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May 5, 2006
Voice in Your Head?
Yesterday British Astrologer Eric Francis posted an observation about writing. He said that in writing you become a voice in your reader's head. I've always regarded writing as a form of self-expression, or a means of communicating ideas. Somehow the idea of becoming a voice in someone else's head seems more intimate than those abstract ideals. For someone who on a normal day writes many more words than she speaks, this is a reassuring revelation. Lately, I've been feeling somehow disconnected. Due to a combination of the nature of being a law student halfway across the country from where I've lived my entire life and the nature of being me (I choose to have few friendships and invest a lot in those I do have), I just don't often have actual physical conversations. Instead, I spend a lot of time writing: papers, motions, briefs, reading notes, lengthy e-mail exchanges, blog entries (though, obviously, not enough of those -- or perhaps too many, but I guess if you're reading that's your own fault ;-) ), etc. Thinking of all my frantic, lonely typing as becoming a voice in someone's head makes me feel somehow more connected.
It's also a somewhat inspiring idea for my legal writing -- both scholarly and utliltarian. I generally find legal scholarship and legal vocational writing tedious: because of our common law system, there isn't much room for originality. You can't just "write what you think" (an allusion to Bridget's blog entry from last weekend, for those who follow her blog; for those who don't, you really should); every legal statement you make must be supported by precedent, duly referenced. I tend to get so bogged down in finding precedent to support my case or argument, or trying to make my case or argument fit the precedent I lose sight of the fact that my motion or memorandum is my chance to become a voice in the judge's head. Although it will always be constrained by precedent, my writing will be more persuasive if I don't allow my voice to be stifled entirely. The same rhetorical devices I used to employ for persuasive effect in critical essays in college and graduate school will have similar force in my legal writing. Keeping this in mind will make me a much better (and happier!) legal writer.
Sadly it won't make me a better runner, so I guess it won't solve all my problems. However the insidious layer of blubber that has appeared seemingly over night has awakened in me a burning desire to get myself back into kick-ass shape. I've observed that the amount of junk food I consume is inversely proportional to the amount of exercise I do. I suppose I'm just an endorphin junkie, and when I'm not getting enough endorphins from running, I turn to chocolate. Hence the rapid-onset blubber problem.
When it first appears, I find the flab, or loss of muscle tone, somewhat fascinating in a revolting, car-wreck way. But the fascination only lasts for about 24 hours. Then I realize that I don't like being out of shape and I start taking all kinds of drastic measures... like -- gasp! -- lifting. Yup, I made it to the weight room yesterday. I took advantage of the great weather and ran for an hour outside in the afternoon, then in the evening hoisted a pair of wimpy 10-lb. dumbbells (hey, it's been about 9 months since my last trip to the weight room; there were no 12-lbers and I decided I wasn't yet ready for the 15-lbers) through a circuit of 3 sets of 10 military presses, lunges, curls, rows, and toe-raises. I also did a few sets of squats, quad extensions, and hamstring curls. Then I ran two miles on the treadmill in an attempt to prevent the inevitable debilitating soreness that happens when one returns to the weight room after a LONG hiatus. I don't think it had much effect, as I got progressively more sore (but it's a satisfying soreness, a soreness I like) as today wore on. When I hit the treadmill for 8 miles at 11:30 tonight, I was kicking myself for not running earlier in the day when I was less sore (and when I could have run outside). Can't wait to get back in the weight room tomorrow!
Posted by alweiss at May 5, 2006 12:37 AM
Comments
WRITING - the bane of my existence as of late. I agree with your "just write what you think" comment. I resorted to it as a desperate measure, a measure I later regretted and paid dearly for. I practically re-wrote the "just thinking" part; it needed a serious cleansing :) It's so damn hard to "just write."
I turn to candy when I don't run. I haven't looked in the mirror for 3 weeks since I haven't been running and I am soooo glad that I have not! I am sure I would find some blubber and feel bad. But not even blubber can motivate me to run :) I don't think I am making any sense . . . it's late.
What I really want to say is that you are nowhere close to blubber! And I really like the word "blubber." Kind of like "indeed." I like that word too.
Posted by: bridget at May 6, 2006 12:35 AM
Ah, regrets indeed... one thing is "writing," another is "publishing." "Editing" coexists somewhere in between... Some great Publishers probably have very talented Writers who do not need a lot of Editing. But they have little to do with the great plasma of average existence we all muddle through... Plus the rules of academia can intersect-with but are not the-same-as the rules of the working world. So, experimentally speaking, as a tool (emergency tool for some) why not let it all flow and then do some checking? It might even work. Not to mention that creativity often blossoms when rules are broken...as Fa(u)lkner did with his streams of (un)consciousness... Then again, being a notary public is a very respectable profession.
So here's a running thought:
"Recovery to the Negative One." Think, before uttering the word nerd.
Maybe it is all in my mind, but considering much racing (apart from track) involves some level of varying gradients, why is is there so much emphasis on hill training and very little on (down)hill training? How many runners out there do downhill repeats on a regular basis?
Once you actually learn how to do them well, shouldn't they be a total blast (as well as a rewarding and useful workout?) Would they not be constructive for mentally (and physically) preparing for faster speeds?
And now, just for some facts. Blubber. Flab. Please, let's have some figures, some percentages, something vaguely tangible, something substantiated by fact, not mirrors, not states of mind and/or the liberty of thought. Some nice foot-notable, legal-sounding adi-posey, flabbo-blubbo F A (C) T S !! (With a silent enough C to say: give me some FATS ladies, FATS please...) What a pseudo tough-guy kind of post... Don't be hypnotized... Don't turn to candy. Don't feel bad. Rebel! :)
I had a great run today; top notch endorphines made,... the best... yeah... corrado
Posted by: Anonymous at May 6, 2006 3:19 PM
didn't mean to look anonymous. I never do. So gimme FATS!!!
Posted by: corrado giambalvo at May 6, 2006 3:25 PM
oink, oink!
Posted by: pig at February 27, 2007 10:13 PM