24 Heures du Mans | +23:52:00
My normal tradition has been to take a nap in the late morning & early afternoon following the 24 Heures du Mans, then be functional & alert (read: groggy) through the late afternoon & early evening before turning in early & waking up at the normal time on Monday morning. Of course, in every previous year I've succumbed to sleep during the race, but catching no more than two or three hours of Zs. This year I did not slumber during the twenty-four hours of the great race, though in the darkness before the dawn I had to catch myself several times & used a number of techniques to increase my alertness & get the blood flowing more swiftly. These techniques were successful & I look forward to honing them in the years ahead, as I plan never again to sleep during the race. But enough of the future. What of the recent past?

Urbi et Orbi | Project MERCATOR
There is at my church a new annual tradition, founded three or so years ago, called "Mass in the Grass." The name is a misnomer, since Mass is not celebrated on the grass of the football field (home of the Luke M. Powers Catholic High School Chargers) but in the large, rectangular pavilion next to the football field. Anyway, the point of Mass in the Grass is that Mass is celebrated more or less out-of-doors, certainly outside Holy Redeemer's mixed modern/traditional church, & followed by a "picnic," to which the parishioners bring side the pass, the parish furnishing hot dogs & drinks—soda pop, water, & beer for the adults. I had volunteered to help with clean-up after Mass in the Grass, figuring that I wouldn't be needed 'til one or two in the afternoon, allowing plenty of time for forty winks after Le Mans ended at 9:00 A.M. Alas, at last Tuesday's K. of C. meeting a general shortage of volunteers was noted & I further volunteered to help out during Mass in the Grass.

The key to staying awake for long periods is to keep your mind stimulated. At one point, bereft of anything to do, I fell asleep on my feet, while leaning on a counter. I woke up when my knees buckled, initiating a fall to the floor that I awoke & arrested. This happened thrice before my fatigued mind reckoned that it must seek out stimulation. I found things to do to keep myself alert & had plenty to do once Mass was over & the picnic got rolling. Over the course of the early afternoon I drove the M.U.L.E. (Multi-Use Light Equipment), a red Kawasaki equivalent of John Deere's ubiquitous green Gators, all over the parish campus, from the pavilion to the Family Life Center to the church & back & forth time & again. The M.U.L.E. has an enclosed roof, meaning it isn't quite as much fun as the old Gator was when I worked for Rec. Sports in Ann Arbor, but it is still a jolly good time tearing around with reckless abandon in an underpowered vehicle.

My fellow volunteers & I, the small percentage of the parish who do the lion's share of the work (yep, I've joined the league of suckers), finally knocked off around 3:00; I'd been there since 11:00 A.M. I motored home & ate the coney dogs I'd been compelled to take from the excess left over after the picnic, & as I ate I sat with my father, who was watching the weekend's N.A.S.C.A.R. Nationwide Series race from Road America in Elkhorn Lake, Wisconsin. My father disdains oval racing almost as much as I do, but he's interested enough in road racing to watch N.A.S.C.A.R.'s limited road races, of both the bush-league Nationwide & top-tier Cup series. Me, I have no use for N.A.S.C.A.R. no latter the circuit. I finished the salvaged coney dogs & retired to bed, falling asleep around 5:30 P.M. I was awakened by a 'phone call from a brother Knight at 8:30 P.M., but otherwise slept through 'til this morning, arising about 7:30 A.M.

The Rebel Black Dot Songs of the Day
The Aquabats!, "I Fell Asleep On My Arm!" from Myths, Legends, and Other Amazing Adventures!, Vol. 2 (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary: "Hey, I—I feel a lot better. I think all this jumping around has—really helped the circulation—come back into my arm. Man. Phew! Alright, guys, want to go joggin'?"

Sonntag, 23 Juni
Barenaked Ladies, "Who Needs Sleep?" from Stunt (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: All told, I was only awake for around thirty-four hours. My record is being awake for forty-two & a half hours, but of course I was an invincible eighteen years-old then, not the dissipated thirty-three years-old I am to-day. I'm an old, old man.