I've been in a fairly zombified state all week, thanks to baseball. The American League Championship Series was everything I love about the game, full of drama and emotion. And, of course, it was complete joy to watch the Source of All Evil in the Universe get their comeuppance at the hands of my beloved Red Sox.
I'm pleased that it's the Cardinals they're playing in the Series, because that makes it all so much more historic. It was the Cardinals who beat them in 1946 and 1967, so there's a particular demon to exorcise there. And I've despised Tony LaRussa since his days in Oakland. Part of that has to do with a couple of times that the A's beat the Sox in the ALCS, but more it is Tony's exagerrated yuppiness. Baseball managers should be beer-swilling everyday guys, not wine drinking ballet afficionados.
I am, naturally, particularly pleased that the Sox are now two games up. I'd even thought of going up to Boston, but decided it was just too insane to pay a couple of thousand bucks for a ticket. Tempting, but insane. I'm still worried about the final outcome, particularly given how many errors they've made.
I also did some channel hopping to watch the PBS series about Broadway, which was fairly well done. Most of my complaints have to do with what had to be left out to fit within 6 hours. I think Jerry Herman (who I've always suspected is capable of writing better music than he does) got too much time and Cy Coleman not enough. And why did they use "Someone in a Tree" to represent "Pacific Overtures" instead of "A Bowler Hat," which is the quintessential Sondheim song - full of beauty and bitterness. Those are all quibbles and I may even go out and get the series DVD.
I'm sure I did something this week besides sit in front of the television, but it's too late to think of what.
Copyright 2004 Miriam H. Nadel