extra innings-

Wow, long time, no write. I'm also behind in visiting and reading blogs. Work has been hellacious this week, and looks to be that way next week too. This Saturday we're going to an old friend's 50th birthday party, and I'm coming to terms with having old friends who are turning 50.

I've been having odd dreams lately- dreams featuring some people I knew back in high school, a few specific people, night after night. Not quite sure what to make of it all, except perhaps stress and too many beers before bed.

Can summer really be almost halfway over? it seems like we just got here. I haven't even set foot in the woods out back, where I said I was going to clear dead wood and cut new paths this year. but it's been 85+ and sticky humid for the last three weeks, so who wants to do anything after lunch? And even if I did want to do anything, there are mosquitoes the size of hummingbirds out there.

The Yankees are in town this weekend for their annual Summertime series with Our Sox. Big Papi is back, and this is where the season gets interesting. Here's one of my favorite baseball songs, by one of my favorite song-writers and singers-



Let's play two!

Sox, Stocks, and Memories

Red Sox Nation is doing the Happy Hamster Dance this morning after last night's win. The series comes back to Fenway Saturday night with Curt Schilling on the mound. Given that Beckett can't pitch every game, there's nobody I'd rather have on the mound for a Big Postseason Game than Schilling.

This Friday's State of Denial post is up on the Wand of Wonder this morning. It has to do with Dick Cheney's future job opportunities...

It was 20 years ago today... that the Stock Market plummeted 508 points, losing almost a quarter of its value, in what became known as "Black Monday". I'll always remember that Monday vividly, because I had boarded a train at Boston's South Station bound for Chicago on Sunday evening. We'd done a book fair Sunday, and there was a book auction in Chicago on Tuesday which I wanted to attend, so I took the Overnighter. We arrived in Chicago early Monday afternoon and had heard no news while we traveled.

I took a cab to the auction house for the preview. Halfway there the driver glanced in the mirror and said, "Shocking Day, huh? Just terrible!"

"Uh huh, yes". I mean, what else do you say?

"What do you think's gonna happen?"

"I don't know". Since I had no idea what he was talking about, it was completely true.

When I arrived at the auction house to preview the books there was an undercurrent of tension everywhere. I overheard the young women on the gallery staff whispering to each other in panicky tones (national financial meltdowns the day before an auction are not a good thing). Beginning to get a bit panicky myself now, I edged over to do some eavesdropping.

"Well," a young 20-something blond was whispering, "my boyfriend works at the Exchange and he says this could be it".

"It" what?

Her friend nodded. "My husband's on the Futures Board and he says he's never seen anything like this. Nobody knows what to do".

Welcome to Chicago. Oh, and the national economy collapsed while you were on the train.

Now, of course, it didn't turn out that way. Stocks steadied the next morning (the national networks provided live coverage of the opening bell, something unheard of in those days before MSNBC, et al) and the market steadied. By the end of the year it had regained all the lost ground and more. But nobody knew that that day. 1929 was our only point of reference. It was scary. And it was disconcerting as Hell to walk into the middle of it not knowing what anyone was talking about. I'll always remember that feeling.

That's a picture of actress Deborah Kerr. She died yesterday, but has left us with wonderful memories.

We're off to a local bookfair, so I may not be checking in before Monday. Have a great weekend, and Go Sox!

We're Talking Beisbol-

Word of Warning- if you have any friends, relatives or acquaintances in New England, do not call them between 8 pm and 11 pm this evening.

They will be otherwise engaged.

Tonight, with their backs to the Wall, our Boston Red Sox try to prove that you can survive in the playoffs while having only one pitcher in your starting rotation who's able to make it through the 5th inning. His name is Josh Beckett, and he starts Game 5 tonight, so we're fairly confident of at least short-term satisfaction. If we lose, that's it for 2007.

So, best of luck to all our fellow-baseball fans in Cleveland, may your team play well tonight, but not quite as well as the Red Sox. Whatever else happens, it looks to be a good game. And keep The Faith fellow BoSoxlers, we're not through yet by a long shot.

OK, get the beer, pizza and chips ready, unplug the phone and close the shutters. I'll see you all on the Other Side.