Congrats, Blue Jackets, and Fans.

While I'm not a Blue Jackets fan, I have to say I am glad they made the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, even if it came at the expense of my Chicago Blackhawks, via a shoot-out victory.

Columbus is a town of front-runners and bandwagon fans for anything NOT wearing the scarlet and grey ... as most major cities are. The Blue Jackets have their die-hard fans, and they always will ... but when they're winning, it seems like everyone in Columbus is Carrying The Flag.

And good for them. Everyone loves you when you win.

Besides, Chicago's going to the playoffs, too, for the first time in 11 years, mainly because Bill Wirtz finally died and his smarter, less greedy son realized just how bad his father had run the franchise into the ground and alienated his fan base. And Chicago has fallen back in love with their Blackhawks.

Hopefully this playoff run, the first in the Blue Jacket's eight years in the NHL, will get the casual fans in Columbus to fall in love ... or back in love ... with their Blue Jackets ... and create a whole lot more true fans who come along with them ... to stay.

So, despite my team losing tonight, why am I glad for the Blue Jackets?

Simply this: It's good for hockey. It's good for Columbus. And it's good for my friend Tom Reed, who covers the Blue Jackets for the Columbus Dispatch.

Oh, and it's also good for all the businesses and other entities that make money of big crowds downtown, out in bars for games, and celebrating the joy that comes with the thrill of victory ... I'm happy for them, too.

So yeah, congrats, Blue Jackets. And congrats, Blue Jackets Fans. You may boo and hiss at me for wearing my Blackhawks gear ... but I'll always be a fan. I hope, someday, after 32 years of cheering on your Blue Jackets, you'll still be a fan of your team, too.

Kicked in the Ass by Mom

Mother Nature, that is.

So there's some stuff going on at work, nothing worth discussing except for changes to the on-call schedule that pretty much leave me working long hours (like most of my team), but being the guy on the firing line ... which I like.

Except, after a lovely 18-hour day, spent mainly sitting at my desk in front of my computer, I fall asleep, only to be kickd in the ass by Mother Nature.

Yep, it's April. That means April Showers. And, sometimes, as we had today, the occasional snow. Because sometimes, it snows in April, Christopher Tracy. (Obscure reference for both of you that a] read this, and b] get that. You're welcome.)

Oh, and for my people ... it's open season with the allergins.

I went to bed at 1:30 or so (hey, gotta watch my Comedy Central shows) only to wake up about an hour later and sneeze ... I'm guessing, and I might be using a loose estimate here ... I sneezed about thirteen billion times before I finally got a benedryl down my throat. (Okay, maybe it was only seven or eight ... but machine-gun style, they exponentially multiply. Wow. Now I've made a completely vague reference to stuff you'll never hear about [work], a math joke and randomly obscure pop culture reference. My work here is almost done.)

And the sleep for an hour / wake up sneezing for 10 minutes / sleep for an hour was the remainder of my night. Then the alarm at 7:50 and at work at 8. Cause I have such a long drive the days I work from home. Which, because I'm on call from 8 a.m. to Midnight all week, is every day this week.

And the weekend - even better. All weekend. Straight through. Happy Easter to me.

But I can't bitch. I have a job. I love my job. And I'm happy to have it.

Even when it sucks. And Mother Nature kicks me in the ass. The bitch.