Balls or Nuts?

Story of a Six-Time Loser

So which is it, nuts or balls? Found one of each today, so I suppose you could mix and match, but it somehow seems wrong to be indecisive on such a delicate matter. Consider the following exchange from the movie "Uncle Buck":

Miles (Macaulay Culkin): Mr. Neville yelled at Michael Larson because their dog was sniffing Michael's balls.
Cindy Russell (Elaine Bromka): Don't use that word.
Miles: I don't know another word.
Cindy Russell: Well, I'm sure we can talk to Mr. Neville about the dog.
Miles: (moments later as he's walking away, turns back toward Mom): Nuts!

I love that scene. Cracks me up every time. I practically bust a nut, er, ball, erm...

Well, you can choose your preferred vocabulary. Sound off on the subject in the comments if you like.

Sorry for the weekend off. Didn't run on Friday, which was the scheduled day. Promised you Saturday and blew that off. Thought about it Sunday, but left it at that. The upside is I awoke today refreshed and with legs pain-free. They still feel pretty good. The route wasn't looking too promising on the treasure front, though. One rusty nut in the first couple blocks and nothing but a few cans until much later. I did snap this lovely photo of a crushed cup in response to a suggestion from my judicial friend Harry (not the one mentioned by him, though). Apropos, I thought, as my wife's text response when I texted her that I was going to take a break from writing and run was, "Good idea. Enjoy."

I remembered seeing an Illinois Link card on the ground during my ride to church yesterday, so I extended my 3-mile route over to Kellogg Street to look for it. There it lay, about a block south of the Salvation Army Center. I'll look online and find out what to do with a found Link card. It's the second one I've picked up; the first went into the trash, but I've decided to try to be a better citizen.

OK, time to get back to work around here. Happy reading, healthy running to you all.

Ha ha, looks like I have antlers. Well, I am a Buck!

Oh yeah, the six-time loser. I had no cause to pick up the lottery cards scattered around the intersection of Seminary and Losey streets. I mean, it's not like they are eligible for the second chance drawing. But I was struck by the number. They just kept appearing, each one face down, revealing only the rules on the back and a large, light grey $3 price. The game is Casino Cashword, a $40,000 top prize for some sort of crossword puzzle scratch-off. I wondered about the grouping: two cards here, one 15 feet away, another right at the northeast corner, one in the middle of the street by the stop line on the south side of the intersection and one on the southwest corner. In close proximity but randomly spread. Had they blown around after spilling out of a garbage can? Did the player -- our six-time loser -- scratch and toss as he/she walked along? Were they tossed out a car window? These are the questions that pop into my head when I see litter. Along with, "why?"

Today's Stats
Temp: 34 degrees F
Distance: 4.5 miles
Treasure: 1 Illinois Link card;1 Americas Best Value Inn key card; 1 rusty nut; 1 half-bald tennis ball; 6 $3 Illinois lottery scratch-off cards (word game); 1 Super Mario Brothers card -- "Clampy"; two T-shirts (layered, 1 black, 1 white); 1 white (well, grey now) washcloth; 1 piece of bubble wrap; 45 cans.

iPod Playlist (shuffle)
Don't Panic - Coldplay
And So It Goes - Billy Joel
In the Dark - Billy Squier
Ten Thousand Words - The Avett Brothers
The Stolen Child - The Waterboys
Richard Cory - Simon & Garfunkel
Black Mountain Side - Led Zeppelin
Dig It - The Beatles
The French Inhaler - Warren Zevon
Just Like a Pill - Pink
Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran
New York State of Mind - Billy Joel
I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab for Cutie
Victim of The Game - Garth Brooks
Day or Night - The Call