Like much of the country, we’ve had stunningly lovely weather for the past couple days. I fell in love with the city a dozen small ways Wednesday night. The guy grilling on the steps down to his garden apartment on his tiny tailgate grill; the man playing beautiful classical guitar on his balcony; the dad and his three kids playing joyous, chaotic kickball on the sidewalk — everyone in the city seemingly waking up from a long slumber. We’ve had it comparatively easy this winter, with no huge snowstorms or 100-year rains, but it still felt LONG, and these balmy evenings so early in the spring feel like a gift.
To take advantage of what I’m sure will be a short-lived breath of summer, I decided to run home from work last night. It’s about seven and a half miles, a distance that would have been no big deal for me when I was training for the half marathon a few short weeks ago. But something about running in 80 degree humidity is a LOT HARDER than running in thirty degree cool, and HOLY GOD that was a hard run.
My ipod was not helping. I recently had a snafu with updating software, so none of my playlists were on it. I figured I’d choose a super-peppy workout song and generate a genius playlist based on that, and that would carry me through the run. So I queued up “Toxic” by Britney and hit the road.
Dude, you guys, my ipod was totally fucking with me. In case you’re unfamiliar with the classic that is “Toxic,” allow me to refresh your memory:
Good workout song, right? Now, behold, a sampling of the songs that the so-called “genius” playlist maker added to a list based on “Toxic”:
- Delicate, Damien Rice
- Ice Cream, Sarah McLachan
- Orange Sky, Alexi Murdoch
- 3×5, John Mayer
- What if You, Joshua Radin
- The Only Freaking Living Boy in New York, Simon and Garfunkel I AM NOT EVEN KIDDING
Seriously, ipod? SERIOUSLY? By the end of the run I was ready to sit moodily in a cafe with an espresso, penning angsty poetry. Or, you know, stick my head in an oven. Not so much running music. Lesson learned: before I run again, I’ll make sure my playlists are uploaded.
Oh man, that is hilarious. In what way does the sad, moody music correlate to Britney, I wonder? Does the iPod know something we don’t know?
I feel your pain with the running in the hot, humid weather, though. I’ve been feeling like I’m about to die any time I run in the spring-like weather we’ve been having here in Alabama. I can’t deny that the weather is absolutely gorgeous — I just hope I get acclimated to it soon!
You should file a complaint with Apple. “Genius” is clearly false advertising!
Um, that is NOT funny.
Well, maybe a little.
But, FWIW, I have all those songs on my iPhone too!
hahahaaaa. i can’t even imagine trying to run to that mix. i need SUPER! UPBEAT! or ANGRY! RAWR! music in order to not commit suicide while running. *actual* suicidey music would result in my jumping in front of a truck most likely.
(ps totally rocking out to some britney toxic right now. thanks!)
Hmmmm. Can’t even imagine what “Genius” algorithm would generate that, um, fun run? The Crackberry has Pandora radio, so I live and die by that. Very rarely does it let me down.
1) Awww, you have a NICE neighborhood. Mine started to smell an awful lot like pot (thanks neighbors!) the minute the weather got nice enough to have the windows open. I think Noah may have gotten a contact high playing in the backyard.
2) It was an easy winter for you condo folk. You pay to have someone shovel your sidewalks. Lucky.
3) You ran from downtown? Like for reals? That’s awesome. I bow to you.
My genius playlists have been off lately too. Yesterday on my run it started with VV Brown Shark in the Water (which I think you’d love if you don’t know it already) to Make You Feel My Love to then Blue Lips by Regina Spektor….it was like it went Bi-Polar or something. That’s it we’re dealing with mentally unwell geniuses.