I like to usher in my weekends like millions of other Americans have since 1981.

Yes, that amazing year that Loverboy released “Working for the Weekend.”

But a football road game usually means at least five hours of driving, covering the game, the press conference, writing four articles as quickly as I can and return to the cornfields of Illinois.

My weekend becomes work.

The Northern Star wasn’t sending a reporter to Central Michigan for the game. But how could I cover it?

Then, it hit me. My weekend was going to exist! I could actually get stuff done while covering the game.

11:18 a.m., 12:00 in the first quarter – NIU wide receiver Greg Turner picks up a first down via a fake field goal. I finally fix the internet at my townhouse! I can check Facebook again.

11:21 a.m., 9:47 in the first quarter – NIU place kicker Chris Nendick misses a 21-yard field goal. I hear one of my roommates signing “In the Air Tonight,” by Phil Collins, while he’s in the shower.

11:48 a.m., 1:46 in the first quarter – NIU quarterback Dan Nicholson completes a 92-yard touchdown to wide receiver Matt Simon. I just finish vacuuming my room in time to hear another one of my roommates yell, “Yeah, Boyyyyyy.” Thanks, Flava Flav.

11:50 a.m., 1:31 in the first quarter – CMU returns the kickoff for a touchdown. The Chippewas are up 21-7. I’m getting the dust out of my box fan. Wow, I didn’t know dust could get in there.

12:28 p.m., 4:20 in the second quarter – CMU completes a third-and-10, setting up the final scoring drive of the game for both teams. I finally get a load of laundry into the machine.

12:33 p.m., 3:05 in the second quarter – CMU scores the final points of the game. I realize I’m hungry and start cooking chicken bites and tator tots. I start watching the game downstairs with the roomies.

1:38 p.m., 3:16 in the third quarter – CMU punts the ball to Turner. I cannot focus on the game. Instead, I’m being text-bombed by people asking what’s going on and trying to answer them.

2:13 p.m., 6:46 in the fourth quarter – Another interception. This one is thrown by NIU quarterback Ryan Morris. I have my final load of laundry in the washer, I put a new load in the dryer and I’m finally folding a load.

2:30 p.m., the game is over. Is the game really over? I’ve gotten so much done today that I think I might cover all road games like this … just kidding.