Tuesday

Another unusually warm day for October. Mid-to-upper 80's. It should cool down some tomorrow. I have little preference for the heat. I doubt if I ever head South or Southwest for a retirement lifestyle. I'll be shovelling snow forever.

The baseball playoffs started today. I remember in grade school at St. Pat's in Ottumwa in the 1950's and early '60's when the nuns would bring in a TV for the World Series. While these divisional games are still often played in the daytime, the World Series is almost always at night for national TV broadcast purposes. Back then, you knew the players on each team. Today, you've never heard of half the players on some of these teams.

Speaking of the "World" series, it is interesting that most of the teams are heavily laden with Central American talent. And more and more Asians. Fewer African Americans. There has been much written in recent years about the declining participation of black youths in baseball in this country. You can certainly see it at the College World Series. Lots of theories for this reality, and none of them reflect all that well on our culture. Some of it is baseball's fault. The players' union strikes. The steroid mess. And the NFL and NBA tend to be more glamourous.

But each baseball game is a story. And 3 can give you the colorful comparison that describes the the beauty of the game. As much as I played, I can't say that I loved it. (By comparison, Daddy loved the game. And the Yankees.) But I still respect the game and enjoy the "games within the game" that mark strategy and execution of the players and the managers. You pitch the ball. You hit the ball. You catch the ball. You hit the cutoff man. You back up first base. You don't show up another player or an umpire. Lots of other unwritten rules.

4 received her admission to the Iowa School of Journalism. You go girl! Internships wanted. (It would be nice, but probably not all that realistic, if it was a paid internship.)

1 advises me that she feels ok one day after the marathon.

2 and I are running together tonight. We ran 4+ miles on Saturday morning in Minneapolis so we're trying to help one another get ready for the TT.

And 3 continues the job search.

October 16th is the final due date for the last of the 2005 returns of any sort. We have several to do. The 15th is the real date, but since it falls on a Sunday, the deadline slips to the next business day. Busy times.

So do your stuff the best you can. Keeping the eye on the ball, out there a few feet in front of home plate.

And be careful out there.