Wednesday, Sept. 22, and Thursday, Sept. 23

OFF WORK, 7:30 A.M., ON VACATION!!!!

Is there any better feeling than leaving work for good (at least for a week)? The sky is clearer, the traffic laughable, the air breathable, you sing along with every song on the radio, or in the case of talk radio you don't yell at the idiots and actually feel sorry for them, locked up in that booth with no world perspective anymore. Because you are on vacation, and life is great.

And my life is great. I immediately go to bed, arising at 5 p.m. and take the subway to the Braves-Mets game Wednesday night. It was a three-game series that could decide the NL East, and Atlanta was a game up after winning the night before. The city's mood was at a fever pitch, something not felt here since last winter when the Falcons made their run to the Super Bowl. Last summer wasn't even that exciting when the Braves easily won the division before losing to San Diego for the pennant.

As usual, I sat in the upper deck using my free ticket from Turner, carrying my cooler containing Diet Cokes, water and oatmeal raisin granola bars. Also as usual I had two tickets so that I could sit on the aisle and enjoy not having any stranger next to me. This is because I want to take up both seats for leg and arm room, and be able to keep score of the game.

It was a cool night and I put on a sweatshirt for the first time since March, which made it a perfect evening: clear sky, a bit chilly, slight breeze and baseball! I can't imagine anything better, until I am married with a couple of kids who enjoy sitting with me at a baseball game in our season ticket-seats as we watch the Braves beat the hated New York Mets.

And the Braves did win in a close and exciting game, 5-2. Future Hall of Famer pitcher Tom Glavine earned the win, and third baseman Chipper Jones knocked two balls out of the park. He deserves to win the National League MVP after this series, and if he doesn't then there is some sort of conspiracy against Atlanta.

The game wasn't decided until the eighth inning when Braves pitcher Terry Mulholland came in with one out and the bases loaded for the Mets, and promptly struck out the despised Bobby Bonilla and got Todd Pratt to ground out to preserve the lead. Atlanta scored two runs in the ninth and John Rocker sprinted in from the bullpen for his 35th save of the season.

After the game I immediately went to bed, woke up on Thursday morning and left for the Braves-Mets game at 1 p.m. I don't see how the players get any sleep by playing the next day like that. I know I didn't. Not like I'm complaining, though. Two games in 15 hours is absolute heaven.

On this day, another future Hall of Fame pitcher, four-time Cy Young winner Greg Maddux, would beat Mets pitcher Al Leiter as Atlanta took an insurmountable four-game lead in the division. The Braves ended up winning a Major League-best 103 games. Chipper Jones hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning, his fourth in the three-game series. He had better win the MVP award!

Friday, Sept. 24

Driving day. I woke up and packed, then stopped off for a hair cut before heading to Nashville. I went to my normal spot, SuperCuts, because it's the cheapest and I don't have fancy hair.

Facts about Belize
Area	22,960 sq. km (slightly smaller than Massachusetts)
Population	235,789
Capital	Belmopan (pop. 7,000)--moved from Belize City because of hurricanes
Government	Parliamentary Democracy
Ethnic Groups	mestizo 44%, Creole 30%, Maya 11%, Garifuna 7%, other 8%
Language	English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib)
Religion	Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 30%
GDP	U.S. $700 million
GDP - per capita	U.S. $3,000
Independence	Sept. 21, 1981 (From the UK)
Source: CIA World Factbook

The day I have to start paying more than $10 for a haircut is the day I shave it all off. All right, I can't back that up, but I would be upset! Then I'd pay the $10 and leave a $1 tip, but then say something smart-allecky to make them feel guilty! Of course, they won't feel guilty since I'm still paying and they're making money and don't care about me as a person, so this is useless.

My "stylist" (what do you call them?) was a really nice lady from Belize. Except she was more Caribbean in appearance (read: black) and had an accent that sounded more like Jamaican. She came to Atlanta seven years ago to get a degree and earn enough money so that she can start her own hairstyling business in Belize. Because of this she hadn't been back home since leaving, and was homesick. I don't blame her, and wish her all the luck possible because she was one of the sweetest people I've ever met. I even left her a $2 tip; it's not like that would fund her flight back home, but it made me feel good.

I even learned some Belizean history while in the chair. Yup, that's me, always ready to learn. Why not? I've never seen a program on the country on The Learning or Discovery Channels, nor do we learn any useful history of Central America in school, so I was curious. I'm not going to relate it all here, though, since this is a journal about my trip to San Diego! So look at the map to the left and the box above to learn something. I will say, though, that their Independence Day celebrations sound like fun, which basically involves a weeklong party in every nook-and-cranny in the nation.

After the haircut I hopped on the interstate and made it to Nashville after four-o-clock Central Standard Time, where Scott was home from work and welcomed me to he and Jenn's abode. Of course, their puppy Reagan is a different story. She generally runs away, then decides two hours later that she remembers you and decides you'll make an ample scratcher of her behind.

Jenn got home from work after six and we ate some good Chinese at their favorite buffet, then bought some little items for the trip at Wal-Mart and went to bed, ready for a few fun days. . .