"I'm in the prime of my youth and I'll only be young once."

I have returned from the Right Coast and have lots of stories from the Big Apple, but first, this one:

I made a great new friend over the weekend. Our relationship is by default, since I know her parents. It's like joining a new softball team and having to be friends with everyone, except that I've made some of my best friends playing ball, so our friendship was off to a wonderful and auspicious start.

My new friend is named Sid.

Ever since I've known her momma, Roxanne, she's always been one of those super-achievers, a roommate you could bring to a party instead of a 12-pack and still be a hit with everyone. She's been a vice president on the Northwestern student board, single-handedly put together a national conference of Singaporean students studying in the US, orchestrated a Tori Amos concert and Kurt Vonnegut and Gloria Steinem speeches on campus. But she might have now outdone herself -- she's Sid's momma!

Her pops Robbie might have other plans, but when it comes to the National League Central Division, this kid is growing up to be a Cubs fan.