Notes from the Red Bird House

I guess I've become 'that' tennis fan. I'm watching a match played earlier today and I saw the score so I already know who wins. It's the third Rubber (yes, that's what it's really called) of the Fed Cup semi final match between Czech Republic and Italy. I like Italy for the overall win, just as I liked Great Britain over Argentina, Australia over Switzerland, and the U.S. over Sweden before the weekend began. I was up in the air about Russia vs. Slovakia. I am well aware that most American tennis fans barely cared about the US tie much less who might come out victorious between France and Kazakhstan (France killed them 4-1). Remember, I'm not 'that' tennis fan. I'm 'that' tennis fan. I give a lot of the credit this weekend to Tennis Channel, Twitter, and my very cool Fed Cup iPhone app. In my previous incarnation as a tennis fan, I was at the mercy of CBS, ESPN, and Tennis Magazine. Needless to say (though I'm apparently going...

Yesterday a friend asked me what I'd buy first after winning the lottery. My response? New luggage. And really, by new luggage, I probably mean a really kick ass backpack. Does this mean that I'm planning to take up backpacking, camping, or hiking? Hell, no. It means I'm taking up travel. You see, the moral of my 'what would you buy story' is this - I'd spend the next full year after winning the lottery following the women's pro tennis tour (WTA, to the initiated) around the world. To do this, I'd need new luggage at best, a kick ass new backpack at worst, depending on how I planned to travel. And given that I've never been one to indulge in unnecessary indulgences, I don't think I'll be flying first class and staying in multi-star accommodations. The way I see it, hopping trains, planes, buses, and other forms of public transportation might be easier with a backpack than with a nice set of rolling luggage. Of course, I might change it up m...

I'm not sure if I'm sleep deprived again or still . After two back-to-back Clo'pens (one due to a crappy work schedule and the other due to an improper school/work/life balance), I thought I was back on track. I went to bed like a normal person Tuesday night and woke up like a normal person Wednesday morning. The seven hours of sleep I got weren't enough to catch me up, but I no longer felt like I was sleep walking through the day. I was still tired (even without the Clo'pens a six day work week tends to wear me out), but I was almost to my weekend and a good night's sleep. That didn't happen. Yesterday morning I learned that The Tennis Channel would be televising the quarterfinals of the Pan Pacific Open live Wednesday night. From Tokyo. At 12am. The second match due on court? Stosur - Sharapova. Now, I'm not too fond of Maria and her little balled up fist, but I do like Sam. A lot. My decision was made. I'd get off work at 11pm, drive home, sho...