first i'm going to start going to the gym

Said the woman walking next to me, away from the Curran Theater tonight. Then I'm going to overcome my fear of heights--

And learn to sing? I broke in. And play the accordion?

Play the violin, she amended.

We were walking away from Rain, a perfectly lovely show from Cirque Eloize, a Quebec-based "new circus" company. Nostalgic in a non-cloying way, sensual and funny, the show employs a dozen or so amazing performers, all of whom apparently started their circus training before they had all their teeth. It was the sort of event where you walk away feeling like something finer and grander is possible than your daily life would suggest, and the world you actually inhabit feels a little different, a little... sweeter. Of course, you get home and there's yet another piece of Comcast junk mail in the mailbox, and laundry in the basket, and loud neighbor television at midnight.

Still.

Gratitude to Wry for taking me to a show for fun, not work; and to Risk, who was in town for a couple of days on work and went for deli with me this afternoon, and to my late-night conversationalist, even if I was getting a little patchy near the end there. Today has felt like a much longer day than it probably was, punctuated by writing and new CDs (Sephardi songs in Ladino, Adam Ant, fado Risk loves), chili-lemon roast almonds and six ounces of raspberries eaten straight from the clamshell container, no rinsing. The next four days are going to be heavy. Lots of writing, an early morning catering gig tomorrow, six hours of model marathon, workworkwork. Between stress about getting everything done and sadness around the Berlin situation, I'm feeling like I just need to put my head down and push, you know? But today's richness should help.