When you're dead you don't take nothing with you but your soul

That was like a f*cking video game. There's this winter storm advisory going on, right? And it's been snowing and the traffic was ridiculous coming home and all I can think is - get these kids in bed, I am running in powdery snow. I'm geared for it.

The wife is worried, I am going to hurt my knees or something, I promised to stop if I was in any kind of soreness, but I planned to keep to the home route, a two-mile course going up and down the streets in my neighborhood, no distance, no big loop just weaving up and down these side streets. I can be in the street that way, head up, ears clear, ready for anything.

But the snowplows. I hit it just right, and those monsters (which I thought our city wasn't paying for, not for the side streets, not anymore) were going around each street - twice - and just when I was on them. So I was bounding through deep, unshoveled sidewalk snow and getting hit with the stuff these trucks were blowing in the air.

Crazy. I feel awesome, however. I had a nasty headache earlier ... due to lack of sleep, I think. And eyestrain.

I'm going to bed now.

1969 Playlist
The Ballad of John and Yoko - The Beatles
Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
One - Three Dog Night
Undun - The Guess Who
You Can't Always Get What You Want - The Rolling Stones

How the hell did I put together a set from 1969 with no repeats from last year?

Distance: 2 miles
Temperature: 25º
Weather: snowy
Weight: 162.5 lbs.

Time to get stupid

Citizens of Monticello Road, I am putting you on notice.

I am insane. That is insane business. And I LOVE IT.

Fact is, I would much rather run in unbroken snow than the winding trail of people hiking through the unshoveled drifts. Much less likely to break my ankle, or slip and fall ... but it does mean picking up my legs, hoisting up those knees. Really, two miles is enough. Really.

1989 Playlist
Steppin' to the A.M. - 3rd Bass
Veronica - Elvis Costello
Eye Know - De La Soul
Sin (Long) - Nine Inch Nails
King For A Day (12" Version) - XTC

Distance: 2 miles
Temperature: 25º
Weather: at least it's not 18º
Weight: 160.5 lbs.

You know you live in Cleveland when ... there's a two hour wait to dine at a place that serves fried cheese sandwiches.

On the Ten

2009 Playlist
United State of Pop 2009 (Blame It On The Pop) - DJ Earworm
Don't Stop Believin' - The Kids from "Glee"
Sugar - Flo Rida ft. Wynter
Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny) - A.R. Rahman ft. The Pussycat Dolls
I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked - Ida Maria
Rehab - The Kids from "Glee"

I usually wait until February to begin the XX Playlists for XX Years cycle. But I can't, not this year. I am already stir-crazy, and getting out into the insanely cold temperatures is the only way to defeat them.

Two signs you are old in 2010:
Whining about modern interpretations of classic fictional detectives.
Whining about modern interpretations of classic hits by Journey.

Distance: 2 miles
Temperature: 18º
Weather: cold. snow. what have you.
Weight: 162.5 lbs.

New Year's Resolution: Do you have to eat that? I have officially gained 15 pounds since last January. This is not necessary.

Over the holiday weekend, two of my (young) co-workers were fb'ing about doing The Cleveland. I asked if it were a private party and (one of them) said "Sure!"

So I guess I am running The Cleveland, or half of it, this spring. It always falls around the boy's birthday. Training begins next week. Wish me luck, or something.

The Very Best of 2009

Memories of Christmas 2009:
pink pony pillow
filled pancakes
coffee with Bailey's
happy Felix
Joe's roast with Yorkshire pudding
meeting Molly
Artie at the Skull
rain
the history of slavery in 10 minutes
Mary Poppins
Christmas songs on cable
Little Richard
CARS racetrack
Sherlock Holmes
Elliott bringing the Avalanche
and a little snow

I did have enough songs for one more "Best Of" list, I run I did not get to my third day in town. But as it turns out, they were pretty crappy songs (two by Black Eyed Peas? Come on, those things always have a shelf-life of three days.) But it did end with this:

Don't Stop Believin' - The Kids from "Glee"

Born with a weak heart

Best of 2009 Playlist
This Must Be The Place - Miles Fisher
Cooking by the Book (lil' Bigger Mix) - Mastgrr
Sugar - Flo Rida ft. Wynter
Before the Worst - The Script
The Golden Age of Video - Ricardo Autobahn
Breakeven - The Script
Mothership - Kid Beyond
Bulletproof - La Roux
Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) - Beyonce
The Fear - Lily Allen

Distance: 4.25 miles
Temperature: 40º
Weather: cloudless n' sunny

Gravity can't forget

Best of 2009 Playlist
Single Ladies - Pomplamoose
Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny) - A.R. Rahman ft. The Pussycat Dolls
Halo - Beyonce
15 Step - Radiohead
Just Dance - Lady Gaga
Paris Is Burning - Ladyhawke
Rehab - The Kids from "Glee"
In For The Kill - La Roux
4 Minutes - Madonna ft. Justin Timberlake

God bless us, everyone.

Distance: 4.25 miles
Weather: wet and sunny ..?

Thank you for this

Weak. Eyes livid, moist-searing edges. Practically trembling. This was before I ran. It's been over two weeks, there has been no time nor opportunity - nor much desire. The weather turned, it has been below freezing ... until today.

I fried chicken and made french fries for our children, who missed their mom - the wife was out of town last night. So I tried something new. I feel like I have swallowed a pound cake. I have gained weight. I need to play an emaciated vampire this winter. I need to stop eating poorly.

I also need to run again, but mostly I need to stop eating poorly. And so often. But I have found out I make a very good fried chicken (thank you, as always, to Mark Bittman.)

Distance: 3.25 miles
Temperature: 50º
Weather: damp and cool. extremely pleasant.
Weight: 160.5 lbs.

Phone call at 12:10 AM
Leah: So I started watching Twin Peaks.
Pengo: Oh, you never?
Leah: No, I remember seeing that part you showed us when we were making THE GULF.
Pengo: Man.
Leah: Yeah.
Pengo: That was ... a heady time.
Leah: It sure was.
[awkward pause]

I meant 1991. She meant 2001.

It Won't Be Long Genius Playlist
It Won't Be Long - Alison Moyet
Wrap It Up - Eurythmics
Antmusic - Adam and the Ants
Perfect Skin - Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
Let Me Go - Heaven 17
Take a Chance on Me - Erasure
Fame Is - Crowded House
Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four) - Eurythmics

If you are not yet a follower of my other blog I wanted to announce I am 2010 CPAC Creative Workforce Fellow. It is a great honor, and a wonderful opportunity. I had submitted a portion of And Then You Die in my application, so thank you to you for supporting this play.