Make an old man wish for younger days.

Plump Cops Arrest Runner in Austin, Texas

American-Statesman, Feb. 21, 2014

This winter has been like an actual winter, with snow and freezing temperatures. Often I have been reminded of my childhood, when freezing temperatures combined with an oil embargo created gas shortages and a large number of school closings.

The Blizzard of 1977 (dwarfed by the Blizzard of 1978) presented a remarkable opportunity to developed an extensive education in popular music, listening to WGCL pretty much around the clock. My own children have learned a lot about Minecraft.

What has been disheartening is listening to all of my Gen-X contemporaries whining and moaning about all the snow days the kids have gotten, espousing how they walked to school just fine when they were kids and it was -11° outside.

First, it's not true. They cancelled school for us when it was below freezing, a lot. Second, you all sound like grouchy old people, don't do that. 

Temperature: 12°
Climate: snowy
Distance: 1.75 miles

Ten runs in both January and February, 2014. Not bad, considering.

1977 Playlist
Dust In The Wind - Kansas 
I Want You To Want Me - Cheap Trick
Brick House - The Commodores
No Compassion - Talking Heads
Stayin' Alive - The Bee Gees 

I don't have to run around.

Yes, we are no longer subzero. And yet, the change in temperature, rising above freezing, has caused you typical, boring, unhappy sinus pressure and pain. Running yesterday would have been nice, but napping was much preferred. Ditto this afternoon, and so I run at night.

Temperature: 32°
Pavement: Just don't talk to me.
Distance: 3.4 miles

This weekend I saw two plays which I enjoyed very much (The Aliens at Dobama and The Importance of Waiting for the Eagle by Robert Hawkes at CPT) and there was also much chat on my part all day Friday with those I spent time with about where my head is, currently, regarding the state of Cleveland theater.

That night I had a dream I was attending a show produced by a certain theater company in town where absolutely nothing happened. At the outset were we shown our seats, which were like airline seats, cramped and uncomfortable. We were handed pens and one of the performers whispered something in our ear and told us to write it down but had provided no paper. I wrote on my jeans, the person next to me took of their fleece and wrote on that.

After that I was escorted to a corner, and nothing else happened. No one did anything. It was dark, but at least I was not alone. I will admit it was reminiscent of their recent work.

Later that evening (in the dream) I went to see a performance by Cleveland Play House which was being held in an office, but I was late and they wouldn't let me in. You can interpret that one any way you choose.

1967 Playlist
Blindman - Big Brother and the Holding Company
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher- Jackie Wilson
All Tomorrow's Parties - The Velvet Underground
Some Kind of Wonderful - Soul Brothers Six
Magical Mystery Tour * - The Beatles
Cold Sweat Pts. 1 & 2 - James Brown
Pleasant Valley Sunday * - The Monkees

1967 ~ The year The Monkees produced better singles than The Beatles.

Give me some of that.

Last night we were in Oberlin. Somewhere between four to six inches of snow came down while were performing, my drive back to the East Side took ninety tense minutes. My inferior extensor retinaculum, which has been troubling me since Christmas, was in a state of perpetual flexion for the entire hour and a half, and that was extremely irritating.

This morning I hoped to sleep in a little, but the phone calls started pouring in from actor-teachers by 5:30 and I needed to make a dozen or so phone calls and keep an eye on the school closing list. Then I spent a half hour digging out the truck for a 1 PM performance in University Circle.

So I was tired. Then I walked out into the world and the sun was shining and the snow and ice were melting and like a lot of people, I got quite a second wind.

Running. Yes. In shorts, too. How do you like me at present?

Temperature: 37°
Climate: slushy
Distance: 3.25 miles
Weight: 174.5 lbs.

1997 Playlist
Walking On The Sun - Smashmouth
One Angry Dawrf and 200 Solemn Faces - Ben Folds Five
Snake Hips - The Future Sound
Fat Ass Joint - Cujo
Atom Bomb (Atomix 1) - Fluke
Da Funk - Daft Punk
Winter Ceremony (Howie B Left Foot Mix) - Sacred Spirit

Another drink and I'm ready for action.

2007

In February, 2007 I began winter running. Three months after I ran my first marathon, and I hadn't run once in December or January. I was deeply unhappy for a variety of reasons and tired of sitting still. I ran eleven times that February, in large part due to the Year Playlists. Something to wrap my head around, something to play with.

Several of those dates included temps below twenty degrees, but I ran the complete 3.25 mile circuit. Now, I cannot deal with the sidewalks clogged with ice. I have been running the streets in my neighborhood, which are largely clear and free of much traffic.

The forecast says that we will rise above thirty degrees, and for several days, beginning Monday.

I can wait. I know how to wait.

Temperature: 18°
Climate: sunny & frigid
Distance: 1.75 miles

2007 Playlist
Friday Night - Lily Allen
Who Knew - Pink
I Created Disco - Calvin Harris
Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night - The Fratelis

It feels like love, and it's all that we've got.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Tired. That's it, just ... tired. After this evening we will have completed our first full week of touring. Tomorrow is a day off, though I will be taking the boy to an 8:00 AM soccer game. But there will be naps and a general opportunity for sitting, thinking, talking, playing games and reading.

I am at that stage in a book where I am on a tear to reach the end. It is one of my favorite places to be.

Temperature: 27°

Pavement: snow snowy snow
Distance: 2.65 miles
Weight: 174 lbs.

Thank you to my wife, who encouraged me to get out into the snow. Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart. You are amazing. I love you.

1987 Playlist

The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death - The Housemartins

Can't Hardly Wait - The Replacements

Like The Weather - 10,000 Maniacs

Big Time (Extended Version) - Peter Gabriel

Heartbreak Beat - The Psychedelic Furs

You're My Drug - The Dukes of Stratosphear

Are you in or are you out?

Like, long-distance running! Cross-country running!

Unlike absolutely everyone my age, I did not see Grease when it was released in theaters, and I scorned it when it played on a continuous loop on cable. This is a shame for two reasons. One, as I eventually learned, Grease is awesome. Two, Sid Caesar would have convinced me to go out for track.

Temperature: 12°

Pavement: dry streets, anyway.

Distance: 2.65 miles

Weight: 175 lbs.

Keep moving. This too shall pass.

2002 Playlist

Losing My Edge - LCD Soundsystem

A Better Future - David Bowie

Let Go - Frou Frou

Banquet - Bloc Party

People Power - Cornershop

Did I say 1982 was the greatest year in the history of music? I meant 2002.

Ha ha! Winter runners are assholes!

No time to worry 'cause we're on the road again.

The tour opened last night to a great house at The Alcazar. I have to say, this is the lightest, easiest to manage load-out I have had since the Chekhov tour which features four pieces of furniture and a curtain.

Tonight we will be at Lorain County Community College in the Stocker Arts Center, Studio Theatre at 7:30 PM. Free and open to the public, please join us.


Seven Ages on Sound of Applause, 2/11/2014 (we begin around the 45 minute mark)
Last night I wrote:

A peaceful late night, at home. Children abed and wife as well. Leftover soup, with crackers and cheese, visiting friends on Facebook. To bed, next to loving wife, who snores intermittently. Reading now, applying hemp lotion to hard, cracked fingertips. Silent, but for the shifting of cats, and her breath. 11:35 PM. Quiet, peaceful. Then rest.

Temperature: 12°
Pavement: slippery
Distance: 1.75 miles
Weight: 175 lbs.

In spite of how warm I feel by the end of these sub-freezing runs, I keep them short. No reason to risk injury nor illness. This is a shame because 1982 was the greatest year in the history of recorded music.

1982 Playlist
Sirius - The Alan Parson Project
Hold Back The Rain (Remix) - Duran Duran
Jukebox (Don't Put Another Dime) - The Flirts
The Boys Are Back - Bus Boys