I still have that strange feeling like I'm on the pinnacle of something great but I don't quite know what it is yet. Everything I have been doing lately feels inspiring and it's making me feel unfocused yet really excited about everything.
First of all, I feel like a machine. I honestly can't believe that I've been able to keep up my lifestyle. I haven't really just chilled in months and I don't really miss it. I think I've found a new adrenaline that has been acting as caffeine, sleep and raw eggs in a glass all at once. I've still been going out a lot and keeping up with school and working out and friends. I'm beginning to hypothesize that the working out is what's keeping me alive, but I might be full of crap.
So I sparred for the first time this weekend with a friend of mine. It was the most fun I've ever had in my entire life. I've mostly avoided things that look like they'd hurt, but for some reason, boxing is exempt from that standard. I got beaten up Sunday. I got my first bloody nose and mouth and I had no idea until the round was finished. I'm really glad that already happened so now I'm not scared of it anymore. Had we been scored, I definitely would have lost, but I stuck in there, held my own and made her bleed a little too. But it was so freaking fun I can't wait to go again next week. My body hates me today though. Geez, I'm sore. I also took a number of body hits, maybe some of the soreness is from that too...no kidney shots though.
And I've been going to some shows lately that have been really awesome.I saw John Vanderslice and Steve Malkmus last week at First Ave. I'm not hugely into Pavement yet but it was a really great show. Then I saw X on Saturday. That's right, X. Like LA 1977 punk/post punk scene X. It was soooo amazing. They're kinda old to be doing what they're doing but man, they rocked it hard. Double encore. They held nothing back at all. And people watching at that show was a trip. There were a lot of older people you can tell were into the whole post punk scene in the late '70's but now they have kids and stuff. Then there was a handful of gutter punks and everyone in between. It was at the Cabooze which was the weird thing. It's a strange venue that usually has hippie jam bands play. This was not that scene. And last night I saw Black Mountain at the Entry. It was also rad. There are a lot of good shows coming up in April and May too. Actually, it's touring season again! And summer's closer! Then I can go out every night and it won't feel exhausting because it's warm and light!
And yesterday I went to a workshop called The Medical Arms Race: Health Policy, Media Coverage and Public Relations put on by the Journalism School. It was really great! I feel inspired to study more about how media affects health care and vice versa. The author of Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine is Making Americans Sicker and Poorer Shannon Brownlee spoke. I can't wait to read her book. It's a fascinating approach to a restructuring of the health system since ALL the resources are available, there is just too much waste. Then Susan Foote, a Public Health professor here spoke (she teaches Health Policy and I'll take it sometime next year) and also the VP of Communications and Public Relations from Allina Hopsitals and Clinics spoke. It gave me a lot of new things to think about.
Back to school this week. Home stretch!