Tuesday, July 1, 2008

The ultra-rare 4th wind

Getting a second wind is a frequent occurrence. I can employ techniques to bring it about as they are often useful and desirable. Third winds are nice because of their scarcity, usually because of the lack of need and desire to power through after the second wind falters. Third winds usually come as a welcomed surprise or in times of extreme need.
Yesterday, I was able to achieve the very rare event of a fourth wind. My previous forth winds have come in times of extreme stress / jubilation such as Finals in college and Mardi Gras. The details:
Saturday - night at the HiLo where I only had two 3.2 beers and a shot of brand-name whiskey. No drunkenness, just closed the bar and slept for 12 hours.
Sunday - Wake late for me, 2pm. Day already wasted. Coffee, home chores and then boredom. 4pm, watch Children of Men.
Side note: Awesome. Devastating. I knew about the shot before it came, and when it came, I was not disappointed. I've only seen it once, but IMHO, it beats the pants off the shot from Touch of Evil. Sorry, Hitchcockians. Twice as long, 5 times as much action. (spoiler-risk) Just because one of the characters was computer-animated takes nothing away from it at all. It was necessary for safety alone. In addition, I seem to gravitate toward Orwellian, bleak-future movies with jackboot stormtroopers suppressing the general population. I don't want it, but I love it.
Sunday continued: Puttered around thinking about the movie and what I can get done. Decide its Sunday and watch Pan's Labyrinth. Also good. Good n sad.
Monday:early AM, not sleeping achieve 2nd wind. Spent time with a little work and "speed animating." Exactly what it sounds like. You develop technique without caring about the quality. Also called Q&D (quick and dirty).
7:30 am. Off to some manual labor I picked up for the day near Tulsa in a house overlooking beautiful (and red) Keystone lake. 3rd wind comes around 2pm @ 24 hours awake. Stop work at 7:30p, dinner at 9p, still an hour from home. Achieve the welcome 4th wind when I turn on the Radio and hear Coltrane chewing on a sax solo like a cigar. No dangerous drowsiness on a cool summer evening traveling on the same road where Karen Silkwood's pain ended. Made it home and to sleep with a grand total of around 33 hours awake. Made some money, got some work done on art and business, worked a 10 hour day of manual labor, and got 2 excellent films watched. Too bad I can't eliminate the need for sleep.

8 comments:

Steven Stark said...

4th Wind sounds much better than 4th Meal.

Steven Stark said...

Actually, 4th Meal could give you a bad case of 4th Wind

Ronin Robot said...

Fart jokes, Steven? Really?

Steven Stark said...

I am quite lowbrow.

Anonymous said...

I liked the fart joke, until I cringed when I realized it was a Tolkien reference.

so... Tolkien references, Steven? Really?

Steven Stark said...

OK, now I'm embarrassed. I don't get the the Tolkien reference. and I know every Tolkien reference! or so I thought.....

Anonymous said...

I thought it was a taco bell reference. Or is taco bell referencing tolkien?

Steven Stark said...

I'm gonna go on the record and say that yes, it was a taco bell reference because I find the fact that they are promoting a 4th Meal to us fat americans very irresponsible.

Second Breakfast and Elevensies are OK though.