Poking and Peaking

I went shopping for ring tones the other day, while sitting in the office for my LASIK appointment (I get burned in the middle of September, if it doesn't work I at least hope I get red, "Terminator" eyes).
I bought "Stairway to Heaven" because I have decided that nothing is as perfect as Jimmy Page's solo, and the ringtone is the solo. This shows my creative, musical side that's never really left, even if I did give up playing because you can only do so much when you have a herd of cats in the house (actually it's my twin brood and the toddler but it's basically the same thing).
I bought "Deacon Blues" by Steely Dan for basically the same reason, although it's also because I really love Steely Dan. They're probably in my top 5, along with Metallica, Iron Maiden, early Stevie Wonder, maybe Earth, Wind and Fire and probably Motley Crue and...um....Jamiroquai (I KNOW what you're going to say about this, and yeah, you're right. Fuck you. I don't care. He's awesome).
I bought Metallica's "Master of Puppets" because, frankly, it's a kick ass song.
But I also bought "Rocky." "Rocky" is not just a cool song - it is, one of the best "movie" soundtracks of all time for the way it fits the picture - "Rocky" is a lifestyle.
It is intense and never-give-up and maybe there's a bit of the underdog thrown in there.
That's me.
In the summer, I've got goals to fulfill, races to run and peaks to climb. It's the season when all that training over the winter, the runs through the snow and the negative degrees and the icy patches (one of which almost killed me when I slipped and flew through the air, cartoon-like, and landed on my back, vaporizing my breath for a good, long, scary minute) pay off.
I work it in with the kids to raise and the job and even the online poker and chats with friends, and somehow, because of Rocky, I find the balance and push through it all and cross the line happy with my effort and my time.
Well, usually.
I already blogged about this, but a few weeks ago I pretty much just gave up in a race when maybe it all caught up to me.
I left Rocky at home.
This Saturday I'll be running a 10K, and I think I've found a way to bring him back. I'm getting rest, not eating stupid (not perfect, I'll never manage that) and Friday I concentrated hard during my four-mile tempo run to push through the pain and stay focused and concentrate.
Man this sounds cheeseball, but then again, I think I need something, a symbol to bring out the strength in me that I know is there, that sometimes gets left with the kids. I need it back for Saturday. I need it back, period.
I've put Rocky on the iPod Shuffle during a 48-minute mix, which will be my time for this race. I've put it right smack in the middle.
You know, when I'll need it the most.