The U.S. is out of the World Cup.

Yeah, I don't care, either.

Seriously, there appear to be three people in this country that cared about the fate of Team USA in the soccer world championship. Two of them were in the lounge here at the car dealership where I'm having my* car fixed, and had ESPN tuned to it. The other one is on ESPN, talking to someone who is clearly from Somewhere Else, my guess being Scotland.

That's my point. ESPN can't even find two American commentators to talk about soccer. Good grief...

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This week I've learned a few things about myself.

The first part of the week was pretty hectic for Me, Esq. As you might imagine for someone who represents victims of domestic abuse, the work is high-stakes and can be exhausting.

One day this week, I woke up. My brain was running at a million miles an hour and I have to say I was not in a good place.

Suddenly, it clicked. I always made a little fun of those folks who say, "You need to center!" "Center?" What sort of hippy-dippy crap is that?

Suddenly, I realized (1) I wasn't centered; (2) I needed to be and (3) I could become so. I sat down, thought through what had me panicked, realized none of it was that bad and I could handle it all, and also that I should probably not have a CD of loud fast-paced music while I drove to calm me down. It helped a great deal. It was also a good chance to learn more about mastering your circumstances, rather than letting them master you.

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To those of you hitting this blog through searches for the bar exam and some variant thereof, I feel your pain. Hang in. We're thinking of you.

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* And now for that asterisk. I can't really call it "my car," but I can say that I have been driving for the past several weeks and will probably be drivng for the rest of the summer, a convertible BMW Z3. No, it's not mine; the Bassett family just has this bizarre way of trading off cars that makes no sense to outsiders or insiders.

Anyway, it's a heckuva fun car and I'm having a great time with it.

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Nominee for ad of the year: The Bill Gates imitator on the Mac commercials. I find them kind of interesting.

Certainly more interesting than the guy who proceeded it, askng, "Where does U.S. soccer go from here?"