in the pink

So I've broken my new vow of thriftiness already.


It lasted three days.


Here's the story in a nutshell. I've been meeting a friend at the gym and have been really dedicated to exercising. But even better, I finally got up the nerve to start running again. Last week I ran a mile straight, fretting about my ankle the entire time. It never even hurt a bit, then or later. Day before yesterday I was up to two miles at a clip and I could have gone more - it felt that good. I was never even out of breath. (I realize that this is a far cry from my marathon ambitions, but a girls gotta start somewhere).


But right before that two mile run, I popped in my earbuds and went to pick an upbeat motivational song, and my (relatively) new iPod died right there on the spot. It just froze on the song it was playing - Alannis Morissette if anyone is interested - only it wasn't playing it at all, it was just stopped. I fiddled and I swore and I may have even begged a little, but no luck. It was a goner. And since I'd bought it used on eBay, my warranty options were...nonexistent.


Now the dilemma began. Should I just pop the $50 for a little piddly iPod shuffle to get me through my workouts? Should I suck it up and run sans music? Should I take a friend up on the offer to borrow his iPod, hoping it didn't fall under the spell of iPod death that pervades Casa RC? (Just last week, Sasquatch dropped his video iPod into the toilet accidentally. You may have all heard the wails. One more reason to not wear cargo pants. I'm just sayin'). For a full 24 hours I agonized. I would (and do) spend it on my kids in a heartbeat. Why could I not justify spending it on myself?


Today after the gym, my car seemed to be driving itself to Target, in spite of all of my protestations to the contrary. And before you knew it, I was the proud owner of a wicked hot pink iPod shuffle, a pink so violent that it virtually guarantees that none of my boys will accidentally "borrow it". I wanted the green, but I wasn't born yesterday. I drove home marvelling that something that small could be that fricking expensive. (This tells you how many diamonds I've had in my life).


My late iPod was belly up on the kitchen counter, and I glared at it as I plopped my Target bag down. Walking past it, I gave it a violent poke with my finger just because I felt like it.


And it turned back on. And has worked perfectly ever since. Son of a biscuit eater. It's my very own conspiracy theory.


I'm keeping the shuffle anyway. It's little and it's cute and it's pink. There's not anywhere near enough pink in my life. But mostly I'm keeping it because if I just spent $50 to keep running...I'd better keep running.


I'm too cheap not to.