I'm the last person to bitch that we need more holidays in this country. I think we have enough holidays in this country. I don't get holidays off with my job, so it pisses me off whenever I have to go the post office/ deposit a check/ buy scotch and the establishments that render these goods and services give their coddled employees the day off. Yeah, I'm sure the break neck pace of being a bank teller earns you the right to spend MLK Day carting your fat ass kids skiing-- I mean celebrating the civil rights struggle.

However, there is one day per year when I always feel a little cheated by work-- Opening Day. Sure, I could take the day off, but I'm usually 1,000 miles from the nearest Brewer game, and burning a vacation day to watch a game on TV seems like a waste. However, when I remember the feeling of driving into the Country Stadium parking lot while my friends were in school, smelling those grills, layering as much clothing under my Brewer jersey as possible, I get very nostalgic and lose any interest in working.

Today I was able to listen/watch the first 7 innings of the Brewers/Cubs game before I had to "focus on the 4" at work. It's probably good I missed the pivotal late innings where all the runs were scored, because watching Gagne choke away a 3 run lead in the 9th would have made me switch a newscast like the Incredible Hulk with jock itch. In the end, the Brewers won, and what I regret missing the most is not Gwynn's game winning sac fly or Riske's shutout 10th, it was how dejected those spoiled, whiny Cubs fans must have looked when Kerry Wood gave up those three runs and Bobby Howry blew it in the 10th. Carlos Marmol may have that closer job sooner than later.