So I'm watching some great golf at the LPGA Tournament. BUT my excitement today might have peaked when I found this: The Man In the Mirror by Michael Jackson feat. Tupac

Starting off my day with Man In the Mirror on repeat and Bill Simmons Draft Diary.

Couldn't have it any other way.

p.s. Check out Joe Posnanski's blog post about Michael Jackson's passing.

As I look at the calender to plan everything I want to do while I am up here, I realize there really aren't as many weekends left as I though. Yesterday i crossed off one thing on my to-do list: go to Canada.

It's a little weird that a, albeit menacing, turnstyle is all that separates us from another country. Not quite what I was expecting.

Us in front of the Niagara Falls. Canada was pretty cool. I'd like to get into downtown Toronto, too.

Which provides a great segueway into the handful of places I want(ed) see during the summer. Here is the short/long of it:

• Go to Canada.
• Go to Tropicana Field
  
• Go to Cooperstown and see the baseball Hall of Fame.
• Go see Ralph Wilson Stadium
  
• Go to New York City and see CitiField/the Mets
• Go visit at least one friend in a different city and see its respective ballpark
  
• Go see a Toronto Blue Jays game (apart from covering them)
• Sustain myself physically and financially on an intern's salary
  

Unfortunately the last item is putting a damper on the rest of my grand plans. Also the vastness of the state of New York. I, in my geographical ignorance (which is pretty well known to anybody who even remotely knows me) thought New York City was closer than six hours away. Fine, I'll fly. Cooperstown is in Albany. I've seen signs for Albany, great! Plus, it's in upstate New York...AND IT'S FIVE HOURS AWAY, TOO.

New York, you are killing me.

edit: OK, I just looked at my list and realized that I might seem very...singularly interested? I should throw an art museum up there or something. Really, I like art. /edit

I also have a list of books to finish while I'm up here. Reading, thankfully a much cheaper alternative! Here are some that I'm rereading and some I'm visiting for the first time:

• The Soul of Baseball, Posnanski
  
• The Best and the Brightest, Halberstam
  
• It Never Rains in Tiger Stadium, Bradley
  
• A Lefty's Legacy, Leavy
  
• All the Pretty HOrses, McCarthy
  
• Outliers, Gladwell
  
• Michael Jordan and the World He Made, Halberstam
  
• Atlas Shrugged (my Everest), Rand
  
• The Book (not the bible)
  
• I am Charlotte Simmons, Wolfe
  

In terms of work-related goals, I simply want to get better. The simplest goal but definitely the most daunting. Here is today's story that ran about Cheyenne Woods upcoming LPGA debut.

I wish I had been more diligent about posting here. The life of a real productive member of society (and yes I count myself as one right now) is so busy! I am getting ready to cover a LPGA tournament this week, so that should be a really interesting experience. It will be the LPGA debut of Cheyenne Woods, yes, Tiger Woods' niece. Not a bad way to earn a living.

I also saw Bill Russell last night at Anchor Bar, the alleged home of the Chicken wing (I made the mistake of calling it Buffalo Wings for a week until I finally conceded to the urging of everyone here) I went with a couple of the other interns:

 Now, I've never seen someone as legendary as Bill Russell in person aside from Michael Jordan and probably Dean Smith. But to see him in Buffalo?! Like, what is Bill Russell doing in Buffalo? So obviously Charlie (huge Celtics fan) and I took the photo opp to take a picture with the next best thing...his license plate. I don't care if you are judging me.

You probably can't tell but it's an awful parking job. But if I had 11 NBA championships, I could be parked in the median of a highway for all I care. I wish I couldn't say that there were about four other pictures like this one, but alas. In case you were wondering, his license plate read WFR. (William Felton Russell)

Anyways, I've had my ups and downs since I've been here. I've felt frustrated and stressed. But overall, I can already see myself growing in ways I couldn't have in Chapel Hill. And I almost feel like that's as important as the clips, the on-the-job experiences, and the networking.

I do miss home, my family and friends. But I'm excited about going back to Chapel Hill with all this experience under my belt. I'm two weeks down and eight weeks to go. Let's hope the next eight weeks are as much of a learning experience as these past two weeks have been. I've already learned that you NEVER wear heels to a game.

I left myself logged on to the news system last night. Apparently "I" sent a message to the entire sports department inquiring as to whether I'm hotter than last year's intern.

Won't make that mistake again.