Day 11: 1 mile.
Day 12: 2 miles on a new route.
Day 13: 1 mile on the treadmill.
While the running remains consistent over weekends and on holidays you can expect the writing to slow down for mental decompression. Much as I disconnect from the iPod from time to time it's also important to disconnect from the interwebs every now and then.
The weather was near perfect this weekend in our part of the world. Hurricane Earl had me a tad bit worried but passed by with minimal effect this far inland. Left behind were beautiful blue skies and low humidity; perfect weather for being outside. Katie and I went for a hike in Umstead Park and it was good to be in the woods for a bit. I'm always amazed at the relative peace and quiet inside the park's borders despite being so close to major roads. Though the trail we took was closest to the planes coming and going from RDU I was still able to lose myself in our footfalls and the smell of the trees.
The rest of the holiday weekend was spent watching obligatory college football games, movies (Did you know Francis Ford Coppola directed Jack? I had no idea). But a new discovery topped all: “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” on the Travel Channel.
My wife will tell you that I love weird and cerebral TV shows so it seems a bit strange that I’ve missed this show over the last 5 years. However, fifteen minutes into the first full episode I remembered why I always skipped it: frequent dining on meats and parts of animals you don’t usual see at the grocery store. Even a cursory perusal of the “No Reservations” website and turns up pictures of things I’d never think of eating. The foods, however, are idiosyncratic footnotes to the illuminating interactions with people and cultures that make watching the show worthwhile.
My Labor Day run took me on a new route. If I keep to the same sidewalks I will lose my mind and my streak all at once. Neither I nor the homeowner’s association wants that to happen, trust me. As I made unfamiliar turns and quick decisions about where to put my feet next, much like the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books I loved to hate in elementary school, my run unfolded before me. This got me thinking about the importance of discovery and how it drives me when life gets a little to stagnant.
Our hike through Umstead Park felt like discovery at first. But after a mile on the trail the trees, plants and sounds all seemed to repeat themselves as though we were on an amusement park ride and the soundtrack ran on a continuous loop. After a mile I wanted to walk away from the trail and into the untouched woods around us. I wanted to climb over the fallen trees and find a stream to follow for a bit. Instead I stayed on the trail, like the good law-abiding hiker I am, and followed the loop back to the visitor center and the car. The air was clear and it was cool under the trees but I felt little changed from before the hike began.
Watching TV hardly ever feels like discovery. I gravitate towards shows I know and enjoy, comfortable shows that act like fuzzy slippers for my eyes. Though all my favorite slippers share characteristics with “No Reservations,” I’d already formed my opinion and was hardly ready for it to change. But change it did and four or five episodes later a Wikipedia article was up on my phone. The opening line of each show drew me in: “I’m Anthony Bourdain. I write, I travel, I eat and I’m hungry for more.” Before the show even begins he’s set himself apart as a writer who happens to have a travel show on a cable network. This uncompromising and authentic attitude carries through each moment of the show as he narrates each scene and provides insight into the thoughts and feelings a camera can’t possibly portray. Bourdain may be a little rough around the edges but it’s authentic and refreshing in our “reality” culture. The foul language, smoke, and misanthropy pouring out of Bourdain’s mouth at regular intervals, along with the forgotten and discarded bits of various animals he puts in, makes him easier to relate to than any real housewife I’ve been subjected to of late. My discovery of Anthony Bourdain refilled my creative tanks and reminded me, yet again, that everything deserves a second (or third) look.
So, after a good three day weekend, going for a hike caused a piece of me to die while almost an entire day spent in front of the TV created an epiphany of minor-epic proportions. Somehow that’s fitting for a holiday dedicated to giving people a break from work. I’m sure my next discovery won’t come so easily, but at least now I’ll be better prepared to receive it.
Ryan
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