All of a sudden it's Wednesday . . .

I had promised myself I would get back to daily updating, but that has not happened.

1. This is one of those "Perfect Storm" kind of weeks.

A. We are doing National Honor Society selection at school. Spent Monday and Tuesday getting ready for it, all day today doing it, tomorrow witll be followup, and we're meeting again Friday.

B. I have to finish my application for a summer seminar with the National Endowment for the Humanities.

C. I have my first-ever LARP convention this weekend and have three roles -- all remarkably like me -- to prepare for.

D. I also have to make Portagee Stew Beef tonight for the Con Suite this weekend.

2. I am still riding the wave of a terrific vacation last week. It's made handling the stress of this week a lot easier.

3. Plus, Manny has reported to training camp. Boo-ya.

4. Did you see the story last week that Roger Clemens pitched batting practice to his son at the Astros' training camp. The kid hit a dinger off dad, but Roger also threw a brush-back pitch at the kid (which he has done before. Gotta get the boy ready.)

One of my colleagues said, "Wow, I would love to be able to throw so accurately that I could brush back my own kid."

5. I don't know what's worse: The South Dakota/Mississippi abortion legislation or the Supreme Court ruling that's gonna open the way for more protests outside abortion clinics.

6. Oh, and Mitt Romney has changed his mind and might try to allow Catholic Charities to deny adoptions by same-sex couples. Separation of church and state my fuzzy butt.

Just a "West-uh-lee" Guy

So I am applying to a National Endowment of the Humanities seminar in North Dakota this summer.

(Yes, I am nuts, why do you ask?).

So I am writing the application essay, and I thought I might share a paragraph.

I’ve always been a "New England Guy," or more specifically, a "West-uh-lee Guy," as those of us who grew up in Westerly, the southwestern tip of Rhode Island, like to call ourselves. I spent my youth tramping on Atlantic Ocean beaches, and I have had more than a few ‘Gansett beers and Haffenreffer malt liquors. I revel in the fact that if I don’t like the weather, I just "have to wait a minute," as the old saw goes. I eat grinders and drink cabinets. My seafood -- always fresh, mind you -- ncludes stuffies and steamers, catch-of-the-day and Ipswich fried clams. It goes without saying that I’m a diehard Red Sox fan and lose the last lettah of cah and bah and re-insert it into warshing machine. (Note: This is the law of the conservation of consonants.)

Music and poetry . . .

A couple quick questions:

1. Does anyone want to go see Melissa Ferrick with me on Friday, April 7 in Somerville.

2. Does anyone want to go see the poet Taylor Mali of "What Teachers Make" fame on Saturday, April 8, somewhere locally (I forget where).

3. Is anyone interested in seeing the Dropkick Murphys on Thursday, March 16, Saturday night, March 18 or Sunday, March 19. I have tickets available for each night. evilnicola and I will be there Saturday night,