With one foot in the past.

"Bardo Pieta"
Joost Witte

Slept until nearly 10 am on Saturday, a surprising development. It was an exhausting week, I guess. I had not taken any manner of sleep aid on Friday evening (one beer at the movie theater, just one, even though the event was three hours long) but the deal with my car Thursday evening was surprisingly depleting and I had gotten up early to run Friday morning. It was a great day, altogether, and yet I slept something like eleven hours.

I have activated a Libby account, in a quest to expand my audio consumption. I have been listening to an awful lot of enjoyable but, in the long run, meaningless podcasts, for years. And as I thought of what to download first, I was reminded that I have often thought of the book Lincoln in the Bardo, like, I think of it a lot. I was even thinking of rereading it, it's been a long time since I have read something a second time.

To my surprise and delight, the audiobook is read by over one hundred different voices (Nick Offerman and David Sedaris being the main two voices, which is in itself uniquely fantastic) putting me in mind of one of my very favorite stories from This American Life, "The Unknown Soldier" by Lucy Sante.

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 28:54
Pace: 9:19

Back to School Playlist

Adult Education - Hall & Oates

I Don't Understand Anything - Everything But the Girl

True - Spandau Ballet

Happiness In Slavery - Nin Inch Nails

Head Over Heels - Tears For Fears

Take On Me - a-ha

Making a playlist of songs that remind me of fall, that were released in the fall, were popular in the fall, have a fall vibe. At the moment, it's not moody enough. Suggestions?

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 66°
Climate: sunny & gorgeous
Mood: good!

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

You have your orders. Now go, man. Go.

FYI, I will not be running to Synchronicity. I don't love the songs the way I love the songs on all the other albums. And most of the tracks are not good for exercise.

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 28:45
Pace: 9:16

“… illness narratives are often not just a strategy for conceptualizing the pain of others, but also a way of reassuring ourselves that we’ll never feel that pain.”
     - John Green, “Everything Is Tuberculosis” (2025)

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 53°
Climate: dawn, cool
Mood: all right

President renames the Defense Department the Department of War. What a toddler.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Last night, a coworker (former coworker) had married a woman who was half woman, half-fly. Not like in the movie, but that didn't make it any less unsettling. The four of us were supposed to be sharing a bed and I hadn't seen what she looked like, but I could feel her insect legs on my back and I just left.

She made a point of confronting me over my bigotry. When I was finally able to look at her she appeared mostly human, a little shorter than most, and her arms were longer than most people's. She insisted on shaking my hand, which were like hands, but clothed in mitts. Little, half-moon shaped wings emerged from the mitts.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

hamilton workout

Non-Stop

Waving Through a Window from "Dear Evan Hansen"

Copycat - Billie Eilish

The Schuyler Sisters

Guns & Ships

Into the Unknown from "Frozen II"

The Hamilton Polka - "Weird Al" Yankovic

Yorktown (The World Turned Upside-Down)

And so. Waking up at 5:30 to take an early run, and then realizing the sun will not be up at six. The world turns. We'll be hitting the gym soon. But not today.

Later, we're going to the movie theater to see Hamilton.

I'm not alone in reaching for a perfect life.

Tested negative yesterday. How long was I contagious? Anyway, running Sunday was a risk, I guess. Big sweat, exhausting, also restorative. I feel mostly good.

Just in time for residency rehearsals. Well done.

Distance: 4 miles 
Duration: 36:37
Pace: 9:06

Ghost In the Machine - The Police (1981)
Spirits In the Material World

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

Hungry For You

Demolition Man

Too Much Information

Re-Humanize Yourself

One World (Not Three)

Omegaman

Secret Journey

Darkness

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 77°
Climate: clear & lovely
Mood: good

Without question, this is the very best album by The Police. Okay, really, I have no idea what's their best. However, I can say that this one has no skips, which is rare for any album for running.

Well, almost. I skipped "Invisible Sun." It is a bit downbeat, emotionally.

A friend who sat in front of me in history class wrote the words "spiritus mundi" on my brown paper book cover a day or so before he shot himself. This was in late 1984. I do not know where he learned that phrase, I knew it from the opening track of Synchronicity. 

I was brought before the guidance counselor, to ask if he had given any sign, any indication. I thought they were blaming me, they fucked that up, big time. I did not tell them about his message. It wouldn't have done them any good, anyone any good, but it scarred me.

I also used the opening track of this album for an English paper my senior year, as I compared lyrics to the plot of A Midsummer Night's Dream. I got an A.

My wife translated the lyrics from "Hungry For You (j'aurais toujours faim de toi)" for her French class. They are pretty hot.

No sleep to night

I want you

Until I’m thirsty

But our bodies are all wet

Completely covered in sweat

We clean ourselves in the tide

I have no desire

You have broken my heart

And me, I’ve drank your blood

But we can do what we want

I’ll always be hungry for you

And so on. She also put the song on her first mixtape to me, this is why we are still together. I think she also got an A, but I gave her the big D.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

I drove to Florida on my own in Spring 1989, to see both of my grandfathers, and my ex-lover. One of my grandfathers was dying, visiting him was very challenging. So was seeing the young woman, it was the end of the road for us. "Secret Journey" was on a mixtape I had made for the drive, for myself. 

You will see light in the darkness

You will make some sense of this

When you've made your secret journey

You will find this love you miss

I wish I still had that tape.

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

It's not my favorite Police album, it's not. But it may be their very best.

Time to get real.

Right here, right now.

Alas, no more runs in August than in July. This time, due to illness.

COVID-19, bout two.

Tuesday (August 26): Thought I had allergies: tickle in the the throat, watery eyes

Wednesday: Following a horrid night's sleep (woke dozens of times) tested positive. Headache all day, pain across the eyes, cough, woozy, slept on and off all day, watched a lot of TV.

Thursday: Night sweats but an excellent night's sleep. Woke once or twice, sore throat, no head pain. Bit dizzy. Slight cough. And sputum, which is always rewarding.

Friday: Difficult night, coughs and pained throat. Active during the day, working remotely, taking calls. Sore throat much preferable to head or body aches, feeling grateful. 

Saturday: Still testing positive. Good night's sleep. Haven't had a fever since Wednesday. Minor sore throat, little cough. 

Sunday: Spouse in the throes, kept me awake most of the night. Otherwise, mildly stuffed up, high feeling in my chest.

Monday: Ears stuffed, throwing off my equilibrium. high feeling in chest.

The question is, should I run? Rehearsals resume tomorrow. Will exercise wipe me out ... or help clear my system? I have been resting for nearly a week and it's driving me to distraction. And it is specifically because my head is stuffed that I want to run, to clear my head.

I hope I do not regret this.

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 30:39
Pace: 9:53

Dance/Electronic Mix

Block Rockin' Beats - The Chemical Brothers

Around the World - Daft Punk

Don't You Want Me (Purple Disco Machine Remix) - Human League

Star Guitar - The Chemical Brothers

Poor Leno - Röyksopp

Pacific 202 - 808 State

Right Here, Right Now - Pete Tong w/The Heritage Orchestra

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 77°
Climate: sunny & warm
Mood: woozy

Ringing in my ears, slight pain in the head now. Dehydrated. Lungs feel better. Will shower and rest, see where the day takes me.

Ha ha, no, that's not ringing in my ears. That's what it sounds like outdoors! Those are insects! 

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Got to keep my foot right down.

Eight consistent every-other-day runs. More runs than in 2022, when eye surgery took me off the road. Today, as many runs as I got in last month.

Distance: 3.25 miles
Duration: 30:30
Pace: 9:22

Leaves turn. The weather cools. I must make myself mentally prepared to return to the recreation center, if the weather is disagreeable. Strange, if you had asked me when I last renewed my membership I would have thought last October or something, but it was December.

Going to the gym is easy. It is important I remember that.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 58°
Climate: partly cloudy & cool
Mood: a bit sickly

Reggatta De Blanc - The Police (1979)

Message In a Bottle (151 bpm)

Regatta De Blanc (159 bpm - varies)

It's Alright For You

Bring On the Night

Deathwish

On Any Other Day (157 bpm)

The Bed's Too Big Without You

Contact

No Time This Time

This was always my favorite Police album, "Bring On the Night" was my favorite song during my Senior year in high school (which is a problem) and I will still say it is my favorite if only for the almost complete lack of bullshit. Every song is a banger ... except "Does Everyone Stare" which is goofy.

Goofy, but on point. "I'm gonna write you a sonnet but I don't know where to start." That was me. My wife says I just don't like Andy Summers and I said, maybe it's just that I don't like Andy Summers, and also that that song was written by Copeland. 

I also left "Walking On the Moon" off this play list because it's not good to run to. But, still. A classic.

My copy was a special release, two 10" vinyl records. Pretty cool. Wikipedia tells me Reggatta de Blanc (French for "Yacht Rock") is also Copeland's favorite of The Police records, so I feel validated. I don't really care which one Sting likes the best.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes 
Weight: 161 lbs. (+1.0) 

Now, allergies. Woke an hour earlier than my alarm, a tickle in my throat and in my eyes. Going to the doctor this afternoon, we'll she what she has to say about all this (gestures vaguely at his own form).

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

Man. Now, see, those guys knew how to close an album.

People! Keep on running!

This is a poster I had in college.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are trash and I do not understand why they have been inducted into the Rock Hall but what can you do. We dug them at the beginning, because they played stupid white funk and we were stupid, white, funky guys. 

Mother's Milk was their last good album (they've never produced a great album) which was followed by Blood Sugar Sex Magik for which Anthony Kiedis got the absurd notion that he could actually hold a note ("Under the Bridge") and was rewarded with a number one single. The rest is unlistenable history.

Distance: 4 miles
Duration: 36:58
Pace: 9:14

Mother's Milk - Red Hot Chili Peppers (1989)

Good Time Boys

Higher Ground

Subway to Venus

Magic Johnson

Nobody Weird Like Me

Knock Me Down (Long Version)

Taste the Pain

Stone Cold Bush

Fire

Johnny, Kick a Hole in the Sky

These things always fall apart at the end of the record, the two best songs are covers. Then Rick Rubin tells them, hey — you can fit 70 minutes of sound on one of these new compact discs. They can't even put together half that.

Good run, though.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 69°
Climate: clear & cooler
Mood: all right

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

Slow up and stop all my running around.

I have to force myself not to leave the house too early when catching the bus. I am always there with plenty of time to spare. But it is a ten minute walk to the stop, and when I am prepared in advance, I will go and regret it, just standing for an additional five minutes.

That is what I am doing right now. Not preparing to run, but creating busy work, sitting down, so I do not leave.

Okay. Now.

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 28:09
Pace: 9:05

Am I living my best life? By that I mean, am I doing this right? Am I getting all I can and also giving all I can?

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 66°
Climate: sunny & cool(er)
Mood: all right

So, I did a lot of stretches. Different stretches. Sitting, doing circles with my ankle, others. And it made a difference, it really did. I didn't start out feeling as though I was running on a broken heel. I need to take more time before each run. I can do this.

Stretches: yes!
Water: yes 
Weight: 160 lbs. (-2.0)

Maintain. Relax. Breathe. Think. It took two weeks to bring it back down to 160, and now I must maintain. Just stay here. My consumption yesterday was good. Good food, portioned, thought out. I could drink less. I did, actually, drink less. It was still a lot. Maintain. Focus on what is right in front of you, work, play, relaxation, dining.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

This Is Gabriel & Dresden

Sydney

Sequoia

Twelve (Darude Remix)

I'm Not Like Everybody Else (ft. Sub Teal)

Tomorrow Comes (ft. Neil Ormandy)

White Walls  (ft. Sub Teal)

I had a mood.