But I'm not dead yet...

Just the opposite, in fact. Robert Going of the Judge Report is correct - I've had a spate of real life going for me for a while. It popped up again this past weekend, a mini-vacation out of state. (Very enjoyable, thank you!)

I find that I miss posting when I can't get to a computer, but the budget doesn't hold enough room for a laptop and remote wireless access. Lileks can waltz into a coffeehouse and spit out a few grafs on what he saw in Restoration Hardware on Tuesday; a mere mortal bug jots notes on index cards and hopes he remembers what he meant by "Yester... cut off [scribble] milk purple monkey parachute. Whatever."

While I was gone, the good ship Rutgers got pasted by Louisville. (And, since this is Rutgers, it was all seen on national TV on Friday evening.) I tuned in for a bit during the male bonding portion of the weekend - near the end of the half it was 14-3 and RU was punting from Louisville's 35. Fourth and 21, so I suppose that's not a good spot for a gamble. And they got a safety out of the deal after pinning the Cardinals deep, plus a good return after the free kick. So now, it's 14-5, and the Knights again face fourth down from around the Cardinal 40 - two yards to go. This time you have got to go for it, maybe behind Brian Leonard, who is a good short-yardage back. Nope. Another punt. Game over, right there. We watched for a while more, but shortly after halftime it was 35-5 and rising, so we gave up. The rest of the evening was sci-fi oriented.

Overall, however, good visit. Gas was surprisingly cheap (we got $2.07 on the way back in Maryland). Our friends were pleasant company and gracious hosts; the children were adorable; the towns properly laid-back and relaxed. For example, there was construction along a stretch of Route 1 and signs warning of a merge. Everyone moved over politely. For about a quarter-mile we all crawled along, with no sign of the construction about to begin, and nobody jumped back out and zoomed ahead down the idle right lane.

Back in New Jersey I wake up the next morning (this one, in fact) and it's Forrester claiming that George Bush cost him the election, and the callers dialing in to tell the host he's a racist. Whatever. I'll be catching up with the more important stuff over the next few days.