Running to stand still

Let me be the first to say I don't like U2 at all but the song that provides the title for this entry is absolutely fantastic and quite apt.

My burgeoning late life surge into running and generally getting a bit fitter has hit a wall. A wall as big and insurmountable as the Immersion edition of Pink Floyd's Wall album, all 99 discs of it.
I have been carrying a bad soft tissue injury to my left ankle for quite some time now since I went over on it late last year. Nothing seems to be doing the trick with it. Visits to an osteopath have given me some relief but nothing permanent. A visit to a doctor left me with a referral to a physio which is a bit of a cop out I think. It seems nothing but staying off it completely for months will sort it out and even then that's just taking a punt on luck.

The thing is, it's hard to stay off it when you actually require an ankle to walk and stuff. Stupid biomechanics. I fear if I let the jogging go for any appreciable length of time then I will leave it behind me completely. Leave it behind like a babbling fool (cf The Jayhawks Break My Mind). This would not be a desirable situation at all as I fear a slide back into previous states would occur. Also, I am committed to a ten mile race around my home place in mid April which I do not want to back out of as it's for charity and I've already been sponsored by several people.

I can actually do the ten miles, that's not worrying me at all. It will be slow but it will get done. The only thing I can think of now is to stay off the foot, road-wise, and rest it as much as I can and then do the race as fresh as I can in April. So we shall see.

Another thing niggling at me is this blog itself. Now I understand why there are so many orphan blogs out there in the electronic miasma, the digital swamp. It takes dedication to write something every day or even weekly. My life is just not that interesting. Not to me and certainly not to others.

You begin with enthusiasm and good intentions but it can become a chore and something you purposely avoid after a while. I read quite a few sports blogs and music blogs and I completely admire the tenacity and talent of those authors who stick at it and keep pushing out material. Maybe I need a new job, something that would provide thrilling material. I must check the availability of international trouble shooter job openings or industrial espionage vacancies. Surely there's something out there.

I suppose not everything can be thrilling and exciting. I mean, look at The Walking Dead. That has zombies in it and yet it is the most dreary, mind numbing tripe ever committed to tape. They're still at the farm!! Nothing happens, nothing happens...nothing happens..ooh, exciting cliffhanger bit at the end to make you tune in again next week where...nothing happens.

I need a holiday. Take it easy...

Way over yonder, in the minor key...

Anyone who knows me knows what a voracious devourer I am of music. Not a day goes by that isn't filled with tunes in some way. I am lucky enough to work somewhere that I can plug in the iPod and go.
So,from early morning when I am walking to work to during the day to walking home from work, my day is filled with music. Which is lucky for me with the way I consume new music especially.

Once home, fed and watered, then I am listening to music again till about 9PM. So, it's safe to say that my day is heavily soundtracked. It's just become a part of me. Maybe it's the signs of an addictive personality. When I drink, I cane it. When I eat, I overeat. Now that I'm exercising I have a tendency to overdo that too which is painful. Alas, Horatio, that is a case for a completely different couch and forum.

Strange thing is, notwithstanding how much music is an integral part of my life, I always find it difficult to talk about it and certainly to write about it. Particularly to people who may not be as invested in it as I am. This is especially true in "real life" where I have met people who are only into what's on the radio or X-Factor. Indeed, I have met people who don't have any interest in music and never listen to any at all. This beggars belief on my part. How can anyone wilfully ignore something so life affirming and moving? I mean, even if they just listened to Tony Bennett or Leona Lewis. Surely a person cannot go thru life without at least one song hitting them at their core?

Apart from "real life", I have found kindred spirits on internet music message boards and moreso, in recent times, on Twitter. There are people there, who I've never met, with whom I have shared thoughts,anecdotes and general views on music. We've recommended bands and ripped the piss out of bands and generally had fantastic chats about music and what it means to us. It can sometimes be like one big pub discussion which meanders, ebbs and flows and occasionally even has a point. From a randomly retweeted comment you may follow a link that turns you onto something wonderful. I would highly recommend Twitter to people. It seems less of an intrusion than Facebook and the character limit keeps it snappy and witty for the most part.

I have had people talk to me and tell me I should write a blog, a music blog. Obviously this is not because they think I am a talented writer or a bon viveur. More likely, to stop me banging on to them about the new Richmond Fontaine album or something so they can give their ears a rest. I have always resisted this because, to be honest, I know I am lacking the discipline to be able to write something consistently engaging. I have read enough of Lester Bangs to know I am not him. Even Paul Morley is more entertaining than anything I might write. Yes, Paul Morley. Music journalist as sleeping potion.

However, onward we go. Most of the entries in this blog will be music related in some form over the next month and a bit. This is because I have quite a busy time with gigs coming up, thankfully. Cork gets a raw deal sometimes on the gig circuit. There is a huge appetite for music here but the will to put a decent sized venue here to attract names doesn't seem to be there. It's a shame.

Before I go, if you know someone who has no interest in music..buy them something. A Simon & Garfunkel Greatest Hits or something. You never know, if they engage with it they may come back at you with a rare copy of Jackson C. Frank's debut album. You may start a fire...no Billy Joel though please.