Remember that 1992 song by Mary Chapin Carpenter called “The Bug?”

No, it’s not about ants, bees, flies, etc. You seriously don’t know it?

Come on now, peeps, you don’t have to be a card-carrying member of the Grand Ole Opry to know it. If memory serves, it crossed the country / pop line and was played by many mainstream, Top 40 stations.

I mean, the gist of the song is literally captured in the (long form of) its title: “Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug.”

Man, was I ever the bug this past week. Sheesh!

Not only was I NOT the Ohio Lotto winner, but also, I wasn’t selected to compete in “Guy’s Grocery Games” — and to top it all off, a day job I was hopin’ and dreamin’ to land — squarely in the good fortune of some other human.

Hmpf.

I’m not whining, mind you, I’m just wondering — at what point my life might be more like that of Riley than it is of, um, I don’t know, Charlie Brown?

That got me to thinking about “The Life of Riley.”

Do you know the official definition of the phrase? Neither did I, precisely, so I looked it up.

According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary — and you KNOW I take their definitions as the law of the land, yo — it means “to live a carefree existence.”

Hmm, carefree. What must THAT be like?

I mean, to not have any troubles and just be happy-go-lucky all the time?

Look, I do my best to be pleasant the majority of the time, but there are days when even cheery old PK has to really force a smile on the old expression-exposer, ya know what I’m sayin’?

Yes, it’s true, sometimes even chipper old gals like myself get a little, well, down.

This week wasn’t my favorite one ever, truth be told.

It started out so promising and hopeful… then pfffft. All the air whooshed right outta my balloon in a big old hurry.

And that’s when it hit me — That’s Life.

Yep, just like the song says:

“You’re riding high in April, shot down in May / But I know I am gonna change that tune when I’m back on top in June / There will be ups and downs and that’s OK / Actually, that’s life!”

Hey, I didn’t write the lyrics, I’m just paraphrasing them, a’ight?

Honestly, I think old Blue Eyes was right. The bumps in the road ultimately just make us appreciate the smooth pavement, no?

Well, that’s how Peppy PK’s choosing to see it, anyway.

So, let your hearts not be troubled, my pals, even though we all have to go through a bit of BLECH from time to time, life’s mostly B-E-A-UTIFUL, as Jim Carey said in “Bruce Almighty.”

So, by all means, y’all, enjoy every possible second.

Kimerer is a columnist who just wants everyone to be happy as often as possible. Ask her how via pkimerer@zoominternet.net.