Big Weekend Coming....

I have fallen into a disturbing pattern. Sleep until my dogs wake me up to feed them (and throw him the ball!)...sometimes go back to sleep, but more times than not, sit at my desk processing all the pool payments, and updating them on the website, which...if you've never run pools, qualifies as a full time job almost.

Then Squirrel finally gets up, gets ready for work...and leaves. And instead of getting this list of errands done that have been staring me in the face now for 4 days, I find myself taking a 'nap' that usually ends around 10pm. Great. So now I am up at 10pm wide awake.

This is usually where I dial up a session online. Why? Because I like chaos and to be punished by people I can't stand. So I usually end up breaking even right about the time Squirrel comes home from work. I quickly sign off...listen to her talk about how much she hates working in nickel slots (who wouldn't?) then read myself to sleep with my latest Vince Flynn novel. Then I wake up and do it all over again.

Yikes. Where is the working out I promised myself? Well, I better find it, because I have just been talked into taking 'The Trip!' The one where I will catch up with the guys I played baseball with up in NYC almost 20 years ago. Chad Brown is the one you all know. Then there are others...who you may or may not have seen on TV. I've remained in touch with a few of them. This little trip to Phoenix Oct 9-16th will be for, officially, an Over-40 baseball tourney pitting some very good teams. I have a very small chance of actually playing. Which I am fine with. I am not in good shape. This much will not be denied. But I will get a uniform, and get to work out in an MLB park...and for that, I am psyched. I will attempt to find a batting cage around here somewhere, so as not to TOTALLY shame myself. It will be a good time, I'm sure. I had some wonderful memories of time spent with those guys, and I miss the comraderie that comes from doing things together as a team. I just hope I don't kill myself!

This weekend, there is a certain game coming up in Tuscaloosa. As you may know, my wife is a diehard Alabama fan. As is the rest of her family. Well, I have a good buddy, BJ McBrayer, who lives up there and had invited us to come up one weekend back in August. Well, this seems like the only weekend where I will be available to make this trip, so I got after it, found us two tickets (for what Super Bowl tickets used to cost...whoa!) and set things up with BJ. So when Squirrel gets off work Friday night...we will catch a few hours of sleep then make the 4.5 hr drive to Tuscaloosa for the ESPN 7pm game against the hated Gators. She is really excited...and frankly, I am too. I love the atmosphere of college football. And her brother and sister-in-law will be there, as well as, I'm sure...a lot of other people she knows. Should be a fantastic weekend.

As if that wasnt enough...in digging around, I discovered that on the day I arrive in Chicago (Oct 16th) for the Hammond WSOP event...a certain football team that I pull for will also be arriving in the Windy City for a clash with the hometown Bears. Thats right...my Seattle Seahawks...who just happen to be sitting in 1st place (yeah yeah, I know...quite precariously and in a weak-ass division) right now...and could be 3-1 coming into Chicago if they can handle St.Louis on the road this week. They then get a bye week to get healthy before taking on the 1st place Bears. Well, there is no way I am missing that game. So I guess I will be missing the Sunday tourney in Hammond. I've already gotten interest on attending the game from 'The Duke' and Kai Landry has already self-invited...which is always a welcome addition. My sister, up in Milwaukee is making noise about coming down as well, and since its her birthday, I offered to treat her. Well, now the Squirrel is not wanting to be left out...so we may have us another big football get together up there too.

However it shakes out...October is shaping up to be a month of lots of fun...and needless to say, I will be spending some of that September loot I won. Maybe a bit more than I would like...but hey, life is short, and once in awhile you need to enjoy the rare spoils that come with this business. So I hope at the end of October we are all able to sit back and reflect on a great month...like I am currently doing about September!

Okay its 1pm..and I swear to GOD...I am leaving this house and running these errands...right NOW! And dragging myself to the gym today.

Monkey