On days when the chemo poisons aren't leaching out of my flesh, blood, and bones, making me feel a weary 90 years old, I put on a little travelin' music (only some ancient souls out there are going to remember Jackie Gleason) and mount the treadmill. 

Here is my playlist (entitled, strangely enough, "Walking") on my iPod:

"Ran Kan Kan" - this is the extended version by Tito Puente from "The Mambo Kings" movie, a little over 8 minutes long. If this doesn't get your heart pumping, then you don't have one. A little over half a mile.

"Hot Stuff" - Donna Summer, melancholy, needing a "woman lover" tonight.  I'm with ya, girlfriend!

"Gimme All Your Lovin'" - ZZ Top. Dusty, Frank, and Billy, a rock hard bass line and drum beat - keep on truckin', baby!

"Hung Up" - Madonna -  leitmotif provided by Abba sampler, a little over 5 minutes long. "Time goes by so quickly...I'm done! I'm hangin' up on you!" Tick, tick, tick, another 5 minutes, stay the course.

"Should I Stay or Should I Go" - the Clash. I love this song -  the punk angst is hilarious! Plus there's a nice speed change in the chorus - never boring. "Don't know which clothes even fit me...If I go there will be trouble, if I stay it will be double." Go, then! No, wait, stay! 

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Nirvana. I remember the first time I heard this song on the radio. I was, like, "Who is THAT? I gotta get this song!" Gettin' my grunge all on. 29.5 minutes - almost 1.5 miles.

Gotta reach that magic number, and, superstitious, I never allow myself to quit in the middle of a song. Go to the end of the music, and straight on till silence.

"I Gonna Be (500 Miles)" - the Proclaimers. Perfect walking song. Of course, there's also "Boogie Shoes" by KC and the Sunshine Band, or "These Boots are Made for Walkin'" by Nancy Sinatra.

But I've reached the end of my journey, 33 minutes and 1.6 miles. Kicking my numb feet out of my Skechers, I look out the window. Yup, palm tree and crepe myrtle still where I left them in the front yard. What did Dorothy say at the end of "The Wizard of Oz?" "Auntie Em, there's no place like home!"