Music

I had a hard time draggin' myself outta bed yesterday. After the alarm went off I kept climbing deeper under the covers. I played that mental game I call 'Later'. I'll go run at the gym - I'll go this afternoon - I'll run before dinner. Somehow I got up and out the door. I took my music with me. It spoke to me out on the run. That happens sometimes - when the words just leap out and shake you, and the music reaches you on some emotional level below the surface. I could say the lyrics put to music are like poetry for my soul - but I'm sure someone has said that already. The music simply has some effect on your spirit or on that energy inside you. It makes you feel so alive. It's funny how different types of music can do the same thing for people. From the beginning of time with ritualist drumming and instinctive tapping of feet - to today when everyone has an ipod and music on their cell phone.

My songs today were a litlle bit about freedom and self. A little bit about being high on life and happy to be out experiencing it. I ran a comfortable 8 mile out and back along the beach. ( I was supposed to run 5, but I had to add my 3 from yesterday because the neighborhood BBQ took the place of my evening run.) I raced a ferry boat around the point. I think I beat it. I'd love to have a hand-held and radio the captain: "Hey buddy - I think I'm gaining on ya', you oughtta pick it up a bit." I chased a pigeon too. I swear those things wait until you're right on them before they fan their tail and take off in flight. My new shoes felt great on their inaugural run. I love that I can take them out for an 8 mile jaunt right out of the box and they feel like slippers. I got blue this time - my last pair was yellow. I think I like the blue ones.

Back on the music topic . . . we went to a concert last week - a date, even. We went to listen to Shawn Colvin at an outdoor venue. We last saw her on our first wedding anniversary in 1994, and she's still singing - even has a new album coming out. It was so awesome to sit outside and watch the trees and listen to her guitar.

I listen to an odd mix of music. I'd love to be cool and list the hit music I listen to, but that ain't gonna happen. A lot of the time it's what I consider old music, but because some of it is from the 80's, it's now hip and retro. I somehow really do have some sort of variety - a pretty wide diversity that I seem to have interest in - but it's not necessary 'cool' music, and I wouldn't classify it as running music by anyone's standards but my own. I have no idea how many songs I currently have on my ipod - maybe a hundred or so of that diverse mix - but yesterday the songs played out however which way they chose. They had their way with me. You know it's going to be a good run when you start out with the sky lightening up and the first song you hear is about walking on air. Here are the lyrics:

Look at what's happened to me,
I can't believe it myself.
Suddenly I'm up on top of the world,
It should've been somebody else.

Believe it or not,
I'm walking on air.
I never thought I could feel so free.
Flying away on a wing and a prayer.
Who could it be?
Believe it or not it's just me.

It's like a light of a new day,
It came from out of the blue.
Breaking me out of the spell I was in,
Making all of my wishes come true.

Believe it or not,I'm walking on air.
I never thought I could feel so free.
Flying away on a wing and a prayer.
Who could it be?
Believe it or not it's just me.

It's the theme song from a 1981 TV show called The Greatest American Hero. And a sampling of what came next, best I can recollect:

All I Need is a Miracle - Mike and the Mechanics
something by Rod Stewart
Alive and Kicking - Simple Minds
Free as a Bird - the Beattles
Redemption Song - Bob Marley
Runaway Train - Soul Asylum - saw them in concert too
Sugar, We're Goin' Down - Fallout Boy
Maybe I - Five for Fighting
Silver Rainbow - Genesis
Coming to America - Neil Diamond
Zoo Station - U2 -oooh, saw them in concert too
Come Sail Away - Styx

Okay, I'm done reminiscing. The ipod was on random, and I couldn't repeat the playlist if I tried - I know I'm missing several. I find it mildly ammusing that I run along the beach path with my head boppin' side to side and my hands drumming the air. Sometimes you just gotta live a little bit of life.

Hopefully somewhere in there I captured the essence of my run a little bit and delivered it in words to share with the world. It was a great run.