World Series!

The good news: Tigers are headed to the World Series for the first time in two decades.

















The bad news: If it turns out to be a Tigers-Mets series, I won't be around to appreciate it. I'll be in New York for the first two games of the series, played in Detroit, then I head to New Orleans for a big work conference.

Our friends Barry and Carrie were at the Tigers game Saturday that clinched the deal -- the above photo is theirs -- and they'll be in New York next weekend. So at least we'll have the chance to spend some time with them and revel in Detroit's return from truly lousy baseball before I have to leave town.

But then again, it's hard to complain too much about getting sent to a hotel on Bourbon Street on the company nickel. I'm betting I'll be able to find a fun place to watch the game ... and it'll be the weekend of Halloween while we're there.

Thanks to Jim, if the Bless You Boys audio wasn't '80s enough for you, here's the video.

Visiting
And speaking of visits and lousy timing, Lara signed up for a writers conference in NYC and got all excited about getting to visit -- except that John and I will be out of town that weekend. So she and Rob are coming to town a little early so we at least get to have dinner together, then they'll camp out in our apartment while I'm in Michigan and John's in Chicago.
Hurray that I get to see some of my Michigan pals, but boo that I'll have to get on a plane to leave instead of hanging out more.

Michigan gang, mark your calendars: John and I will be back for the holidays the week of Dec. 2-9. Plan is to spend the first weekend in Ann Arbor, then be in Saginaw by the second weekend for my family's big Xmas party. There's much up in the air about the trip, but we hope to see lots of you.