I've been doing 4 miles minimum each day this week, and I haven't let a mild cold stop me from going outside to see the lovely Lake Shore afternoons. My iPod also died last week, and if you had told me to run without music a year ago... I would've probably shrugged and stopped running until I got a new iPod (which, in my financially-challenged situation, would've been pret-ty far of a priority). So instead of waiting, I decided to just go with it and run without music. I didn't think I would like it, as it was the thing I would do only once in a blue moon whenever my iPod was low on battery... but I've been running without music for 10 days now, and I love it. Not only do I feel much more aware of my surroundings, but it's probably the most calming situation you can put yourself into. You hear so many natural sounds, like wind when it hits you in the face, people chatting on the park benches, dogs barking, children laughing and crying, ambulance sirens, insects chirping...
It's a separate kind of escape that you get when you listen to music while running, I've realized. Music can be soothing and motivational for the activity, but I ultimately forget what is going on around me. I could get distracted by the lyrics, the musical beat, or just anticipating my favorite part of a certain song. The music isn't part of the natural surroundings, and yet I place it there as an alternate sense of reality. When I run without music, I feel like I am a part of the actual reality happening around me, even if I'm concentrating on my running pace. =)
Anyway, it's just an observation. In other news, I'm back in the drawing mood again! It's the sort of thing where I just keep telling myself to do it, for practical purposes and to improve my technique... and the fact that it always makes me happy despite whatever sad circumstance I'm in. Job hunting has been taking over my life right now, so drawing gives me a greater sense of meaning and purpose.
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