Sunday 8/1/21
Ran 5000 stairs yesterday. Today marks 1862 days, or 266 weeks, without a drink of alcohol. This morning I ran 10,000 stairs. Something I've noticed: people will compliment you on something stupid, basic, simple, ordinary, if they can relate to doing it. Like a workout. But if you create a work of art for the ages, they won't know what to say. They'll say nothing. Until a lot of people say something. Because it takes too much vulnerability even for them to express what they might think. To convey awe. They see that as being out on a limb, when they're programmed--just about everyone is at this point--to be fake, to be insincere, to pile on, either to the good, or the bad.
There is next to no expressed sincerity--note my exact language--in the world. There are fake compliments, mostly. Ass kissing. Saying something fake so that something fake will be said back. People don't know how to compliment something, or someone, that they see as being on a different plane. They can say, "congrats on the new kid." They can say many things to me every day at the Government Center stairs. Because they've worked out at some point in life. Or think they should and drop a few. It's a basic, basic thing: sweaty person exercising, and the workout looks hard, and it's kind of a cool workout. People don't have the confidence, the word skills, and the courage--yes, it actually takes courage--to compliment something that is truly great. Ironically, they see that as ass kissing, when they do so much ass kissing of a different kind, but that's second nature, that doesn't count to them. That's how we talk, that's how we interact, that's social media; it's not meant. They don't know what to say when something is real, and is remarkable. They say nothing. It's easier for them. It's less stress, less risk. They don't have to worry about their words not measuring up, or someone else seeing them as an ass kisser. They don't have to show their true thoughts and feelings. That's a kind of vulnerability. And people are virtually incapable of that right now. They would need a million other people to say those things to feel like they could say those things.
Today a hot woman hailed me from the street. It was early, so no one was out. She said, "That's really impressive--I've been watching you." I was coming down the stairs and I gave her a thumb's up and said thanks. I wonder what would happen if a male said that to a female. "I've been watching you." Obviously it doesn't bother me. People can come up to me and say anything.
Here I am after 6500 stairs today. I guess it's a good sign that this Downtown shirt is a L--and a pretty tapered L--and I have a thick T-shirt on underneath and it's still a fit.
That's nine straight days of at least 3000 stairs, with a 5000 day in there, and two 10,000 days.
And speaking of fitness, Larry Bird's advice was to go one-one-one with a McChicken sandwich. Do you ever wonder how someone pitched something like this? And the someone else was like, "Yep, that one! That's what we'll go with!" Although I could definitely see Larry Bird eating McChicken sandwiches.
