The post-season has arrived!
October 1, 2008
Here are some tips for surviving the post-season if you are a die-hard Red Sox fan.
How to handle the workplace and the boss
Some of these late night games will have you dragging your butt at the office or warehouse or factory or wherever you work.
Don't make excuses. The best thing to remember is that YOUR boss likely ALSO stayed up late to catch that Sox game, or his/her family did. Unless you've got a job that involves safety -- everyone's going to understand.
Tonight's 10 pm start IS a killer-diller, but I deprived myself of sleep last night. (actually, I had an early morning conference call and presentation with a customer in South Africa. So I didn't get much sleep, and there was some nervousness, but I managed to work until 5 or so. Then I hit the rack for two hours. I'm all set. Those of us who have suffered from jet lag on long-distance flights, or have endured a 2 am software demonstration with a customer in China will learn to adjust.
A 10 PM TV game, or an 8:30 Fenway start? HAH. It's like taking your university exams -- you didn't get much sleep then, and that was preparation for three hour long sessions of hell. Adjusting your rest, and losing a few zzz's for October nirvana is nothing in comparison.
Kids and Family?
You resolve the spousal situation by marrying an honest-to-God sports fan. I did. But what about kids?
Let them stay up. Yes, they will be dragging their rear ends in school. So will all the other kids, and they're only going to sneak a radio or TV to bed, anyway (although today's 42" plasmas or LCDs are a lot more difficult to hide under the overs).
Did you score some Sox tix? BRING THE KIDS if you can. Forget about all that poppycock -- "Oh, it's a SCHOOL night, and little Johnnie gets so tired and doesn't poop right the next day ...." Look, getting to see the Sox in the post season is a rarity for most people, Getting to do it with your kids is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Way back in 1986, I had extra tickets for the sixth game of the ALCS. My daughter's buddy -- now a wonderful young man, was a diehard baseball fan. I asked his parents -- do you want three tickets? I got the school night argument.
I countered - "Hey, Jill's going. What do you think (your son) will be like if he finds out he couldn't go because of YOUR resistance?". That was 22 years ago. My daughter still remembers that "family night out". I'm sure he does too. And they were king and queen of the school on game day and the next day.
Our daughter reciprocated. She's getting married next weekend. She was nice enough to keep the wedding out of the World Series window.
Be a fan
We've been fortunate the last few years. Two World Series. Frequent trips to the post-season. And who knows about 2008?
Enjoy it all. Have fun.
-section15
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