Writing Fever

Greetings From Writecation

Just a quick note from me today. I've been on a Writecation this week. You remember, it's that "eat-sleep-write" thing. I only leave the house to run.

(Photo by Max Auer)

I was only supposed to retreat to my cave for three days, but now it's been almost a week. The plan was to organize my thoughts (and notes) a bit and think about what my next book project might look like. Well, now I'm in the middle of it.

It feels a little strange, probably like when you get pregnant unexpectedly. A book project is the last thing I need right now, but on the other hand, there's no reason not to do it. Maybe it will change some of my priorities and I'll have to sacrifice some sleep, but in the end it's a beautiful thing.

Right now I'm just letting whatever comes out flow because there's a lot. I've just put a rough filter on what I write about and how I write it. I just throw in that filter whatever comes to mind, and it ends up fitting together surprisingly well.

When I go through it, I have the typical "This is all crap!" moments, but just as many goosebumps. I know now that this is normal and will continue until the book is published. Or beyond.

I had actually decided not to spoil the fact that I'm working on a book here, simply to avoid exposing the project to too many influencing factors. But on the other hand, I don't want to make a big secret of it, and maybe some of you are interested.

What I can't answer are obvious and legitimate questions like

"What are you writing about?"

"What's the title of the book?"

and

"When will it be published?"

As soon as I can answer one or more of those questions, I'll let you know. I promise.

Sometimes I wonder why this creative urge is so strong right now. Like I said, there are other super cool things I could be doing right now. Maybe it's the right moment, maybe certain ideas needed time to mature. Or maybe it's just that books find their own way and find the author, not the other way around.

What I can say for sure is that it feels right. Despite the uncertainty, despite the added pressure of another project on top of all the others, despite the hours I'm sacrificing. There's this special energy when you realize you're working on something bigger than anything you know or feel. Or think you know or feel.

Let's dive in even deeper.

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Everything Running

Since the main part of this Das Z Letter is pretty much "Not Running" today, we're reversing the tables and I'll write a few lines about running in this bonus section.

Tuesdays are track training days in my new hometown Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Yes, even in the mountains there is a tartan track. An exceptionally beautiful one, see for yourself:

(Nomads on Track Tuesday – Photos by Sebastian Gerlich

The whole thing is organized by the local running crew, the Nomads. The group is deeply committed to openness, inclusion and fun, and they do a pretty good job of putting that into practice.

The track isn't exactly a place where "everyone is equal". You're running in circles on a circuit that's measured to the millimeter, each at your own pace, checking your watch every few feet. There's always a subtle aspect of performance and comparison. After all, why else would you go to the track if not with the desire to run fast and become a faster runner?

But the Nomads do it really well. They communicate like a mantra that everyone, really everyone, is welcome. Moreover, you can stop by the stadium without running yourself. To watch, to cheer, to drink a Spezi. But the biggest and most important measure of openness, inclusion and fun are the Nomads themselves. A colorful bunch of hearty runners, all with different backgrounds and motivations. But what they all have in common is that they see running here in Garmisch as a community thing, and that's not something to be taken for granted.

And as my namesake Chris, with whom I chatted briefly after training on Tuesday, said:

“When a group has a high percentage of women, it's always a good sign.”

I couldn't agree more.

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On Repeat

"Back then”, it was an unwritten law in the hardcore scene that Christian bands (yes, there were/are some in punk, hardcore & metal) wrote the hardest mosh parts. Figure Four, No Innocent Victim, xDisciplex A.D. and also Shockwave, among others, proved this impressively. The ladder made it into today's On Repeat recommendation.

Even though Shockwave was less about Jesus and more about Autobots and Decepticons (Transformers are a strange but appealing leitmotif for a band) than the bands mentioned above, they were at least as hard-hitting as their Bible-believing friends. See/listen and believe.

“Shockwave this. Shockwave that. All I ever hear about is how great Shockwave is!”