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April 06, 2007
Serendipity and the Godfathers of Punk
Sounds like the title of a C.S. Lewis/Ben Fong-Torres mashup, but it aptly describes my day.
There are several bins of review copies and bound galleys around my office; the prize stuff is culled by Editorial, but I've nabbed several titles for family and friends. It's not that I'm cheap, I just haven't been to a bookstore more than three times in the last year.
Imagine my surprise when I spied a book at the top of a pile that I'd pre-ordered for Liz a few months ago: Open Up and Bleed, a new bio of Iggy Pop. I was so startled, I had to check my Amazon order list to confirm it was the same book.
It was nice to head home with a gift under my arm; the fact that it was gratis was purely incidental. As hoped, Liz was very happy with the book and began reading it at the first opportunity.
Later, on the elliptical machine at our gym, I reviewed the day in an unscientific survey; small wins, minor setbacks, vexing encounters, superficial gains. Forty minutes into our 60-minute workout, my energy was waning.
And then Lou Reed's "Rock 'n' Roll" started to play. My feet felt lighter as I imagined Lou and Iggy urging me on.
Neither man exemplifies physical fitness, though Mr. Pop would seem to have a very low BMI. I'm guessing it's not the result of an ascetic lifestyle. I snapped out of my reverie when cigarette smoke started flowing in the second-story window -- some of the gym rats like to puff right by the front door.
I pulled the window shut and kept revving at 140 strides per minute. Thanks for the boost, fellas.
Posted by Your Protagonist at April 6, 2007 01:53 PM