Working for a Living

I know I promised a review of 'The Shield's' final season this week, but it'll have to wait, as other responsibilities have intervened. My writing always takes priority, so that's no surprise. And there's my columns on Niners Nation. And my wife. But this week, suddenly, I also find myself working a real job. That's right-- me, in an office, sitting behind a desk, working a phone and computer and goofing off on the internet like a real, live office monkey. And in this case, I think a monkey really could do it.

I'm calling stores all over the country which sell CD's to see how many copies they have in stock of James Taylor's new album, 'Covers'. In the last two days alone, I called every Circuit City in the US. Every single one. At each, speaking with someone to ask that they find out not only if they have the album, but exactly how many copies. I'm sure you can imagine just how excited they are to go and fetch that information right up for me. At the end of the day, I had to switch to Wall Mart, and going alphabetically

The thing you don't realize -- at least, not after about 10 years between office gigs -- is that it still takes a lot out of you. The getting up early, all the coffee you have to guzzle to get you up and running, the commute, the having to deal with people with all its having to be polite banality. By the time you drive home, you just want to pour and drink, tune out for some TV and crash. It's tough, and it keeps me from things which I'd rather do, but I can't afford to turn down a paycheck. Besides, it's only five days with a weekend in between. Although it almost wasn't -- because the project was running behind, I was asked to come in Saturday and Sunday. I got out of it, but for a minute there it felt like this:



Writing is hard after a day like that is no picnic, but I was able to do it last night working on the script with Barry a bit by Skype.* But tonight I need to chill, and this weekend will be devoted to more screenwriting, and whole mess of football. This Saturday is the best day in the college football season in my mind. Partly because New Year's Day is not what it was -- all the best bowl games spread across the next few days -- and partly because of the advent of the Conference Championship Game, Here's my take on the big games:

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP: ALABAMA vs. FLORIDA

Florida is the best team here, but I'm not sure Saban isn't the best coach in the game. This rematch of the original SEC Championship Game (in 1992, when the teams were coached by Gene Stallings and Steve Spurrier) has all the makings of an all-time classic. The winner makes the National Championship Game, and I think when the stakes are that high, you go with the best player on the field -- especially when he plays QB/RB/Head Cheerleader. That man is Tebow. The pick is Florida.

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP: OKLAHOMA vs. MISSOURI

Even though they don't deserve to even be here due to their loss to Texas, I think OU is the best team in the land right now. But this game has had its fair share of big upsets, mostly knocking teams out of the championship hunt -- Texas/Nebraska in the inaugural, Kansas State/Texas A&M, OU/Kansas State -- so nothing can be taken for granted. Especially given the weather forecast for Kansas City: 20's for most of the game, possibly dropping into the teens. That could slow down OU's high-flying O, but it's do the same for Mizzou. The pick: Sooners

That makes it a Florida/Oklahoma title game, and that would be one interesting game.

I'm also working Monday through Wednesday, so I'm not sure how much I get up between now and then, but you can expect a few more reviews after that -- besides 'The Shield', I'm seeing 'Milk' at a screening next week, and plan to see 'Frost/Nixon' by the end of the week.