81.   Nothing is easy in this old world, but does anything have to be as hard as the electronic miracle?

82.   Not as hard as those of us who try to keep up with him, at any rate.

83.   Now, the first forward back often will go after the puck as hard as the defenseman to ensure that possession is gained.

84.   Outside hitters swing their arms as hard as baseball pitchers, sometimes requiring rotator cuff surgery.

85.   Picking the winner, though, can be as hard as guessing who will go home with the gold at the Olympic Games in Atlanta this month.

86.   Pale blue eyes, hard as marbles.

87.   Picking a good stock broker is as hard as picking a good stock.

88.   Players who had early tee times arrived at an Augusta National that was as cold and hard as New York City in the winter.

89.   Robin, the salad maker, arrived with avocados as hard as potatoes and we briefly toyed with popping them into the microwave oven to see what would happen.

90.   Rooting for them can be as hard as rooting for the Red Sox, and ultimately just as productive.