Today is an absolutely gorgeous day, perhaps one of the best of the somewhat delayed spring so far. I woke up pretty early and was feeling a both slothy today. I had my coffee, did some laundry, played some words with friends, emptied the dishwasher, another pleasant valley “saturday” here in status symbol land. However, after Sue got back from a walk with Abbey THE dog, my conscience got the best of me and I decided to go for a run outside to enjoy the day. You might think that’s a simple task, and it kind of is, but it also comes with it some “ritual”. Choose the shorts, choose the shirt, choose the proper socks, lace up, go into the office put on my fanny pack, in warmer weather, put a bottle of water in there as well, put my phone in it (that’s the real reason for wearing it), sunglasses (check), Bondi Band sweat band (check), [new normal SoNo 1/2 swag buff around my neck in case I get to close to anyone  and need a quick mask (check)], Aftershokz bluetooth bone conduction earphones on and connected (check), out the door and fire up the running app and choose a playlist or album.  Now it’s time to actually get moving…today it was a tough choice, I needed something inspirational, something loud with a good cadence, ahhhh, I got it…Bruce’s Mohegan Sun show from May of 2014. I was lucky enough to have been at that show, courtesy of a friend, and while it was back in the Jabba-The-Hut size day, and I had to very uncomfortably wedge myself into the (back then) terribly small seat, it was a surreal experience (and honestly there was not that much sitting down, so the “wedging”  was pretty minimal though the exhaustion was also pretty real, spending 3 1/2 hours on your feet at close to 400 lbs, is pretty tiring, however, the music does lift you up. Having bought that show when it was released digitally from the original sound board off I went, to the sounds of the opening song, Racing in the Streets (apropos no??). It was spectacular, the sun shining, the temp pretty close to perfect, and then….and then…..just as I got about 1/4 mile from the house, my earphones gave the dreaded message “charge me“. I knew I was in for a run in the Badlands, about 1/4 mile later same message, I was not anywhere near where I wanted to be at that point, but fully aware that I was about to have to make a decision as to how to proceed, another 1/4 mile and one last “charge me“, followed by two more lines of the song “Two Hearts” and then, up, silence!  So now, what do I do, run without music (nahhhh, not happening, need it for the distraction), just head home?  (nahhhh, too stubborn). Hah!!! I got it, break stride, take a sip of water (remember I did pack that back at the beginning) and raise the volume on the phone as loud as it would go and put it back in the fanny pack (always worn facing front btw for access) and keep “pushing till it’s understood and these Badlands are treating (me) good”

So, the journey continued, shorter than I would have, but longer than quitting, it was hard to hear with the cars once I got back to the main road, but lo and behold as I was coming up to the end, what tune kicks in.. “High Hopes” what a great way to finish and a comment on the current state of affairs, Forty plus years after the exhortation to keep pushing through the Badlands, an equally compelling exhortation to keep hope alive..