erika, as a former sports-hater undergoing a slow conversion to baseball, I found the Stewart O'Nan/Stephen King book Faithful to be an excellent, fun primer on the mechanics of the game, the layers of strategy involved in putting together a team, and the weird wild wankery of fannishness. If you'd like, email me your physical addy and I'll pop my copy in the mail to you.

Ok, so if a person needed a primer of baseball and was denied the traditional "learning it hanging with your dad" method, where could she go?

I think the best way is to find someone to watch a few games with who knows the games and ask a lot of questions. I pretty much just started watching games one summer by myself and called my stepfather if I didn't know what was happening.

PC, are you going to be the recipient of similar largesse when the younger ones start their own careers? There's got to be a point where some of this starts flowing back.

Well, I think this is the flowing back after all the times family has given me cash. And then when the younger ones grow up, they'll be giving money to my kids. Who will grow up to give money to their kids. And it's all money money money.

Oh, that would be be awesome, JZ. Thanks. Insent in a sec. What would I do for a guy I had a chance with, huh? But it's okay...kinda widens the pool a bit to say the smart ones can be sporty. As long as they can talk about other things here and there.

juliana, you are so lovely.

We had such a great playdate with Em and Aimee yesterday. I was worried at first that the kids were overwhelming Em, but the three of them played together really well.

They really did! Franny and Isaac are such cuties. Em fell instantly asleep when we got into the car, she was so wiped. But when we got home, she told daddy all about her day on the bicycles and the cowboots.

Fantastic article, Jilli! I bet the print edition, photo and all, looks smashing. There's got to be someone who can get you a copy.

Standing. Right. Here. (or well, had to skippity to the front, thanks to Brenda's heads-up in LJ, then stand up, but still)

I posted in your LJ, Jilli, but do you want a few copies for sharing/posterity purpose? I'd have to go through the terrible hardship of walking to the newstand in my building, and of course, I'm happy to do so.

My dad did try to teach me for a while, sj...in '85 or whenever the Cubs had that pennant race with San Diego. My dad is a genius, with a naturally statistical brain. I'm...so not. And was probably almost stoned at the thought of him acting like other dads for a change. I've retained nothing, except that it was the Cubs and Padres. And I was a baby fiction writer even then, so there'd be a crowd shot and I'd wonder out loud what the folks in the stands were talking about and etc.(Which I've learned sports people don't really like.)

Jilli, what a great article.

Franny and Isaac are such cuties.

Ah thanks, so is Em.

Em fell instantly asleep when we got into the car, she was so wiped. But when we got home, she told daddy all about her day on the bicycles and the cowboots.

Franny kept talking about "the little girl" and asking why she had to go home. I think she was a bit confused about Em's name, what with it being a letter and all.

Three weeks until I'm not in this job. Three weeks until I'm not in this job. Three weeks until I'm not in this job. Three weeks until I'm not in this job.

Gods give me strength.