Hiatus

Just a couple of personal notes before I head out of town for a while. This has not been a terribly prolific month in B-Slant land on almost all angles.

Employment has been below average to say the least and the reversal of that fortune appears to be still on the distant horizon. As such motivation and enthusiasm has been low. It’s an odd connection that is struck in the human mind between that which must be done and that which can be done. In the last 4 weeks I could have written 28 columns (each of which could have had 12 hours + dedicated to it).

Needless to say I have not.

The answer to the question, “Why not?” should be simple. I was looking for a job.

It’s not that simple because for much of that time I wasn't.

There is a certain mental state that accompanies long periods of inactivity and as much as I would love to debunk such notions I am at least as susceptible to the afore mentioned affects as anyone. The lack of time constraints has left me in limbo with no sense of day or night and as such no sense of proper hourly relegation. Two hours scanning the Rants and Raves section of Craig’s List…no problem! Nothing better to do, right? Why write a post when you can watch I-Robot on HBO 47 times?

Most facets of my life have suffered the effects of this inspirational malaise. The only beneficiary has been my physical state. I haven’t been in this kind of shape since my collegiate athletic career ended. Each day I have hours at a time to dedicate to working out. I’m a gym guy. I have “hey” friends in the weight room, and if my admission card is not working the front desk associates know my face and wave me along with an all too familiar smile.

In addition to a diminishing waistline I also have a diminishing patience for the activities and preoccupations that occupied my free hours during my days of employment. TV has lost all attraction to me. Every DVD on my shelf represents two hours of further waste. Maxim? I’ve read it, all of it, the jokes, reader letters, “Circus Maximus” it’s done. My MP3 player is filled with songs just for the sake of downloading them. Do I want to listen to "Smells Like Teen Spirit"? Absolutely not! Do I have it anyway? Yup.

Gracefully this age of the "slowly ticking clock" is over. From tomorrow (3/3) to next Sunday (3/11) I will be venturing south of the border (the Massachusetts border that is). Upon my return I will begin training at the new gig (details later, I’m not saying a word until it’s finalized). A few days after that I’ll be heading to Vegas for the first annual “Grandma Barbini Booze and Gambling Festival” which will conveniently coincide with little B-Slant’s 21st birthday. (I don’t know if I’ve ever seen her abominably wasted…this time I will.)

With all of these journeys in my near future the frequency of posts on the B-Slant will be diminished to an almost indiscernible degree. I can officially guarantee that I won’t post anything between this Saturday (3/4) and the following Tuesday (3/13). There may be some work done during the intermittent week, but once I hit Vegas all bets are off.

It is my goal to publish a running diary of my five days in Sin City, live as they happen (hopefully drunk and unedited for honesty’s sake). The likelihood of that will depend largely on the internet access available at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino (gggghheeettooooo…) and my ability to operate electronic equipment after my first 12 hours in the Vice-Mecca that could easily swallow me and my addictive personality whole.

Hopefully when I get back to writing regularly Manny will still be Manny, the NFL will have a new CBA, the Celtics will have the 8th spot in the East locked up, Paul Pierce will be player of the month for March (which he should have been for February 33 pts a game!), the Bruins will…huh…, BC will advance to at least the Sweet 16, Craig Smith will stop sucking, Adam Vinatieri will be a newly minted Patriot for the next 100 years, the Pats will have also signed newly released Trevor Pryce (a Patriots dream defensive lineman), BC hockey will be in the Frozen Four, I will have a job bartending at Fenway and at the Cask and Flagon, someone from ESPN will see this blog and love and it want to take me to the next level, and that 260 million dollar Power Ball ticket will make all of our dreams come true.

If not, business as usual will come again at the end of March. Hey, I haven’t had much to say lately anyway.


PS: Just a quick note on the way out, I met the guys who run Barstool Sports tonight. They are exceedingly fun people who are great at what they do. Check out their publication whenever you get a chance. (And while you’re there don’t be afraid to link them over to me…) Keep up the good work guys, but look out, I'm coming for your job.