Scott Douglas’ Terse Bloviation

While running the other evening I was feeling especially fatigued and the song “Feeling Gravity’s Pull” came to mind. So when I got home and started the usual 13-hour post-run routine I put on the album it’s on for the first time in years. Damn, that’s good stuff! I love dredging up something from the archives and finding it still speaks to me. In this case, I was thinking, “Wow, that’s really held up well for being 15 years old. Wait, it’s 25! Holy telescoped time, Batman!”

Stacey and good friends across the street and around the corner.

Ibex clothing.

A huge stash of tisane mixes from Homegrown Herb & Tea.

The new stove in the living room.

Friends to run with.

Enjoyable new music acquisitions, and occasional dips into old favorites.

I’m in one of those stages with no big projects or adventures or cool trips to look forward to, so I need to remind myself to not forget quotidian items that reliably pierce the clouds. Ten off the top of my head:

1. Solo trail runs.
2. Trail runs with friends.
3. First 83 cups of coffee in the morning.
4. Dinner with Stacey.
5. Harold Mabern at full force.
6. For some reason, merino wool tops make me very happy.
7. A good chai is nice.
8. Interesting e-mail exchanges.
9. Perusing Slate.
10. At some point during the day, each of the pets does something that makes me smile.

Your list?

Click To Play

Look out world! The demo process for the next great band, Reistershell, has begun.

In alphabetical order, some CDs I acquired this year that brought repeated pleasure:

Blind Pilot: Three Rounds and a Sound

Buildings Breeding: self-titled

Nord Express: Loveland

Pia Fraus: After Summer

Eric Reed: Here

Kate Tucker and the Sons of Sweden: self-titled

Winterpills: The Light Divides

So that a certain someone will receive this band’s CD as a present from moi, thereby allowing me to hear it. (Yes, this is akin to when Homer gave Marge a bowling ball with his name on it.)

In 1990, my training partner went to see them–all the way from Australia–with my then-girlfriend, while I stayed home to rest for a meaningless Baltimore Road Runners Club cross country race the next morning. Idiot.