February 23, 2009

Glittering thin snow falling in full sun, a frozen sun-shower. It looks happy, if a natural phenomenon can be happy, dancing sideways as much as falling to the earth, the sun lighting every angle.

I ran today at the Y twice as far as I’ve ever run, at least since coming to Asheville. My time was slightly improved, too. Taking a lesson from Thursday, I wore thick socks and used the cross-trainer, where you don’t step at all, but rather push. Stretched diligently afterwards. I mention this, and have mentioned it several times, because I can’t explain it. Putting myself into a sort of trance, or at least thinking determinedly about other things, improves cardio performance in a way that I would not have credited if told me by somebody else. Today I ran lines from Titus, and when I was finished, and looked down at the read-out, I had soared past 2 miles, with a minute and a half taken off my usual tortoisian mile pace. I ran on, stopping at last not because I was tired or bored, but because I was simply out of available time. I didn’t even need a minute to stand against the wall, shaking. I’m not sure the technique would translate to the road, where you need to be alert. I’m not sure even what the technique is. Taking my mind off this task improves it; taking my mind off other tasks (singing or acting) demolishes them, so for a man looking for some consistent message from the universe, it can be perplexing. Which is the Zen mind?

Watched the Oscars, in which I was not really that interested, at Travis and Kevin’s, down the street, with most of the cast of Titus and assorted others. It was loud and fun and funny. I was happy, and I didn’t come home until it was over, when it was bitter cold and the stars hard. Walked past my old car, now Nathan’s, and whispered to its hood, godspeed.