NCAA Football Saturday

Ah, Florida. The drunken little gem of the south. Today marks the 75th addition of the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party here in Jacksonville. There's a crisp note of fall on the normally warm air and the people are happy and incoherent. The grocery store parking lot was populated by blissful, middle-aged men in shorts filling coolers with Coors Light and Corona. The roads are flush with cars staking their team allegiance (I passed a Jeep from Georgia with what looked like a life-sized rubber gator covered in fake blood on the hood).

I was even passed on the road by a middle-aged man in a Kia Sedona minivan drinking a tall-boy of malt liquor (Steele Reserve 211--eeeewwww!) at 12:30 p.m. What a town.

I hit the gym today and busted out some mileage on the treadmill. I have to say it was a great session, as I was able to pass a mental kidney stone I've had over the last month on outlining the final segments of my WIP. That should make for some strong writing in the upcoming weeks now that I'm confident of where to take this project.

The Oregon Ducks get the men of Troy toady at home in the biggest game in the history of the program. It's the first time in six years that USC isn't favored. It's also the first time in the history of Autzen Stadium that a pair of teams in the top ten tangle. I can't wait! I'm starting the queso dip at 3:00 and making ribs for dinner. We have the World Series tonight, as well as the CAL/ASU game at 10:00.

Saturdays in the fall are really something else. If you're reading this post in Jacksonville today, be careful and take care of yourself and those around you. We can't afford a repeat of last year's hostilities in the downtown area...