Patrick Says

So I’ve been running a lot lately. It’s tough. You try and carry 210 pounds up and down the hills of Jefferson County and see how you feel. I’m not going to lie…it’s more of a combination of running and walking. But I try really hard to run more than I walk.

To pump myself up, I always try and keep just a little energy back to really shag it out at the very end. Sometimes, when I do that, I feel like a god. Sometimes I want to vomit. But when I don’t puke, I like to yell ‘BIG FINISH!’ at the very end. It’s a pick-me-up. It makes me feel good. Also, it’s a great phrase in general because you can use it at the track or… [insert sexy voice here] in the bedroom.

So, after years of the old theme, I’ve decided to try a new theme. If you’re reading this in a feed reader or an email, go ahead and click here to check out the site: www.patricksays.net. I’m not completely sold on it, but I like the look.

It’s very simple.

I’m not entirely ‘moved in’ yet. I need to tweak some of the text and the 404 page needs serious work. The sidebars at the bottom need some formatting tweaks as well. It needs Boxy added back in and I’m not sure I like the ‘Read more…’ stuff on the homepage. Let’s just call it a work in progress. Also, I reserve the right to go back to the old theme if I hate this one.

Let me know if you like it or hate it in the comments…assuming it has a place for comments…

UPDATE: Yep. Dumped it already.

I changed up my running venue last week. I wanted to see how my times fared when hills were not a factor. And as it turns out, my times aren’t half bad. I’m not going to win any 5k races, but maybe I can not be the last guy just barely chugging in at the end.

The new route is basically down Seckman Road. If you aren’t familiar with my area, it’s just a really busy street. I’ve jogged down streets before and it’s always an interesting view to see the kinds of things that are dumped by passing cars on the side of the road. But Seckman has some really odd trash.

• Used wrappers from cigarette packs: expected.
• Bottles and cans: expected.
• An unused tampon: okay, not that unexpected considering half the US is women.
• Playing cards: yes, playing cards. An inordinate amount of them. Did someone hit a blackjack dealer recently?
• Latex examination gloves: okay, now I know you’re thinking that I’m just mistaking condoms for gloves. Wrong. Unless the wearer had five penises, these are gloves. And not just one. I saw at least three. What the heck is going on on Seckman? Random prostate exams? I know I’m dead+2, but there’s no way I’m getting that exam yet. Not without dinner and a movie, my friend.

So, there’s just a sampling. Don’t jog down Seckman at night. I can’t guarantee your safety. (Actually, on a serious note, don’t jog at night. That’s obvious, right? And if you’re in street wear close to night, wear reflective stuff. Just saying.)

I’m seriously considering a theme change here at Patrick Says. I’ve been using the ‘White As Milk‘ theme for a lot of years and I really do love it. I just feel like it’s maybe time for a change. I know I’ve said that before, but this time I’m really leaning toward a one-column design. No sidebars. To be honest, I’m not sure many of you even notice the sidebar. Let me know in the comments if you ever noticed the ‘Big Talkers’ or ‘Recent Comments’ widgets.

Eddie Vedder is way cooler than you.

I was thinking about my musical tastes the other day and how they’ve changed the last couple years. I’d say my tastes have moved in a direction I’m not altogether happy with.

As recently as three years ago, if you had asked what I like to listen to, I would have said rock without a second thought. Anything with a heap of guitar and drum. My favorites were stuff Pearl Jam and R.E.M. and new stuff included Linkin Park and Evanescence. I was all about the rock.

Lately, I’ve been stuck listening to terrestrial radio and it’s hampering my musical growth. That’s mostly due to the fact that I don’t listen as much to alternative music sources like Pandora or even subscription based services like Rdio, which I use to love. Nowadays, it’s whatever is on the radio and unfortunately, pop tends to dominate the station on the car stereo.

I guess I just need to make a concerted effort to expose myself to new stuff. Heck, even new albums bu artists I’ve liked in the past would be a step in the right direction. My kids know the words to a Kesha song. They need to know the words to a Pearl Jam song.

Am I right, peeps? Let me know in the comments!