Well, I'll be darned.

Just as I'm finally recovering from my baby-related work stoppage to put together my year-end self-assessment, I get tabbed to do an all-star girls' game on Sunday. The best kids in the county going against each other in a post-State showcase. It mostly looks like it's fun--a 3-point contest at halftime, plus a boys' dunk contest--and in past years, a quick Google search tells me, scores have been very high. But still, my assignor picked me to do the game. I have to take that as a very good sign.

Officials get in free. So I can count on many people telling me how they would have done better. But I suspect my assignor wants to see me run with the creme-de-la-creme under non-pressure conditions before seeing if he can put me on big games next year (including, perhaps, the playoff list?). So I will dust off the shoes and de-gunk the whistle for one more time up the floor.