Wearing of the green

Since I work from home most days, I don't get ensnared in many office traditions, like the insistence that one wears green on St. Patrick's Day, regardless of one's heritage. Today is St. Patrick's Day and I did wear green. A green t-shirt from my first 5K - the one that was a fundraiser for Crohn's Disease. The one sponsored by a doctor specializing in gastrointestinal drama, including constipation and diarrhea. I love this shirt because those things are listed on the back of it. It could not be more awesome. So that was my nod to St. Patrick's Day.

I had lunch with an airline industry consultant buddy and there was no going to the local Irish joint. Instead, it seemed appropriate that we go to the local Jewish deli, Schmaltz's, where he dove into corned beef (fine nod to our Irish friends) and I mowed down a beef brisket bathing in horseradish. It was awesome.

It's been an amazing day here - sun, not a cloud in the sky and mid-60s for temps. Nigh unto perfect. So a few hours after my fatty lunch, I decided to get a five mile run in. This was a mistake. Not only had I eaten too much, compared to the 20s and 30s that I've been running in, today was hot. As a result, my pace was about a minute off my average and I felt like this dope:

So not much an Irish day. To give it a bit more of a St. Patty's Day feel, I give you the greatest Irish band ever, U2:

U2 |MTV Music

And speaking of music, so far the race for Shameful Music for iPod needs more share. There are two in the running for the most shameful, but I could use some more suggestions. C'mon, people, lose your pride and pony up.

Shame on my iPod

"Shame on you, iPod. Shame on you." Why am I reprimanding my iPod? Well, I'm not. I'm reprimanding some of what I have on it.

This all came about Saturday after a six-mile run with my CARA running group. It was a cool morning with a little bit of misty rain falling but was comfortable enough to run in short sleeves. I had one ear phone in to hear my pacing - I didn't want both in so as to not hear my running partners. During the run, one song came on and I thought to myself, 'I sure hope no one can hear this. I'd be drummed out of the group for a song like this.' So after my run and as I was driving home, I started thinking about my running playlist, how I want to change it up, and what's on my iPod that would shame me were I to be hit by a truck and some schmo grabbed it in the ensuing chaos.

If you've read the blog before, you pretty much know I'm not concerned about embarrassing myself, so here it goes. The shame of my iPod:
Yep, it's Hutch. From that completely boss and ridiculous 1970's cop show, "Starsky and Hutch." Now before you think I'm completely mental, I don't have the whole album shown above on my iPod. Just one song. Probably the second worst song of the 70's. "Don't Give Up On Us" That's the one on my iPod. That is my shame of shames. But at least I don't have the single WORST song of the 70's, "You Light Up My Life" in my playlist. I promise.

So what's your song of shame on your iPod? What's the one song you tell your friends totally blows but in fact is one of you top played songs? Something like "We Built This City on Rock and Roll"? You know what I'm talking about. I want to hear your most shameful. It could make for a really fun playlist. Let me know what your shame song is...if I get enough responses, I'll post the playlist without naming names. You know, to protect "the innocent."

This has got to stop

I've never been one to sleep in. Ever. I was not like my teenage children, who are able to easily sleep in until noon, given the chance. 7AM was the latest for me in most cases. On weekdays, I am up by 5AM. No problem. Same with Sundays since my church administration meetings start at 6AM. Fine with that too. So that leaves me Saturday. One day to try and sleep in til 7AM. That gives me time to get up and meet my 730AM running group. Dare to dream...instead I'm wide awake by 430AM or as in this morning's case, 415AM. I cannot begin to tell you how over this I am...it has got to stop. I'd really prefer NOT to turn to solutions like Ambien or Tylenol PM. I worry that will leave me sluggish for my runs. All I want is one day to sleep in. Just one. How hard is that? Am I asking too much?

Mother Nature, didn't you once say...

Mother Nature, didn't you once say that it's not nice to fool you. I distinctly remember this. You got plenty worked up about it when you got fooled into thinking margarine was butter. This led to a some loud thunderous rage on your part. I fear that the raccoon never got over it. See for yourself, Ma Nature, it's all here:

See, not so happy when the joke's on you, are you, Mother Nature?

So I implore you to not turn the tables on us here in Chicagoland. Please. Because if you are fooling us, then today was an exercise in severe cruelty. It was more than 60 degrees this afternoon here today. Sun shining and absolutely amazing. Gorgeous. I left the house at 4:30PM for a five mile run in a pair of shorts and a long-sleeve technical shirt and I totally wished I was in short sleeves. But why do I get the sense that you, Mother Nature, are playing us for fools? I worry that you've got at least one more winter wallop waiting for us. Why? Because you've done it before. Nothing like an April snowstorm to tax your will to live. So please don't be fooling, lady, please.