Oh it's so good to be back in the Bend. I don't really have a favorite between home and school, as I enjoy them both equally, though home gets a definite bonus because I don't have to do anything there besides the random task for my parents. When I'm at home, I miss all my friends from school, and when I'm at school, I miss everybody from home, so I'm basically in a lose-lose situation where I must just appreciate the fine people I'm around in every situation. If there was a way to perhaps combine the best of South Bend and Western PA - and granted, you probably couldn't pick two worst places to combine - then I'd be in heaven, because I'd be in a dorm with all of my friends, with no classes and my dorm room resembling the top of the garage. That's ideal.

I had a fantastic break, even though I guess it wasn't overly exciting, as I got to play poker a few times, attend some quality West Shamokin basketball games, see my first-ever NBA game in Cleveland (which was awesome, by the way) and see most everybody. My plan to have lunch with Cookie and Nicole, and then visit Ash at work, on Saturday was screwed up by a nasty little stomach virus I acquired late Friday night, and may have been the result of only eating salt and vinegar chips and chocolate milk all of that day. So that screwed up my plan of going to see everybody to say goodbye on Saturday, which kinda sucks, because I won't be back until March now. Thank goodness for AIM and such.

But I couldn't be happier to be back, as I was no sooner back then Brendan and I were watching Drumline on my eighteen million DirecTV channels and dueting to "My Boo". And did I mention we play Syracuse tonight on Big Monday? And it's Mock Turtleneck night? Does life get any better?

(And of course I'm forgetting classes start tomorrow. And work. I hate work. That deserves a whole post at a later date, but I'm feeling too good to rant about that right now.)

Um, yeah, it does get better, because next weekend's playoff games provide four great match-ups and a potential for an NFC Championship in Hotlanta, assisted by The Death of Brett Favre right there on the frozen tundra. How about a physical rematch between the Steelers and Jets, where I will take out an entire life's worth of Steeler hate on two of my favorite people in the world and the only representing Steeler fans I know here, MacKrell and Meg? Then immediately after that, it's Mike Be Nimble, Mike Be Vick in primetime, which is always amazing.

Sunday hits a minor speed-bump with the one-legged Randy Moss playing against a TO-less Eagles, but in a game that's important because a Viking win coupled with the Falcons holding serve means that next weekend will have a '98 NFC Championship rematch, but in Mike Be Nimble's homecourt. Then it's Peyton Manning chance at redemption and to redeem himself for three close losses to the Patriots.

(Again, if the AFC Championship is Indianapolis/Pittsburgh, I quit football, although it will at least give a nice Good vs. Evil matchup in the Super Bowl.)

Fallout from the Chris Thomas/Gerry McNamara duel tonight coming up tonight/tomorrow.