I Feel Fine

Wasn't going to post tonight, but tonight is one to remember.

Rained all day today. Rained for 80% of Saturday. Grey skies have become the norm for the last few weeks (literally), and I am stunned when I see the sun - If only for a second.

That Black Lab lyric that came through so clearly on this week's episode of Phedippidations really sums up the state of the union right now: "I can't see the sun anymore, but I don't mind, you're by my side, and I feel fine."

The "I feel Fine" bit is starting to wear a little thin. The forecast is calling for the sun to break through on Friday of this week... and if not, I'm just going to break down and sue. I'm going to sue the weather network. I'm going to sue Al Gore. I'm going to sue Mother Nature... because this ain't right.


Today's rain stimulated a day of couch surfing. Watched two horrible basketball games, and then caught up on some TV shows (Lost and Jericho). Before I knew it, it was 10pm... and as I went to slowly get my running gear together, my iPod battery was flat. Left it to charge, hoping the rain would miraculously let up.

By 11pm, it was charged enough - and I ventured out, for what I had bargained down to a few miles. It was supposed to be 12 miles, but my mind had decided that I had a slight hamstring pull and that my soleus was tight. My throat had made up a dry feeling, bordering on what some might consider to be the early stages of the signs of oncoming illness. My stomach felt too hungry to run 12 miles. And I think my dog had eaten my homework. Excuses ruled the day. And it wasn't raining anymore... it was snowing. It really was.

I started out, and before I knew it, 10 miles were in the books. I pushed on, ice pellets stinging my eyes and face. I was soaked to the core, my hands too cold to move. As my Garmin beeped for the 12th time, I killed all the music. I walked home, staring at the snowflakes in the against a blue black sky.... like frozen fireflies dancing in the rising mist. The streetlights cast an awful glow against the wet asphalt, but its lonely orange colour, was reminiscent of that burning star that has forsaken us for so many weeks.

I still can't see the sun, but I'm alright, and I feel fine.

God Said No

Just a quick post tonight, before the eyes close for the day. Its apparently snowing outside - wish i could see it. Subterranean windows don't allow me to see, well, anything. If I get really close to the wall, I can look up and barely make out the color of the sky against the angle of the neighbour's roof. Not so glamorous. The forecast is calling for 10-15cm tonight, which will make tomorrow's run a bit of an adventure. Might get up early and go shoot some photos, depending on the amount of snow that actually makes it to the ground.

The bipolar temperatures that were surprisingly positive have now returned to their deep winter depression. What was +6 two weeks ago is now -6. And thats the high. The 14 day forecast is terrifying, as the predicted temperatures plunge off the charts... Weathermen are never right.

Went out last night to see Craig Cardiff play at Clark. Dragged K along with me, guest list, and hanging with Craig and Nathalia before the show... you know how we roll. The show was spectacular: acoustic guitars, lasers, light shows, spandex and fencing masks. Personally, my favourite song of the night wasn't even Craig's. A cover of "God Said No" by Dan Bern. Kicked off the show, and stopped the collective hearts of everyone in attendance. It was stunning, haunting, surreally perfect. And it was just beginning.

Came home and bought the original tune from iTunes (search, dan bern). Equally brilliant, but far more fragile. Hopefully I'll have the cover recorded and it will be posted somewhere soon.

Time for sleeping. Midnight is where the day begins - so I guess i'm 3 hours in. Happy tomorrow.

Reinvigorated

Summer - gone. But for the next few weeks, I won't mind. I'm all about winter, and snow, chasing my frozen breath for frozen miles. Until new years . After that, I will be counting down the days until things start to melt.

The last few nights, I have been out on the roads again. Temps dropping into the single negatives make for clear black skies, meaning my sojourns are lit by the orange glow of streetlights. Luckily, my lungs remember what winter is - I was afraid for awhile that they would react with rejection, triggering that not so pleasant taste of blood, metal and cold. My soleus is also somewhat repaired, as I only felt a touch of tenderness near the end of a 40 minute "long run" on Sunday.

Woke up this morning to a dazzling display of white. Stayed "asleep" until the coast was clear, for fear that beginning the day's activities would result in a phone call. And morning phone calls mean day job. Once the coast was clear, I stared at the snow through the basement apartment window, and the snow stared back. The reflection of the low sunlight on white was electric, burning all mental noise away (my retinas somehow survived).

And so it began, a day of completed projects (Lonely Boy Video Premiere), and major progress on others (links to come), and the potential for more. And of course, the soundtrack for new beginnings, buried in fresh snow?

Trip hop of course.
Morcheeba - Who Can You Trust?
Prefuse 73 - Surrounded By Silence