The Booger Man and My Race Jitters

I know a Booger Man
His name is Beau
He picks his nose--
That he never blows

Yeah, I know a Booger Man
His name is Beau
Boogers he eats
Like a yummy treat

Oh, yeah!
I know a Booger Man
His name is Beau
He is my son

God Damn! I love that Booger Man!


So, guess what? Beau? He likes to pick his nose. And he likes to eat his boogers too.
Here is a conversation we had a while back while I was driving when I spied him in the rear view mirror with his finger in his nose:

Me: Don't do that. That is gross.
Beau: Why?
Me: Because it is disgusting.

Beau shrugs in response, shows me the booger and then proceeds to put it his mouth.
I audibly gag and reprimand at the same time.

Me: Beau! No! Don't eat your boogers!
Beau smiles: Why?
Me: Because it will make you sick!
Beau: But I like them. . .

Then Beau started saying he was sick. He told everyone he was sick. I queried him on his symptoms:
Sore throat?
No.
Cough?
No.
Headache?
No.
Tummy ache?
No.
Cold?
No.
Well you don't sound sick to me, what's wrong with you?
I'm sick. I ate my boogers.

Ugh.

Carmella, who most definitely does not eat her boogers is horrified at Beau's habit. Yesterday she was reading a book from the library and came upon a page smeared with boogers. She tracked Beau down demanding to know if he smeared boogers on her book.

No, he told her.

Yes you did she told him. I know you pick your nose.

Beau admitted that this was true but he didn't smear his boogers on her page because he eats his boogers. And besides, he told her. He doesn't like story books. Because he can't read. Too many pesky words, he says. He only likes science books.

And then they got in fight over who was sick. Carmella has been sneezing. Clearly, she with the obvious symptoms, is the sick one.

But Beau reminded her that he is indeed sick; much sicker than her because he? He picks his nose and eats his boogers.

Really, I just don't understand the pride he has when certainly he is more than aware of all of ours disgust and disdain at this habit. But apparently his desire for attention-- all attention-- trumps everything else. Not to mention he recently told me that he is in the Booger Eater club in his class. There are 5 of them. All boys. So how great is that? He has friends that also eat their boogers. Already, at 4, with the subculture. Awesome.

And me? I've been waking up with a sore throat this past week. And no. I don't pick my nose or eat my boogers. It isn't the sort of sore throat like strep. It is from sinus congestion. I can tell that it is only a matter of time before that post nasal drip moves to my chest and then I end up with a secondary infection. And if I were a betting person I'd say that is probably going happen, oh, say, Saturday. You know. The day I am planning on running the Chattahoochee Road Runner's 10k.


I think it is no secret that my goal for a while has been a sub 42 minute 10k. And even if I wasn't maybe about to get a cold or bronchitis I still wouldn't be very optimistic about hitting that. Not to mention that this race is very intimidating. Check out the results here from last year. Do you see the talent that this little local race attracts? Mid 30's for the women and even some high 20's for the boys? Yeah. I'll be lucky to be in the top 50 women of this race when locally I'm usually in the top 10 for women. Well, maybe not if all those talented ATC team girls go off and do the Alpharetta marathon or the Snicker's marathon in Albany. Then there might be a slim chance at hardware in my age group.

So I've cut myself some slack. No pressure. Just viewing this race as a speed work out in my marathon training. Oh, no worries, I'll try my best. I'm just not willing to set myself up for disappointment. My training has already been humbling enough this winter. I don't need no little 10k failure to further knock me down.