I certainly can’t complain in this economy about having a busy workweek, but I’m happy to take a breath for a bit now, having just handed in an article and with another hard project I need to start straightaway. I’m not so good at back-to-back stress, hence the need for a breath, a workout, a shower, and maybe a trip to the post office to mail that pretty-but-not-pretty-enough cottage garden needlework I bought on eBay last year and just resold.
In between stressing about work, I’m savoring being a citizen of Steeler Nation this week and getting psyched watching things like these amazing kids (age 11 to 13!) or this bit of inspiration from the AFC Championship game. I wonder what the stadium will look like on Sunday — a repeat of Detroit with its sea of black and gold would be fantastic. (Am I the only one bummed the Steelers will be wearing their white jerseys?) I’m torn between watching (and listening to Bill and Tunch) from the comfort of my living room and trying to go to our local hangout bar down the street, as Mike suggested. Hmmm, if we stay home, I have to make the food (although Emeril’s jalapeño poppers I made for last week’s game were awesome!); if we go out…great bar food and endless beer. But, can I last for the 4 hours or so we’d have to hang out before the game starts to get a seat? Such decisions…
I hope you’re pondering equally weighty matters as the “wintry mix” continues to fall. Time to drag myself (kicking and screaming) to the dungeon cellar for my date with the devil NordicTrack, which just turned 15 this month. Imagine if I had actually been using it steady all these years…
Oh, and you know you’re in Steelers heaven when everybody’s favorite local eatery does this for the Super Bowl and has to post disclaimers like this!
What an enormous magnifier is tradition!
How a thing grows in the human memory and in
the human imagination, when love, worship, and all
that lies in the human heart is there to encourage it.
~ Thomas Carlyle
Writing by Ear 
Facie said,
Wednesday, January 28, 2009 at 7:01 pm
I think it is great that Eat ‘n Park is closing early; gotta love Steeler Nation. I just finished my last Steeler Smiley from the AFC Championship game, so I better run out and get more (except not tonight, since we are having typical January weather for western PA).
I am sure you would have fun if you watched the game somewhere, but you are right that you would have to get there very early. When I was in my 20s, hanging out at a bar for eight or more hours was fun, but nearing 40, not so much. The poppers sound good!
WritingbyEar said,
Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 9:34 am
Ha! I was thinking that Mike and I could tag team — one of us stays at the bar to save our seats while the other runs home for a break. It’s hell to get old…