As Robert Plant said, "ramble on."

Nice pics, PP (and brother in law.) I almost wanted to be there with you. But then I recalled how I was, at the time, earning a degree by writing an paper on discrimination against blacks in American society, and how that was so much more worthwhile than watching millionaires trot around in the grass. But, darn it, Sexson hit two homers! (I'm having just a little trouble with my newfound ideological viewpoint, can you tell?)

Actually, I haven't listened to an inning yet this year. Schoolwork tends to make it relatively easy to ignore almost anything. That may change tonight on my "schoolwork-free evening..."

So get this: I see painted onto the stadium grass the phrase "Live For This." Is this a blatant call to join the ideology or what?! "Live for this." Don't live for your kids, your wife, your job. No, live for the Mariners! It'd be funny if it weren't so overtly perverse.

I am glad you got to go to opening day, PP. I hope you kept things in perspective, though. All that excitement, the pomp and circumstance, was fake...

The Presidents are back together? Man, I used to love them back a decade ago. I wore my PUSA shirt while on an orchestra tour in British Columbia in '96 and got many, many compliments on it, even from the doorman at the Empress Hotel. Actually, I just last week decided to sell their CD, along with lots of other discs I no longer get aural pleasure from. I might rescind that desicion for a few days now, just to refresh my memories.

So, 1-2 are the M's now? No offense to speak of? And Madritsch goes down with a shoulder problem? Good gracious, how things stay the same. I'm glad I'm not following them closely, or I might be close to committing hari-kari right about now. Some nice (sarcasm intended) relief by Thornton the other day, spoiling it for my faded flame Meche, nice going, walkie-talkie!

Yes, I'm glad I'm out of the loop. I didn't even realize until today that the Sox and Yankees had started out the season playing each other. And the knowledge of such a world-entrancing matchup would have benefitted me so much (more sarcasm.)

So I'll get off the soapbox now, and speak as a (now small-time) M's fan: They'll be fine. The offense has too many good batters not to come around. But for pete's sake, Bret Boone - pull your head out of your @$$ and start hitting the ball. Do you want Jose Lopez to take over even before the team has a chance to deal you? And note to Hargrove et al.: Thornton = no. It was a bad decision. You'll see soon enough, nay, you've already seen it soon enough. He'll be singing along with Britney, "oops, I did it again, I gave him first base, I walked in a run, ooh grover, grover," etc.

Gotta get back to the homework. This was a pleasant diversion for a minute.