It's been 15 years since I cared enough about who won the post-season baseball games to watch until the final out. I was better able to deal with sleep deprivation when I was only 39 years old!

Actually, the night before last, the Phillies looked so bad that I decided to get to bed a little after 11:00. I figured I'd watch to see how they'd fail in the 8th inning, and then turn off the TV. (You see the way a Phillies fan thinks?) Anyway -- so what did they do? They scored four runs, to take the lead! (Two two-run home runs: one by the Flyin' Hawaiian, and one by 40-year old journeyman Matt Stairs! Is this a great game or what?) Then, of course, I had to stay up to watch the rest of the game. Jubilant at the huge win, I was successfully able to crawl into bed without waking Patty at 12:30 AM.

Last night I didn't have to stay up late. I mean, the only game on was the Rays-Red Sox game, and who cares who wins the American League series? (Although it would be nice if Boston could at least be competitive against Tampa Bay, so the Rays wouldn't have such an easy time of it before meeting the Phils in the World Series.) But then, wouldn't you know it? After getting up at about 4:00 AM to take my anti-fungal medication, I couldn't get back to sleep ...

So anyway, if you see me stumbling around in the daylight, be gentle with me.