Been AWOL

I'm back from an unexpected trip home and to Fayetteville, NC due to a death in the family. It was good seeing cousins I hadn't seen since we all were kids. I just wish the circumstances weren't so dour. Nevertheless, I appreciated the opportunity to re-establish contact with family.

For most of last night, the TV was on but not being watched by anyone. My cousin (the son of the deceased) suddenly remembered that the NCAA tourney was in progress and we caught the last 1:42 of the Duke/VCU game. The house was suddenly tense as we rooted for VCU, all the while afraid that Duke would find a way to pull out the victory. A huge collective roar went up when Paulus missed the potential game-winner and Duke was officially eliminated. For a couple of minutes there were smiles on every face in the house. UNC, Clemson, MD, and other miscellaneous fans rejoiced as one for a few minutes; all sorrow was temporarily set aside. I love this game.