Atlas Shrugged It Off...

Almost 48 hours after helping a friend move to a new apartment, I feel like the upper half of my body has been beaten repeatedly with a stick. The move itself only took two hours, and I'm feeling it. Once again, I'm finding bruises I can't remember getting. My shoulders, back, arms, and chest all give slight protests in response to any action.

To say that I worked up a sweat Saturday would be a gross understatement. After the first 30 minutes, I could feel the beads of sweat running down my face, dripping off my nose like a passing summer shower. Yet I couldn't take too long of a break. When there's a task to be done, idleness is not in my vocabulary. There were moments when I was pulling the cart filled with furnishings down the long corridor when I imagined the similarities to a work horse tied to the plow in a field. Too tired to think or object. Hard work can be its own form of tunnel vision.

Afterward, we relaxed before heading out for dinner and then on to a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Though it has been nearly a decade since I first watched the stage performance to accompany the movie with the 69th Floorshow Company, it seemed very different this time. I had forgotten most of the lines, yet many audience members seemed to know less than I did. I remembered the days of sitting in a smaller audience, closer to the screen and the action, surrounded by enthusiastic people shouting out a chorus of one-liners.

Listening to someone yelling at the people to be quiet and another college-age man behind me giving an in-depth psychoanalysis of the performance and people took away from the carefree atmosphere for a moment and made me realize how much things change.

As we spilled out of the theater, an intoxicated man emerged from a nearby building (presumably a bar), shouting and threatening to annihilate one of the young, skinny boys from the audience. His friends held him back as I lost sight of them in the parking deck. What an angry place this world can be at times.

I have much to accomplish this week, yet I still feel utterly exhausted. Luckily, some things will have to wait until a few books arrive from other libraries. My research work has been going by rather slowly. Obtaining old maps to discern past lives of buildings is never an easy task. Still, I am finding a wealth of fascinating information about history and people. I will probably share a few little tidbits as time progresses.

I realize too that my usual Friday "road trips" have fallen to the wayside. This hasn't been for lack of enthusiasm. I do have my reasons, but I will try to indulge those who miss the tales with something comparable. There is so much to say and share, yet there is only so much time in the day...