afternoon notes
1. A side effect of reading Flanagan’s U2 bio, especially when he delves into descriptions of the Zooropa tour, is that it makes me really really want to actually see the shows. It’s similar to how his account of the songwriting process induces me to pop in an album and listen to a particular song again to see if I can discern all the musical and lyrical touches whose addition is described in the book. I’ll make a trip to Borders or B&N tonight to see what I can find in the way of tour DVDs.
2. What, if anything, goes through your mind during physical exercise? My mind wanders a lot of the time and I think about schedules and relationships and goals and such, but a focus on some aspect of my exertion is always present, more prominently so when I’m really pushing myself (running up a hill or trying to beat a PR or something). I try to focus on the cadence of my breathing, and sometimes near the end will repeat phrases to myself, a bit mantra-like, to promote the right frame of mind, like, “The body is the instrument of the mind,” or, “The will supercedes the emotions.” Sounds a bit Zen-like, but it works. I think it helps me, in my mind and body, divide the feeling of exertion from the goal that I’m focused on accomplishing–it helps me dwell less on how I feel than what I’ve set out to do, and it has the added benefit of improving my form as well.
3. Do you ever have a day when you feel totally, utterly incompetent? Doesn’t matter whether or not the feeling is based in reality. I’m feeling a bit of it today. Seems like I put out one fire just in time for another to flare up.
4. Last U2 bit, promise. Reason #193 why the band has the best album art known to man: On All That You Can’t Leave Behind, the photography and design either depict or suggest an airport, traveling, voyaging physically or temporally, being propelled forward somehow–lots of interrelated themes. And the beginning of “Walk On” is the most convincing musical representation I’ve ever heard of what it feels like to leave the ground in an airplane. Of course the sensation provokes different emotions depending on your response to flight in general, but for me the song communicates perfectly the exhilaration of the experience–barreling down the runway, the nose slowly rotating skyward, and then that first complete lurch into the air, everything smoothing out, and the ground dropping away… I could listen those first 30 seconds over and over and not get tired of it. And the album art captures something of this as well, strengthening, underlining that theme in the song and on the album. So great.
When I excercise I am usually thinking, “Wow, I am out of shape. I hope I don’t die. I hope no one who I know will see me looking out of shape and near death.” That’s pretty much it. Maybe deep reflection for me is at other times of day. I feel utterly incompetent a lot. I think the thing that really helped me get past being concerned with that was when I realize pretty much everyone feels like that. Some are just better at hiding it than others. P.S. You should write music reviews.
2. depends on what i’m doing. when i’m running, i’m usually thinking about my breathing (because i’m horribly out of shape) and also running through things like to-do lists and lesson plans and such. if i’m fencing, i’m usually thinking about how to hit my opponent :p
3. i have days like that all the time. especially on days when student teaching is going less than perfectly. it’s annoying, especially since it’s usually unfounded…i’m not *that* incompetent. i wouldn’t have gotten into the program if i were…
I run at night a lot, and in neighborhoods where there’s not a whole lot of traffic, so I don’t often have the occasion to wonder what passers-by are thinking. I ran around State for a good three years, though, so I’ve been there.
2. That’s understandable that your mind is more engaged during fencing. Mine is when I play tennis. But somehow that doesn’t stop little metaphors from popping in here and there…
dood,
got your five cds today. surprise! (surprise mail is always good.) haven’t given them a spin yet, but i’m looking forward to them. thanks!
p.s. glad you’re enjoying the “bible.”
Glad they made it there! I thought about getting shipping insurance but opted not to.
I broke down and bought the Best of 1990-2000 DVD on Friday because I had to see the video for “Numb” after Flanagan’s description…