Simple things.

It really doesn't take much to make me happy. A good book. A crappy reality TV show when I'm bored. The sound of my kids' laughing. A Diet Dr. Pepper at noon.

So it pretty much follows history that my purchase yesterday sent me over the moon: A holster case for my iPod Touch.

Yes, I have the armband that everyone and his or her brother, sister, aunt, cousin and nephew have. I detest it. Actually, "detest" may be too mild of a word. I hate it with the fire of 10,000 suns.

I never can get it to feel right on my arm. It's either too tight or too loose. If I start out in layers and decide to take one layer off, I'm in trouble. I can run and take off a sweatshirt. I can't run and take my iPod armband off and then hold it while I take off a sweatshirt. It always ends in a mess.

If I want to skip a song or if I just want to see what's playing, it's complicated.

The plastic covering over the screen makes it difficult to push the right things.

I just do not like it. In fact, the difficulties associated with using it often contributed to a shorter run. I'd just get tired to dealing with it, so I stopped a mile or so earlier than I had planned.

Way back when I was running before, I had a rubber belt clip that went around my iPod Nano Mini (or whatever it was). I got it at Circuit City for $3, no lie. I got another belt clip when I got a new iPod for Christmas two years ago. But I had yet to find the same thing for my iPod Touch.

I had resorted to only wearing running clothes that have pockets in them, which is difficult at best.

But yesterday morning, on my way to the Gulf Terrace Hike and Bike Trail, I stopped at Computer Dimensions and found the holster of my dreams. I actually giggled in the store when the saleswoman showed it to me. It was $32, but I didn't care. FINALLY, a belt holster!

As I was walking out the door I was tearing the package apart.

And then, I ran 9.5 miles at the Hike and Bike Trail. It was the best run ever. I wasn't tired; I could have gone another few miles, but Russ, the kids and I were planning to go out that evening and it was almost 3 p.m.

I also dug up my old Nike+ sensor and put it in my shoe, bought the $1.99 Nike+ GPS app and used that with my iPod. Sheer heaven, although I need to re-calibrate the thing.

My time wasn't great. I am still planning on running The Gusher Half-Marathon, and I'd like to come in at under 2-and-a-half hours. I'd LOVE to come in at close to two hours. I'm not there yet. Now that I have my weight under control, and I'm in a schedule of running consistently, I need to work on my speed.

And now I have all the tools.