happyAround 4pm i finally dragged myself out of the house to head downtown. I dropped into a local dance studio where they also sell drums. The girl at the counter was really friendly and helpful. She was all apologetic they didn't have a wide selection and suggested a few other places, but after kneeling down to play one i really didn't have to go any further. The drum was nice and solid and i could "tek" both hands straight off the bat. This huge smile just flooded my face, it felt so good. You know i'd rather give money to a dance studio than some bigass music store, plus they had Syrian drums instead of Egyptian ones, which means i get to support industry in a country where kids might otherwise choose terrorism as a real career option. It just felt right.
Afterwards i walked down to a park and watched some guys perform tai chi while i pattered out rhythms on my brand new dumbek. I sat under a tree in the shade and let the sun move across the sky, dazzling me, warming the aluminum as my fingers danced. I just zoned out to some amazing place.
When my hands started to hurt i did a few stretches and started walking north. I didn't really have a goal, i just wanted to walk. I went about 3 miles, stopping along the way for kofta. The midtown area really has a dearth of interesting hole-in-the-wall restaurants, but this take-out chain was surprisingly decent. I've been enjoying the kofta here more because for some reason the shawarma is hit and miss. I think i need to avoid the Greek places that don't make it as good as the Lebanese. It was the same in Melbourne, come to think of it - all the take-out joints were Greek and they just don't do it right. My Turkish buddy would say it's because halal meat tastes better; he could be right. Great walk, though, anyway.
All evening my phone was quiet, i just had a really peaceful wonderful time. And now it's nearly 2am and i am feeling so focused and together. How does that work? I don't know whether it was exercise or sun or solitude or trying something new, being creative, but whatever it was i need to do more of it.
