i really wish i had something fringe interesting to report. last weekend i was feeling very, very fatigued - in fact, i slept through my planned wake-up time four times in a five-day stretch [significantly, too...missing by an hour or more].

but, oddly, i've recovered somewhat during the 10-to-11 days of the baseball schedule, which is nice. i have been busy with extracurriculars lately - a treem visit monday, an extra-inning game tuesday, a beer with the visiting broadcaster wednesday, some intense tv watching [24 and idol - although i didn't know the idol finale was two hours, and therefore missed the exciting part], some alcohol-fueled small-group intern bonding, some alcohol-fueled large-group intern-bonding...

oddly, again, i feel somewhat well.

i'd say the highlight of the week was treem's visit. monday was a rough day - i slept through my alarm, and was annoyed. i got to my car, and realized that i had left a major component of my gear in the bus. i called the bus company, and was told 'we'll file a claim, but the cleaning people won't get here until 5.' 'i need it now, or soon.' and so i got in touch with a guy, and thought about driving out, but waited until tuesday morning when they transferred it to another bus.

i had a few additional major tasks in addition to the usual beginning-of-homestand stuff on monday - rick ankiel joined the club, and fergie jenkins was coming that night - and my intern wasn't scheduled to show up until mid-day.

plus, treem was coming in town. he was invited, and i wanted him here, but, at the same time, i also wanted sleep.

i got none of it, and it was wonderful. we drank a few pitchers, joined for one or two by super-co-worker greg. then we retreated to the rud pad [the smell was unbearable, but i got rid of it by wednesday] and just talked - mostly about how northwestern was the greatest school in the world.

by the time i headed to bed, still woozy, it was 4:50 and the alarm was set for 9:15. i can't believe i made it in. and i was miserable all day. and we went 12 innings and four hours. but monday was great and, by now, i've gotten back in a rhythm.

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i spend too much time thinking about this stuff, but i think i'm gonna buy the malkmus record. i've bought a lot of music lately.

gang of four - entertainment! - oddly catchy and brings me back to my thinking about lyrics days. i don't do that anymore, really, because i don't think as much as i used to.

the mountain goats - the sunset tree - i really think that john darnielle is my favorite currently-working songwriter. this has some wonderfully intense words and images, and comes highly recommended if you don't mind music about being beaten as a child...["so i turn on my little record player / i guess this is what the volume knob is for" ]

architecture in helsinki - in case we die - i'm sensing i won't like this one. i listened to it on like friday morning, and it was too sugary for me. of course, i was listening casually and while at work.

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due to next weekend's wedding, i'm driving on my road trip this week. i've never done it, and i hope the wedding is fun [owing to the company, it will be], but i really hope that it's all worth it. rather than sleeping during tuesday's 630 am - 1 pm bus ride, i'll be driving from 8 to 2. rather than sleeping during friday night's 10 pm to 2 am bus ride, i'll be driving from ft. wayne to glenview [driving time: 3:20.] rather than coming home from a game and enjoying sunday night baseball on sunday, i'll be meeting the team in grand rapids [driving time: 3 hours]. and most importantly, rather than sleeping during the 10:30-4 am bus ride home from grand rapids, i'll be driving back [about five hours.]

so, i've gone from no hours of driving and lots of hours of bus sleeping to about 17 hours in the car.

and, worst of all, i've given the intern a 62.5% cut of meal money (split down the middle when i'm there, 100 percent to him when i'm not at the game). he's fringe ungrateful, so i hope he realizes how great i treat him.