I'm back!

So, it's been a long time. The virus from hell hit my computer and knocked me out of commission for a few weeks. I debated. Switch to a Mac? Buy a new PC? Give up the Internet? Hibernate? In the end, it was fixable. Yeah! And not only fixed, but now super fast and efficient. I'm satisfied.

In the middle of all that we celebrated our 40th with a trip to the Big Apple. Good food—vegetarian one night, Mediterranean the second night; a tour at the Tenement Museum (Irish immigrants, disease, 50% mortality infant rate, nonexistent plumbing); the Obama-McCain debate; an 8-mile run in Central Park for Tom and Cullen on Saturday morning;

and the Mets on Saturday afternoon. Even I, who can be oblivious during most baseball games, could figure out that Johann Santana's pitching was about as good as it gets, for NINE innings.

The Mets fans are opinionated, loud, knowledgeable, incredibly involved (up and down in their seats more than Catholics at Mass)—nothing like the sedate Nationals fans we have around here.

Lots more fun than thinking about the economy.

And tomorrow another debate. The latest suggestion I've heard: send a $10 donation to Planned Parenthood, in Sarah Palin's name. They will send her a notification.