(An Aside)

(You can't live in Boston for 10 years an not feel some emotion for the Red Sox and their seemingly eternal curse. Last year during the pennant series I happened to be in NYC and watched game 7 at a bar with a friend who moved to the City from Boston a couple years ago.

It was devistating to watch the game progress. The pitcher (I'm sure he has a name -- I don't know what it is) was done; we could all see it. Barstool coaches, every one of us. Most people in the bar had a little sympathy for us in the end -- the few, the pathetic, the ever-hopeful Sox fans.

But this year... I'm not in Boston, so I don't feel the fever. Have more people been wearing Sox regalia around campus, or do I just notice more since I know Boston is still playing? My best friend at school is a Giants fan who wants someone to beat the Yankees, so I get my little game updates from him.

They won the series! I didn't see any of it; I was asleep (go ahead, do the math). I'm amazed, and really impressed. I have to say, I was rooting for them as the underdog and I didn't think they'd pull it off. It is quite the achievement! But "it ain't over 'til it's over!" (Yogi Bera left last night during the seventh inning, by the way!) The real test of the curse is whether they can actually win the series.

Not only am I not there to experience the pain and pleasure of the Sox in the city, but I also don't have to ride the T with everyone wearing their "lucky" socks.)

(So why was I asleep during the game? The previous night I'd been up until 4am grading lab reports that I needed to return to my students yesterday. I had an exam today that I hadn't studied for yet. I got home at 5:30, ate some dinner, and sat down to work, but I was soooo tired. So I went to bed. At 7:30. I don't think I've ever done that in my entire life. 7:30am, sure, but 7:30 pm, no way. I got up at 4 this morning (8 hours of sleep!) and sat down to work, getting about 4 hours in before showering and heading to school.

It was a tough exam, but the studying, while mostly not directly helpful, did get me back into the mindset of what I needed to do. I think I did well on most of the things that I answered, but there was one short problem I couldn't do and one longer problem I couldn't totally figure out. But overall I'm sure I did at least ok. Hopefully we'll find out soon; this professor gave back all the homework since August on Tuesday, so we don't have hopes for quick results.

In the next week: opera on Sunday (watching, not singing!), giving a talk Monday, giving a talk Thursday, grading two sets of lab reports. Next exam in the other class comes the following Tuesday. No rest for the weary! But a little knitting when I can squeeze it in!)