Easing into Monday

iPod morning commute music: Roy Orbison, For the Lonely: 18 Greatest Hits (1988)

I didn't connect it until the music began, but choosing Roy Orbison after a day of listening to Bruce Springsteen is no great leap. The Boss has often claimed Roy as a major influence, a goal as it were, to sing like him. Not hard to see why. I didn't own any of Roy's music until I got The Traveling Wilburys, with Dylan, Jeff Lynne, George Harrison, Tom Petty, and Roy. Then, of course, he died, too young at 52 (I'm 52!) of a heart attack in 1988, the same year Rhino put out this great compilation.

It was an easy commute today, with many companies celebrating Golden Week (GW) even though the actual national holidays were this past Saturday, then Wednesday through Friday of this week (see my previous post). The crowds just weren't there. I can remember a time when I really resented having to come into work when others had the time off, but time has mellowed me. This is my job, and I just have to live with it.

Yesterday, I left the house with Kaoru to go shopping with the Mariners losing to Baltimore 4-2. The M's aren't off to a particularly strong start this year. The offense has been less than stellar. Even Ichiro slumped, though he appeared to be coming out of it. Beltre is a particular concern to me; he's being paid mighty big bucks to be batting under .200. Anyway, returned home to find they'd won 8-6. I could have kicked myself. And they did it again today, 4-3, handing Moyer his first win of the season (amazing, considering his respectable 3.55 ERA; as I said, there's been a remarkable lack of offensive oomph). Hopefully, they can catch some momentum out of this.