Episode 181: Striking a Cord

Terrastina hefts an ax and brings it down on a length of wood, splitting it in two and wedging the blade tightly into the chopping block. She wobbles the ax free, places another piece on the block, and swings her ax through it cleanly. Mazolli shakes his head. Terr, he says, you’re so good at that. Whenever I try it I always miss. Terrastina shrugs. After a while I figured it out, she says. You don’t think about the wood at all. You just swing the ax into the block, and the blade splits the wood like an afterthought.