: 30px;
}

.essay-card-grid {
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr);
    gap: 18px;
}

.essay-card {
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: minmax(280px, 0.76fr) minmax(0, 1fr);
    min-height: 340px;
    border: 1px solid var(--essays-line);
    border-radius: 8px;
    overflow: hidden;
    background: #fff;
    color: var(--essays-ink);
    text-decoration: none;
    box-shadow: 0 18px 54px rgba(23, 33, 33, 0.08);
}

.essay-card:hover,
.essay-card:focus-visible {
    border-color: rgba(47, 122, 99, 0.55);
    outline: none;
}

.essay-card-image {
    min-height: 320px;
    background:
        linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(15, 63, 56, 0.06), rgba(15, 63, 56, 0.24)),
        url("/images/photos/music-practice.webp");
    background-size: cover;
    background-position: center;
}

.essay-card-plans .essay-card-image {
    background:
        linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(15, 63, 56, 0.04), rgba(15, 63, 56, 0.18)),
        url("/images/plans/plan-2015-future.png");
    background-size: cover;
    background-position: left top;
}

.essay-card-berklee .essay-card-image {
    background:
        linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(15, 63, 56, 0.04), rgba(15, 63, 56, 0.2)),
        url("/images/plans/berklee-stage.jpg");
    background-size: cover;
    background-position: center;
}

.essay-card-vocal .essay-card-image {
    background:
        linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(15, 63, 56, 0.04), rgba(15, 63, 56, 0.22)),
        url("/images/photos/music-practice.webp");
    background-size: cover;
    background-position: center 42%;
}

.essay-card-copy {
    display: grid;
    align-content: center;
    padding: 34px;
}

.essay-card h3 {
    margin: 18px 0 0;
    color: var(--essays-ink);
    font-size: clamp(1.7rem, 4vw, 3.2rem);
    line-height: 1.05;
    letter-spacing: 0;
}

.essay-card p {
    max-width: 640px;
    margin: 18px 0 0;
    color: #33413e;
    font-size: 1.04rem;
    line-height: 1.75;
}

.essay-card-link {
    margin-top: 28px;
    color: var(--essays-deep);
    font-weight: 800;
}

.related-paths {
    border-top: 1px solid var(--essays-line);
}

.path-grid {
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, minmax(0, 1fr));
    gap: 16px;
}

.path-grid a {
    min-height: 150px;
    padding: 22px;
    border: 1px solid var(--essays-line);
    border-radius: 8px;
    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.82);
    color: var(--essays-ink);
    text-decoration: none;
}

.path-grid a:hover,
.path-grid a:focus-visible {
    border-color: rgba(47, 122, 99, 0.55);
    outline: none;
}

.path-grid strong,
.path-grid span {
    display: block;
}

.path-grid span {
    margin-top: 10px;
    color: var(--essays-muted);
    line-height: 1.6;
}

.essays-footer {
    border-top: 1px solid var(--essays-line);
    background: #fff;
}

@media (max-width: 920px) {
    .essays-hero,
    .essays-taxonomy,
    .essay-card {
        grid-template-columns: 1fr;
    }

    .essays-hero {
        min-height: auto;
        padding-top: 116px;
    }

    .essays-hero-board {
        min-height: 560px;
    }

    .path-grid {
        grid-template-columns: 1fr;
    }
}

@media (max-width: 640px) {
    .essays-hero,
    .essays-section {
        width: min(100% - 28px, 1120px);
    }

    .essays-hero h1 {
        font-size: 2.8rem;
    }

    .essays-hero p {
        font-size: 1rem;
        line-height: 1.72;
    }

    .essays-hero-board {
        min-height: auto;
        padding: 12px;
    }

    .essays-hero-board::after {
        display: none;
    }

    .garden-pill,
    .garden-pill-main,
    .garden-pill-a,
    .garden-pill-b,
    .garden-pill-c,
    .garden-pill-d,
    .garden-pill-e,
    .garden-pill-f {
        position: relative;
        inset: auto;
        width: auto;
        margin: 10px 0;
    }

    .essay-card-copy {
        padding: 24px;
    }

    .essay-card h3 {
        font-size: 2rem;
    }
}