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Monday Musing, 1/28/19

1/29/2019

Hello Apprentices--

So I’m running my fourth half-marathon this coming Sunday. And this will be the first time that I’ll be able to actually RUN the whole thing. No walking breaks! And aiming to come in under two hours, that’s my only goal.

If you’d seen me take my first step of running training, oh, five years ago, you wouldn’t believe that two hours was anywhere near realistic.

The last few Sundays, I’ve been upping my “long run.” A few weeks ago I did 7 miles non-stop. The following week, 9. Two weeks ago, my door over the bridge around St. Armand’s and back… 10.06 miles. Without any walking. And still felt good! To the point that yesterday I ran what could only be described as “a nice, easy 6.” A NICE EASY 6?? That concept did not even exits five years ago.

And thus, the first cookie. You are capable of more than you realize, and the story you tell yourself is almost never the entire story. Your “legs” are fine.

I’ve talked a lot about discipline, especially the definition: “Discipline is simply remembering what you want.” Because once you have prioritized honestly, your choices and actions become utterly clear. Thus the second cookie. Yesterday that nice easy 6 was in sub-50 degree weather, in a light drizzle, on a morning where the strongest temptation in the world was pancakes and a blanket. But I laced up, Rebecca stuck in her ear buds, and we ran, drizzle be darned. And with every step, I was SO glad I had taken the first one. Cuz they just kept getting easier.

All that being said, listen to Michael Jordan. If I had made pancakes instead of pulling on my running pants and turning on my GPS watch, that wouldn’t have been the end of the world. Failure happens. When the thing we want is BIG, when we have prioritized something that upon first glance is EPIC, we will not always be able to resist the pull of pancakes. When that happens… when your chin is sticky with syrup and you’re in your sweat pants on the couch with bad TV on… listen to Michael Jordan. And next time… do a little better.

An ancillary… One of my playwriting students today just said the most terrific thing: When you’re exhausted, consider a rest rather than giving up. It’s good for writing. It’s also good for pretty much any goal you set yourself.

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Monday Musing, 1/21/19

1/21/2019

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Hello Apprentices--

The Monday Musing is back from Holiday/Hand to God Hiatus. Huzzah.

Two cookies attached. First, a fun little sports nugget about Derek Jeter. Understand, I’m a lifelong Cardinals fan, and will ever and always root for whoever is playing the Yankees. But I can’t argue with this observation about Jeter.

That anecdote ties directly to the second attachment. A little phrase I have started to pepper my rehearsal room with is “practice makes practice.” I picked this up from my beloved Rebecca, who uses it in her yoga classes. She in turn picked it up from an instructor, Jaye Martin, who travels the world teaching yoga, but more importantly he LIVES it. (I can’t say with any certainty where he may have picked it up, but how lovely for something to live beyond its genesis…) Sure, the man can somehow do the splits forwards/backwards while also tucking his head under one leg and sticking his arms out like he’s flying while still talking in a normal demonstration voice. And he can do a literal headstand… I’ve seen it… no hands, just balancing straight up into the air… ON HIS HEAD… with a big ol’ smile on his face. But the only reason he can do these things is because he practices them EVERY DAY. It’s easy to say. It takes discipline and drive and humility to actually DO.

Practice makes practice.

What you do every day… reflects your priorities. Reflects what you actually, truly WANT.
Expertise manifests from one thing and one thing only… repetition.
Ultimately it doesn’t matter, from the audience’s point of view, how you are feeling. It matters only what you DO. And if you practice DAILY, then even on those days went you aren’t necessarily “feeling” it, you will still be able to DO it.

It’s 2019, Apprentices. Decide what you want, and then DO THE THING, daily, that will enable you to manifest that want into reality.

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The serious theatre artist hard at work, trying to please his caffeinated canine copy editor...

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Theatre pro, amateur yogi, and competent home cook.

Adoring boyfriend to Marvel Universe-loving girlfriend.

Runner of half-marathons and daddy to awesome silly Rottweiler.

Lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan and addicted to the Gulf Coast sand, surf, salt, and sunsets (see above!).

Open to clarification, correction, and commentary. Ideologues discouraged.

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