Traditional lunch at BS&G with David and Raj. Stretching tradition, we each played two games of Crazy Taxi. Returning to tradition, I stopped on the way back to play the piano at Hillel, and came up with a heck of a tune. Stretching tradition again, the idea in my head was more fully formed before playing than usual. Returning to tradition again, I walked home without being accosted by banana slugs.

Henry and Good Nathan were going to BS&G for dinner. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to join them. More Crazy Taxi! After this minor increase of adrenaline, we caught up with the Phi Kap crowd at Whirlyball. I performed a significant amount of yelling and whooping. I also got a monster D blocking a pass made by Eugene. This caused me to yell and whoop some more. Whirlyball is almost perfect, except for all the inevitable non-excellent players on both teams that frustrate the hell out of me. Henry Kissinger said, “University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small.” For some reason — possibly the severe time restriction — I take Whirlyball very, very seriously.

It is traditional to go to Denny's after Whirlyball. In sharp contrast to the day's earlier jaunts, Denny's sucked. There was no refill of coffee to be had. Service was poor. No video games. Far away from home. No local color. Who needs it?

Afterward, Nathan and Henry and I played You Don't Know Jack. It's the first time I'd played in months, and my rust was evident, because I did not totally kick both their asses. But it gave me one last adrenaline kick. Amazing, all told, that I managed to sleep at all.