Sometimes Art Saves You

This week's running was mellow.  25.64 miles total.  Almost entirely easy miles with some race-ish paced "hard" efforts around 10 min/mile as well as a few minutes here and there sub 9/mile.  It was the best I could do given 5 days away from home.  Sunday's 4 medium in the high 11s followed by 2.5 hard/walk intervals in the sun felt like a good enough effort that I was proud of myself -- 6.5 solid miles.

Garlic, onions, bacon grease -- the beginning of something good.

On Thursday, I watched the Kavanaugh hearings like a slow motion train wreck. I could not tear myself away as it was fascinating but also terrible. Dr. Ford was so vulnerable, visibly striving so hard to be completely honest and useful, working for our collective good even when her narrative didn’t help the supposed “cause” of the left that she was supposedly serving.

Pinto beans, 

the last of the non-garden canned tomatoes 

& ground turkey.

Judge Kavanaugh, on the other hand, was combative, defensive, non-responsive, and obviously not honest on many issues where he deflected and refused to answer questions. He couldn’t own that perhaps he had at times drank so much that he lost some moments. All other things aside, given the background we have of his habits, this was completely unbelievable.

Cumin, oregano, marjoram, 

mustard powder, chili powder, salt, 

2 Caribbean hot peppers & 1 ghost pepper from the garden

But no matter, because he was busy aggressively questioning senators on the Judiciary committee during his hearing. As if he had equal right to challenge them as they did to challenge him. It was clear he thought he did have this right. And our governmental structure is such that he did not. As a jurist and a constitutional scholar he should have known he was not entitled to answers from them.

Yet, he seemed to think this governmental balance of powers was unfair and designed specifically to disenfranchise him. And his anger, rage, and disdain poured forth in a manner that only SNL could correctly satire. Which is wonderful. Because, SNL, is, after all, art.

The only thing better than turkey chili

is turkey chili with cheese.

Today, I went to a local theatre to see a play with a friend. We’d talked about how we wished we supported the local arts more a couple of weeks ago, and then she saw this play, and emailed me and we made plans to go. AND OH, THE BALM TO MY ROUGHED-UP SOUL THAT WAS THIS PLAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

What a gift to live in a location where your local play can be a Pulitzer nominated masterpiece.  I cannot explain how much today's theatre experience healed me. I ordered the script to re-visit the gorgeous wording and thoughtful clever interweaving of history and themes.  Thank you, all of you people in the arts.