Levon's Last Waltz

"With horns and a full rhythm section, the drums always looked like the best seat in the house."
Levon Helm

Rock of Ages is one of the best live albums. Ever. Recorded in 1971 with Joe Farrell, Snooky Young, Howard Johnson, Earle McIntire, and J.D. Parron on horns with arrangements by Allen Toussaint, the performance is a blown out romp. People say it's a toss-up between Rock and The Last Waltz, but I don't think it's even close. From the opening bass line on Don't Do It, The Band is tight as Levon's rimshot. Even with that monster horn section punching out Toussaint's licks, Robertson's searing guitar, and Danko's pounding bottom end, the center of it is Levon's soaring voice. That guy could sing. Don't Do It was a cover - no one has ever sung it better and for me it was an anthem to adolescent angst. A voice to real (in a prospective sense anyway) and imaginary romance. Levon's version howled straight from my heart. Later it was Life Is a Carnival from the same record, but Don't Do It has always pounded just below the surface.

As a world we'll be paying tribute for a while here. The next three weeks are going to be consumed with trial, but I'm gonna get out every night. Gonna work out on the road; shed the suit, sweat some place with a view and listen to the pure joy that is Levon's music. Charles Pierce has written up him best.  http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/levon-helm-america-8173059 Great thing about social media is that we all get to celebrate Levon together. He was one cool dude; his virtual wake is gonna rock.

Sunday
EH. Miss B but good class.

Monday
Court all day, nothin'.

Tuesday
Seven hours of mediation and then CT. I am going to appreciate being told what to do for a bit here and 30-45 minutes in transit is perfect.
10, 8, 6, 4, 2
Swings, snatches, squats, presses, windmills
2x
Same 5-1
2x
Same 10-1
2x

Wednesday, nothing but work.

Thursday
Jury section. Big fun, smart people, hope it lasts.
CT session. Just the two of us, swings (single 8+8 x 3, two hand 20x7 28's) jerks (double 24x 5), deck squats (16 lb counterweight)
CT improbably swinging the 32, 2/3 of her birdlike body weight like a fucking BOSS. Hip snap and heel drive generating serious power, 70 pounds flying up like a feather. Yes, I should get a Beast. End up dripping sweat and in pieces on the studio floor, throwing heavy metal amidst the small group pilates people. Move along, pay no attention to the sweaty troll in the corner.

Friday
Scramble, but do get in bu fuckaround.
Leave for Pradeep. 60 minutes of tough love (not in that order.) Not too pounding and that's fine.

Saturday
Reviewing Exhibits, MJFs opening. Take B in for easy yoga.

Sunday
14 hours in office.

Monday
First day trial, to office after.

Tuesday
CT
8+8 28 kg cleans to 6 + 6 squats
5+5 t0 3+3
3+3 10 1+1 x2

Wednesday, in court, then in office until 9:30. Have yet to enjoy the commute throwdown.

Thursday
All day examining witnesses
CT at 7
20 32 kg swings to modified flow get up x2 with 16
x6

Friday
Back in office buried but clients overall supportive.
Bail for late Pradeep who puts us through 90 minutes of slow excruciating joy.
One of those classes where the music does not come on for 20 minutes. Where the knee stays bent, opposite hand to foot, raise leg, balance, look to nothing, relax your face, feel the universe in sweat, breathe and balance.

Long weekend.
Witness prep Saturday and then accounting document review, listening to Levon in 2008. Long week ahead. One of more than a few coming up.

Put it down at 7:30 and go out for some small movement:

30/30 20 reps, 30 sec, 32kg x 7, drop to 24 x 3 for total of ten, grip smoked.

Sunday
Up at 7 working on redirects. Stop to walk for an hour with daughter and dog. More work until we start getting mindfuck emails from opposition at 7:20. Waste of time, bring it on assholes.

You can set the load right on me . . .



Will try to sweat more this week . . .

Hey Dad, could you . . .

"I'm out here in the meadow, part of an old stone wall. Stand here because they said so, waiting around to fall."
Joe Walsh, Meadows

Tuesday
In early for round 2 of bu fool around.
Stick cleans, very very close on double 24s, two single 28 bup right. Hit the groove and it's easy. Miss it and it does not happen. But don't make it a snatch. I've seen those videos and some folks are cheating a bit.

Head to dank basement gym for lunch with the office 24. Quick circuit:
30 swings
5+5 clean to squat to press
10 125lb Lat pulls
1 tgu
x5.
30 minutes, good sweat. Yoga postures to cool down. Tree in the vff kso trek; like the meaty sole digging in to the down leg. Both are active.

Wednesday
Yoga. Fast and hard. Very strong on one leg series, screwing foot into floor and rock solid. Get out of your head-there is nothing but weight into floor and breath.

Thursday
Rest day planned.

Friday
In for bu practice. Barely one rep with the 28. Disgusted, grab twin 32's and clean & press; press the doubles. Hit it three times each one easier then the last. That's a PR. Time to start working seriously with the 36.
Late yoga. It's strong.
Belated bday dinner with CT, patient person and delightful company.

Sat
Brigid to Parkour, Rose to bay. Ecstatic in the rain. Taking people places, buying food, feeding them, being there while driving and picking them up all day. No training, no real rest, except 30 minutes listening to Joe Pass. Note to self: listen to more Joe Pass.


Listen to more Joe Pass at Wolfgang's Vault.


Sunday
Been looking forward to yoga with B all week. 90 minutes, all in. Leave him there in warrior two, we'll catch him on the other side. Clean up office and up to Hayes Valley where B prompts massive quantities of smiles from young women and gay men. Why is it straight young men look baffled so often ?

Hit CT 4:30. Nothing heavier than a 20 kg but sweating straight through by the end and leave with plenty to work on. Cossack squats. Yes, there is a task.

At dawn don suit so can do special master duty later. Hello hip flexors from yesterday.
In for bu fuckaround. Sticking everything closer and closer on the twin 24 and three good bu press on the 28. Expect yoga late pm but gets waylaid by "I'm going to do my thing" which means sleep on the sofa bs.
Breathe.
Predictable consequence of overwhelming force is arrival of Very Large Law firm. Now facing six sharp suits across the table rather than tweedle dum et al.


Rise to it counselor, teach you to kick ass . . . now close it.

Monday
In for good bu fuckaround, never get back.

Tuesday
Decide late to file opps which is the wrong call but not my call and means two late nights. Leave late but stop at gym at 8 for heavy double press fun
60 16kg single arm swing warm up.

Long cycle clean and press double kb:
5 20
4 24
3 28
2 32 (singles on last circuit, could not get doubles off chest.)

8 Front squats, twin 24
5 neutral grip pull ups
10+10 28kg rows
Bulgarian split squats, 8 20kg suitcase
x3

Wednesday
Trying to get brief out and teenager crisis explodes. Small kids, small problems; big kids, big problems. Get on the phone, get it all started. Sigh. No sweat, just massive flood of cortisol. Convince co-counsel we go with guns loaded and ready but do not let it fly until we have to.

Thursday
In early then most of the day in court. Oppositions ranks have grown, smoother now. Spend two and a half hours arguing "scheduling.". Race back for another handoff conference call. Hope I still have a practice when this is over. Decision not to file absolute correct one and co-counsel is grateful for restraint. We do make each other better, always have.

4:45 yoga. Head racing at start but gets better and better and at the end close to quiet.

Friday
Busy.
Leave for 4:30 Pradeep. Start off in savahnsana, means it's gonna be a sweatfest 15 minutes in. Plank work and long standing series at end. No lizard or pidgeon, just hit it.

Saturday
In for stair climb. Up BofA building in about 14 min with Brigid, Micah and CT. Big Fun and great meal at Green Chile Kitchen after. Yum. Then ice cream. Big yum. Drive around a whole bunch. At 6:45:
15/15 16kg snatches x 70, 7 rep pace. 35 minutes, dripping at end.

Sunday
Really nice end of the day dog walk on Burdell with Brigid, her witty self.

Monday
60 min Pradeep, hit it hard.

Just reviewing my texts, nearly every communication I have with the under 20 set starts with "Hey Dad could you . . ." with the following request for money, transportation, pick-ups, food-items, software, music downloads, Amazon purchase and the like. I could; S'ok.  But it gets more complicated.  It's B's 21st and Brigid is pissed because she wants him to have balloons, big dinner etc.  I got presents together, but the rest would have required someone other than me to organize due to day job, etc.  She is peeved and takes him upstairs to her sanctuary to watch a movie with her.  I am not invited.  So Dad, could you now leave us alone.  Yeah, I can do that too.  Sigh.

Happy Birthday B, love you so.