i am incredibly tired, and it's 8:30. i'll be off to bed soon, although i can't explain why i'm at the point i'm at.

very productive, in its own way, day. first call came at 11:30. parents got me about 1. both brothers in the 2 vicinity. sumo (from london) and dan (speaking with sumo at the time) in or around 345. jenny at 530. i hope that's it, because i need to sleep.

most interesting thing learned: in london, when you go to subway (sandwich, not tube), they ask you which 'salads' you'd like. this means vegetables. also, sumo is beginning work on his thesis, but he will be using american (rumors, realize, mom) rather than british (rumours, realise, mum) english. color me disappointed.

in a bit of a rut today because i had hoped to get things done this weekend. work-related things. but after roland hemond's phone call on thursday morning, i've done nothing. this is bad because it's crunch time. i'm anticipating an until-8 (time for 24) night tomorrow, and perhaps later the following two days. i'd like to be home for games thursday and friday, and will likely head there for some time this weekend.

i locked myself out of my apartment as i was going out last night. i was walking down the stairs, did my customary and generally pointless 'pocket slap' to check for them, and cursed loudly. went upstairs, the door was locked. so rather than sleeping at home, i slept at ben the intern's. returned home today at noon, to find the office (and therefore, my get in the door policy), unoccupied. hours are 10 to 2, but he had left for a few minutes. i got in at 12:30.

in doing the math, if things fall right, i could win the bigflax.com pool. this despite the fact that i've hit only five of my elite eight, at this point. but the uwm pick especially helped me, and i wish i had followed the sec sucks theory rather than the go with jay bilas theory on florida. still, i've got a perfect chicago bracket, which is neat. the biggest games for me next weekend are arizona-okie state (i need salim to come through, and it's fun to cheer for him) and nc-villanova (nova going down would take the current leader's champ out). washington to the final four sure would be nice, although wva's tremendous play has 'that feeling' about it.

what a great surge in games beginning with the fourth session of the tourney. the performances of bucknell and vermont are the reason it's such a great event. ronny turiaf's choke job (3-10 FT) continues to move gonzaga from the ranks of 'entertaining' to the category of 'annoying and disappointing.' and bogut, for my money, is the best player in the country. he's so skillful and nifty, and i can't imagine how good he'll be when he's not triple-teamed any time somebody looks at him. finally, wva-ga tech was a great, great game. the best i've watched in years. and i love julius hodge a lot.

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i saw a kings of leon video on friday night during commercials, and being that i have a gift card, i called borders to have them hold one. (i do that...i'm a geek.) then i asked if they'd be getting the bloc party record, and they said they would. so i asked for them to hold one come tuesday. and then i went to buy the kings of leon record on saturday, and i asked if they'd be getting the new decemberists record when it came out. 'yes. it's out tuesday.' so i asked if they'd hold one of those. then i said "is that 'buy three get the fourth free'" policy (advertised on all of their merchandising displays) in effect on tuesday? "yes."

so i'm in need of figuring out what my fourth'll be. my brother discourages devandra barnhart. based on this, the early favorite might be joanna newsom. maybe pop bands i've missed - soundtrack of our lives, or perhaps the mendoza line or rilo kiley - are the decision. or maybe someone i know limited things about - sage francis - is a candidate. or perhaps a classic band that i've never heard enough of, like husker du or the replacements. i'll probably find out which is the must-get husker album, and go that way. if not, it'll be let it be. but i'm accepting applications.