Two For My Body, One For My Mind

This weekend has been an uneven blend of fun and uneventfulness, adventurous new activity and sedentary inclinations.

Happy 3rd Anniversary!

Friday I STRAIGHT UP ditched class to celebrate my third wedding anniversary with the incomparable, oh-so-lovable Israel- and it was totally worth it because we had such a lovely day together. While we got off to a rough start (I had to skip my run because I woke up late and actually skipped class partly because I was running 45 MINUTES LATE for it), we quickly let that weekend-good feeling take over as we drove into LA. Walking around the Grove, taking in all the wonderful fashion and scenery and commercialism, always feels so divine to me. The only disappointment there was discovering that Topshop, a store I was really looking forward to visiting, is actually way overpriced. So overpriced that I returned the two small jewelry items I bought 10 minutes after purchasing them :'-(

My conversation with myself as I left Topshop:
Me: Dude, are you suffering from buyer's remorse or something?
Me: Oh, God, no, nothing like that!

But I was...I really was...

Window shopping at the Grove was followed by a succulent feast at Osteria Mozza, where the flavor of the food was surpassed only by the excellence of the service. Seriously, I have never in my life felt so welcome or taken care of at an establishment where I had to pay for my dinner. It was such a pleasant surprise for a last minute choice. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a satisfying fine dining experience. After dinner was the highlight of the evening (though dinner almost stole the show!)- our first show at The Groundlings Theater! I was so excited to see sketch and improv comedy live, and this group did not disappoint. I was at once entertained by comedy and mesmerized by the courage these performers exhibit as they make themselves completely vulnerable to a small audience of strangers. I was also slightly distracted by the presence of Gus Van Sant, who was sitting directly across the aisle from Israel! Gotta love LA...

Tiny stage, tiny theater, huge talent. I want to be improv comedian when I grow up.

Return of the Couch Potato

Saturday morning, Israel took off early for soccer, as per usual, and I slept in (again, as per usual). Perhaps because it didn't occur to me to open the blinds until 5pm, I was in serious couch potato mode all day. I had decided previously that I was going to make up for my missed run on Friday by going on an extra long run on Saturday, and I woke up with that intention still firmly set- to be fulfilled after I watched a little Kardashians. Then I needed to catch up on some YouTube videos in my queue. Then I got hungry, and I couldn't very well run on an empty stomach, could I? Of course, I couldn't very well run on a full stomach either... This little charade continued until the last remaining hour of sunlight arrived, and by then Israel was driving home from LA and I really wanted to let him use our Spotify account, but I couldn't bear the thought of running without my carefully constructed workout playlist. The truth of the matter is, I felt so completely lethargic all day Saturday, but not even in a terribly bad way. My body just felt...loose, like it couldn't handle the thought of the constant back and forth muscle contraction involved in running. I did feel a sense of guilt when I realized that I wasn't going to run. After about half an hour of feeling that way, I decided that I was going to run on Sunday, and that I was not going to allow myself to think about or talk about running for the rest of the night. 

Two for My Body, One for My Mind

I didn't feel super enthused about running today, either. In fact, I almost pulled another fast one on myself and let the daylight creep by so that I would have an excuse to skip it. But, sometime in the early afternoon, the productive vibe kicked in, which led me to start studying for an exam I have coming up (on aphasia, the other topic that has me embroiled in a love-hate relationship), and that somehow motivated me to put on my running clothes and head out.

I was a little nervous because I had decided that today I would increase my run from two laps around my neighborhood to three for the first time. Adding another lap was slightly unnerving because my neighborhood is in the foothills of a mountain range, so it has hills and sustained inclines, and adding a lap means just having to face those one more time. But I knew I could do it, especially since I recently re-conceptualized that route as a set of intervals, with the hills/inclines being the hard intervals and the flat/descent portions being the rest ones. No more thought about time or distance- just intervals. 

As it turns out, taking those two guilt-inducing days off from running may have been a good thing, because my legs felt so rested today that adding that third lap added little exertion. On top of that, when I got home I mapped my run (just for funsies to see the distance that I ran) and what I thought was 4.8 miles was actually 5.1 miles; all this time I thought that a lap around my neighborhood was 1.6 miles, but it was 1.7! Woot woot! That means I've been underestimating both my time and distance all this time- not that I care about those things... ;-)

Ahem. Please note the surprise distance. Thank you.

I Am What I Am...

Saturday and Sunday served as a reminder that we are different things at different times, on different days. On Saturday I was a couch potato, but that doesn't mean that I am one every day. In fact, a simple survey of the past couple of months clearly reveals that on most days I am not a couch potato, but instead a runner, a student, a healthy chef and a healthy person. I readily accept the fact that I am a perfectionist and, as such, might have been harder on myself for my lazy Saturday than most others would, but my ability to dust myself off and move on quickly and without looking back (other than to write this blog post)- that is my noted progress for the week.

Thanks for reading!

-Melissa

SONG OF THE DAY: "Suit and Tie" by Justin Timberlake. Um, let me count the reasons. 

1. My unending love for JT

2. It's been stuck in my head all day.

3. I just added it to my running play list. Even Jay's rap solo couldn't slow me down!

"Stop 

Let me get a good look at it

Ooh, so thick

Now I know why they call it a fatty"

Sheer poetry...

You Can Say Never- But You Might Change Your Mind

Or be proven wrong. Last weekend, my friend Tara and I ran a 5k together. We considered it something of an inauguration to our half -marathon training season. It wasn't supposed to be an event for setting a record, but more to kick off the journey of training for a half-marathon together. I'm guessing that a lot of runners, athletes, and generally driven people originally go into a competition with that benign intention of just aiming for completion, but, once they see their bib, the crowd, the bevy of supporters, and hear that music, then that gunshot, the instinct to push comes in- and they can't, don't WANT to, push it out. That is pretty much what happened to me, and, I'm guessing, to Tara too, because we came to some unspoken agreement that we were gonna haul ass, and haul ass we did. I had no idea how fast I was traveling, but in the end I found out that my legs had done what I thought they were not capable of- got me across that finish line in 28 and a half minutes. It really is surprising what practice, determination, and having a supportive friend by your side can allow you to accomplish.

Perfect timing. We were practically holding hands as we crossed the finish line.

We registered for our half-marathon the night before the 5k, and that was exciting moment, because I was committing to something that I knew for sure that I really wanted to do. I've been running off and on for three years now, so it took me a while to come to this decision. I won't ramble on about my running journey, because I already did that here, but I will say that it has brought out a determination in me that I had only ever (occasionally) brought to school. I started out training for a 5k three years ago; 5 months ago I started toying with the idea of running a half-marathon, and one week ago, I committed to actually doing it. I kinda thought that I would be satisfied with that, but then came the LA Marathon.

Running a marathon was definitely something that I used to say "NEVER" to. So was running a 5k in under 30 minutes. I didn't change my mind about the 5k time- my body just proved me wrong. But that unexpected outcome opened my eyes a new realm of possibilities. I understand how hyperbolic that sounds, but I am not exaggerating. I've never surprised or impressed myself as much as I did last weekend, and it made me re-evaluate how well I know myself. Or, more likely, how much I've changed. The idea of running(/walking- let's be honest) 26.2 miles is daunting, scary, emotional, almost nausea-inducing- but it's something that I now genuinely believe I can do. It's something that I am seriously considering doing. It's something that would make me prouder than anything I've ever accomplished, because it is something that is going to be FREAKING HARD. And when I think about how meaningful and emotional it would be- because it's LA, the city that holds my family's history, the city where I fell in love and got married; because, three years ago, it happened to fall on my wedding day, its route passing by the park where my husband and I exchanged our vows; and because it will be 2014, the year that I turn 30, the year that I finish graduate school and begin my career- I know that it would be completely, 100% worth it.

Snoopy inadvertently became my symbol of determination and accomplishment. Don't underestimate the power of the Peanuts Gang.

P.S. Thank you to all of the runners in today's 2013 LA Marathon for being awesome and inspiring others, like me, to aspire to more than we thought was possible. 

Thanks for reading,

Melissa

SONG OF THE DAY: Katy Perry, "Firework." I like to think that I typically have at least mildly discerning taste in music, but, when it comes to getting me up that hill, you better get that elitism outta my face, because ain't no indie song getting my legs moving like Katy does. Every time this song comes on, I feel like I'm crossing the finish line at the Olympics, arms spread and everything.

"It's always been inside of you

And now it's time to let it through"

Sannnnn Diego: My Second Home Away From Home

Israel and I like to go to LA a lot. Every chance we get, we high-tail it on out of here and trek down the mountains into the city; LA is our home away from home. But sometimes, going to LA is not enough. Sometimes, we need to get away to somewhere that makes us feel like we're on vacation, where the air is clear and the traffic doesn't make you want to cry. That magical place is San Diego. Israel and I decided to go there last weekend to ring in my 28th year (actually, to celebrate the end of it, if you think about it). Being that I went to college in San Diego and continue to be a frequent visitor, I consider myself an adopted San Diegan. On this trip, I visited some of my favorite spots and discovered some new ones- and I'd like to share them with you in case you are considering or planning a trip to San Diego this summer (DISCLAIMER: This is a LONG post, so feel free to skim for what looks interesting to you). So, without further ado...

1. Run on the Pacific Beach Boardwalk

    End of Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach, CA

I decided early on in planning this trip that the first thing I wanted to do was run in Pacific Beach. This one was more of a nostalgic choice. Pacific Beach (or PB, as the locals call it ;-)) is basically a huge party beach, and guess what I used to do there when I was in college... My reason for wanting to go back, however, had nothing to do with getting drunk or laying out for a tan. I thought, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool to go to the same neighborhood where I used to get trashed and go for a run instead?" So, we did. 

PB Boardwalk. No Meatheads in sight in this pic...

Unfortunately, 99% of the people there chose to do the former of the aforementioned rather than the latter. What did that mean for me? A bunch of drunk meatheads calling out "Hey, that girl's DOING IT!" as I ran by. In all fairness, I should have known better than to wear a shirt that says "DOING IT" (What? It's a Nike shirt!) to run on a boardwalk overrun by candidates for the West Coast version of Jersey Shore- lesson learned. Regardless, I ran 3 miles (farther than I have run in a while!) and at a faster pace than any of my recent, shorter runs; something about that ocean air really gets your legs moving! That or I was speeding away from all the creep-os. Either way, no regrets :-)



2. Dinner/Sake Bombs At Sushi Deli

    Hillcrest Neighborhood

After our run, Israel and I arrived to Eva and Chris's house in the Hillcrest neighborhood (just north of downtown) STARVING. After catching up and a quick shower (one of my favorite things about San Diego: low maintenance vibe when it comes to appearance. Especially compared to LA.), we made our way over to Chris and Eva's favorite local sushi place, Sushi Deli. Chris got sneaky (and must have forgotten what a light weight I am!) and ordered a few rounds of sake bombs. His little surprise got me tipsy enough to forget to take pictures of the food, so you're gonna have to take my word for it when I say that it was beautiful and delicious. And at 60 bucks for a very filling sushi dinner for four, it was a great deal.

Here today, gone 30 seconds later. So it is for the sake bomb.

3. Drinks/Karaoke at The Lamplighter

    Hillcrest

Still feeling the effects of the sake bombs after dinner, none of us wanted the night to end. So we crossed the street (Hillcrest is definitely a walking community- LOVE it!) to the Lamplighter, which is a relatively cheap, cash-only karaoke bar. Eva and I decided to cut ourselves off by that point, so I can't say much about the drinks (I've had drinks there before, but it's been a while); however, I can comment on the music selection with one word: random. Since the playlist consists of what customers choose to sing, you end up with everything from staples like "Don't Stop Believing" to songs that you'd like to forget exist, like "Don't Stop Believing" (I keed- who doesn't love that song?). Eva and I brought the house down with a rousing rendition of one of our old dance favorites, "Señorita" by our guy, JT. Hooked on the feeling, I went back up with Israel at midnight (thanks to Chris for setting that up!) to sing "Panic" by the Smiths- not as much of a hit, but, as I warned Israel, we weren't in LA. All-in-all, a great time, made better by the donuts we stopped to eat as a nightcap on the walk home ;-).

"I don't know what I'm thinking 'bout
Really leaving with you." JT would be proud :'-)

4. Breakfast at Hash-House A-Go-Go

    Hillcrest

After a day of running and a night of drinking, Israel and I were ready for one of the highlights of any trip to San Diego: breakfast at Hash-House. Ho-ly mo-ly. This place is amazing. It is THE number one place I recommend to people who are planning a trip down there. The food is not only delicious; it is a visual experience. Well worth the hour and a half wait that you will inevitably have on a Sunday late-morning. The pictures speak for themselves. Quick tip: if you're there with somebody, one of you should order something sweet and the other something savory, because you don't want to miss out on either and both will be way too big for you to eat by yourself anyway. Israel and I always get the griddled French toast and some kind of hash. YUMMINESS OVERLOAD!

This is what you will look at for over an hour if you choose to go to Hash-House on a Sunday. And it will be worth it.

Top: Griddled French Toast.
Bottom: Spinach, Artichoke, and Red Pepper Hash (with mozzarella cheese and avocado added).
Perfect combo!

5. Hike at Cowles Mountain
    Mission Trails Regional Park

I had this strong desire to do something active on my actual birthday. And what is a better social fitness activity than hiking with friends? Nothing (as Tara and I have discovered more than once ;-))! It also helped prevent any guilt resulting from Hash-House overindulgence.

Cowles Mountain is about eight miles northeast of downtown San Diego. We chose it because, honestly, I think we were all too lazy to commit to driving far away for a five hour hike; so, instead, we drove 10 minutes for a two- hour hike :-). Plus, Chris and Eva said it offered a nice view of downtown, and I am a sucker for city skylines. We made our way up the 1.5 mile, moderately challenging trail, with a little huffing and puffing, and a lot of conversation. And, when we made our way to the top, we enjoyed the fruits of our labor: a view that included not only the downtown skyline, but also a panorama that included much of San Diego County and MEXICO. I am fascinated by the U.S./Mexico border, and every time I am reminded how closely to each other two such different countries lie, I get the chills. Border politics, exercise, AND conversation with friends- definitely my idea of a rocking good time :-). The only bad thing about this excursion was that we had to say bye to Eva and Chris at the end of it (sniff, sniff).

Made it to the top! That girl really was "Doing It." Haha, lame-o's!

Not sure which section of the panoramic view this is, but I think the downtown silhouette  is on the right edge of this picture.

6. Dad's House
    Escondido

I can't recommend that you go to this place, because my dad probably won't make you the dinner that he made for Israel and me :-P. But you wish he did. Because it was good. Think Pollo Loco chicken without the rumors of rat infestations associated with it. I guess all that was really just to show off how good of a cook my dad is. My favorite part was when I raved about how delicious it was and begged, "HOW did you season this?!" to which he shrugged and replied "garlic salt" in Spanish while taking a bite. My dad is not overly emotive.

7. Encinitas

Pleasantly stuffed with a home-cooked meal (a rarity on weekend trips!), Israel and I got a good night's sleep in preparation for the trek home the following day. The trip home is an event in itself, because we always stop at those North County spots that are too out of the way for our true San Diegan friends to visit. Many of these places are in and around Encinitas.

The first place we stopped at was Pipes Cafe for breakfast. I heard about this place from a classmate who interrupted my proclamation that Hash House was the best breakfast place in San Diego with her own rebuttal that, Hell no, Pipes was. Obviously I had to see what all the fuss was about. Pipes and Hash-House are apples and oranges, so I can't say which is better. I can say that I ate a truly delicious, hearty, unassuming meal of eggs and potatoes there for a VERY reasonable price, so I walked out a happy camper. Breakfast was followed by San Diego's much quieter answer to Hollywood's Amoeba Records: Lou's Records. This place was much bigger and more impressive in my college days, but, like most local record stores, it has fallen by the wayside of digital downloads. Nonetheless, it has been a consistent stop on all of our recent SD trips. Another new stop is Nobu Nau, a natural and organic skincare store on Southbound Highway 101 in Encinitas. They always provide attentive and informative customer service; unfortunately, they are closing their store and will be selling exclusively online as of July 1st :-(. But, as with any dour situation, there was a silver lining (for me at least): everything in the store was 20-50% off! So I was finally able to purchase an all-natural facial moisturizer with SPF, which I have coveted for oh-so-long! (I'll be writing some kind of review on that once I have had a few weeks of experience with it...)

Pipes Cafe: quaint, low-key, Jack Johnson-fan haven.

You can't get this at Denny's. Sooooo satisfying!

Honorable Mention
North to South


I also want to mention some places that did not make the cut during this visit (mainly because time did not allow), but that are still worth checking out:

1. The La Jolla Cove: Gorgeous view, cute downtown area. Grab a cup of coffee at the Living Room Coffee Shop (crossing my fingers that it's still there- haven't made it back in a while) and walk to the bluffs overlooking the cove. Check out the seals if you can. Cute :-)

2. Hodad's in Ocean Beach: Hodad's is a culinary experience and OB is a hippy-experience. Delicious burgers, and you'll feel like the set of "The Wonder Years"took a trip to the beach when you walk outside.

3. Balboa Park: We walked to the outskirts while waiting for our table at the Hash-House (we had plenty of time to explore during our 90 minute wait!), but didn't get the full experience this time. Cross the Cabrillo Bridge to El Prado to get your culture fix with one or several of the museums along the walkway.

4. Coronado Island: I can't say enough about this place. Beautiful ocean views, amazing Mexican food (at Miguel's, my FAVORITE. Eat the white sauce!), and one the most beautiful hotels in the country, the Hotel Del Coronado. No other place in California makes me feel as much like I am on vacation. Take the ferry and walk the island to make it an extra special event.

5. Bronx Pizza: The best pizza on the West Coast. PERIOD. I don't care what your Momma told you! This is it. Comes with a free side of New York rudeness (my favorite kind :-)).

I know that I have rambled on, but I really feel that San Diego is a treasure whose offerings are under-tapped by worn-out Angelenos. I have to admit that I am fortunate to have free places to stay and so can make the trip often; but, if you ARE looking for a weekend getaway, I hope you will consider some of my humble suggestions. And if you have suggestions of your own, please let me know! Thanks for reading :-)

-Melissa

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Dookie by Green Day. It was going to be the song "Torture" by The Cure (in reference to the four hours that I spent trapped in the worst traffic jam of my life today), but then I got home and Israel surprised me with Dookie on (green!) vinyl as a belated birthday present. Positivity trumps negativity! BAM! Like many other 90s kids, this is one of my favorite albums of all time. Fast. Immature. Amazing.

"Scream at me
Until my ears bleed
I'm taking heed
Just for you."
-Green Day, "She"

   

The iPhone App(s) That Changed My Life

Anyone who has known me for more than a couple of years knows that I used to be a big, fat (well, not literally, although I did get close once!) couch potato. I think I used to joke that I was allergic to exercise- yeah, that sounds like something I’d say. Anyway, about two years ago, I found myself in the unenviable position of having very little going on in my life. My wedding was over (so no more planning), I was marginally (and unhappily, I should add) employed as a sub, and I was taking a couple of online classes to start on my path towards becoming a speech-language pathologist. As you can see, nothing really to commit to too strongly- aside from being a new wife, which I took seriously, but, being a woman of the modern age, could not allow to completely identify me.

My birthday was coming up, and I allowed my husband to talk me into getting an iPhone (he really had to twist my arm, guys ;-)). At first I was just excited about being able to navigate my way around using the Google Maps app and listen to music from Pandora in my car. But then, my husband, the shopaholic (I think he truly adheres to the YOLO philosophy), also convinced me to buy new running shoes. (At this juncture, I am realizing that I am not very good at protesting, so, if you offer to pay for my meal, please know that you probably will end up doing so!). And so, I ambivalently left FootAction, armed with my new lavender and gray Nike LunarFlys, and a serious fear of taking up running.

My supa' fly LunarFlys, 400+ miles later :-).

 You see, up until that point, I don’t think I had ever run more than about 3 minutes straight, because my mother (God bless her) convinced that I had some serious case of asthma growing up, so I never really tried. Not that that was a good excuse, but the reality was that, since I had never tried, I was going to have to start trying now, and I didn’t know what would come of that. I knew that I would start off running embarrassingly slow; I knew that I had never been one with a lot of willpower to push myself to do things that were hard for me; and I knew this was going to be hard. But, as my husband bluntly pointed out, I didn’t have much else going on to distract me.

One of my greatest challenges with running was always that I never had objective feedback to motivate me (except when running on a treadmill, which makes me feel like a hamster on a wheel). Being a goal-oriented person, I needed this. My husband (let’s give him a name now, since I’ll probably be mentioning him often. It’s Israel.) mentioned that the iPhone has fitness apps, and there was probably one for running. Excited to put my new gadget to as many uses as possible, I went to the app store and searched. I came across tens (not hundreds, but tens) of running apps. Most of them were too intimidating, and seemed geared toward “real” runners. I was a little discouraged. Then I came across Footsteps. It tracks your distance like a pedometer, by measuring your (whatdya know?) footsteps. This seemed to somehow inherently take into account the fact that its users might be doing some walking too, so I felt it was perfect for me.

Footsteps: The one that started it all...

So the next morning, off I went with butterflies in my stomach and my new shoes on my feet for my first run around the block. And boy, did my little pal Footsteps help. Being a numbers oriented person (as my wonderful friend, Tara, and I have discussed many times), it was incredibly helpful and motivating to be able to look down and see exactly how far I had gone. No more, “Yay, I made it to lightpost” moments for me! No, now I could look down and say with some certainty, “You just jogged a quarter of a mile. Good job” (internal dialogue is a MUST for beginning runners).  And I’m telling you with 100% honesty, it made all the difference. Footsteps took through my first mile, two mile, and three mile runs, and the only reason I was really able to celebrate those victories was because I could look at my phone and know for sure that they happened. I am not one who is good at “reading the signals that I my body is sending” or what not- no, I need the hard facts. And by giving me that, Footsteps motivated me to keep going.

Eventually I moved on to NikePlus and now Runtastic Pro as I progressed to longer runs. These are also fantastic apps that use GPS to track the distance that you’ve run, and provide data about records and pacing. NikePlus even has encouraging messages from celebrities when you hit a new milestone (including a gem from Tracy Morgan that had me cracking up after my fastest 5k).

NikePlus workout screen.

NikePlus History and Records screen.

But that Footsteps app, man- that’s the one that started it all. It was my validation; it was the bearer of good news every time I accomplished something that I NEVER thought I would be able to do. Yes, I had a lot of time on my hands, and I was lucky in that regard; but, I would never have used it so productively without this one little iPhone app.

Tara and I always have this back-and-forth about how I have a hard time calling myself a runner. I am still SLOW, and I definitely take breaks when life gets in the way, and, for those reasons, I have a hard time saying that I am truly a “runner.” But I have to give myself credit because, despite vacations, school, and the tears-of-frustration-inducing tragedy that is the high-desert weather, I always come back. Right now, I am not running the five and a half miles that I was at my peak. But, I still get out there whenever I can, and, even though I am not at my peak, I still revel in the fact that I can run two or three miles straight, when I could barely run a quarter of a mile when I started (I know, because Footsteps told me!). Life is definitely about the journey, the process- and physical health is part of life. Racing toward some ultimate achievement would only make it so that I would eventually be justified in stopping. Instead, I have only made one commitment to myself: to treat my body well… and, I also wouldn’t mind running a half marathon by the time I turn 30 ;-).

My first 5k: Honda LA Marathon 5k (March 11, 2011). I guess I ate me spinach that morning!

 Here are some tips for beginners that I have gathered along my journey:

1   1. Good music is motivating: I know some people get their rocks off on listening to their breathing- not me. Lady GaGa has a much better beat than my huffing and puffing.

2   2.  Develop a motivating mantra: You can have mine, some variation of which I found on a running forum: Run if you can, walk if you have to, but giving up is not an option.

3   3. Walk if you have to: Just as the mantra says. The important thing is that you start running again as soon as you feel able to.

4   4. Make running a friend (that annoys you sometimes): I like to think that I am hanging out with my friend, Run. Regardless of how demanding or inconsiderate of my feelings Run may be, I made a commitment to hang out with her for 30 minutes, so I’m going to.

     5.   Make it enjoyable: If it sucks, you won’t do it. So go at a pace that allows you to enjoy the scenery, even if that means walking a little. A run-walk three times a week is better than a hardcore run once in your life.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ll check these apps out if you’re part of the smart phone world, want to start running, or are already a runner. If you already use any of these apps, let me know about your experiences with them. And, also, fill me in on any other great fitness apps, because I am always on the hunt J. Aaaaaand, let me know if you have any more tips for beginners. Thanks again!

-Melissa

SONG OF THE DAY: "Ouija Board" by Morrissey. Mainly because it's stuck in my head since Israel has been listening to Bona Drag non-stop. It is pretty catchy, for a Morrissey song (it's no Smiths, though!).

Oh Morrissey, you handsome devil.