( ( ( ( ( ( artwork by greg rutkowski and lisa frank ) ) ) ) ) ) ), a hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head - - a crisp analysis, a cathartic dialogue, a devastating comeback - - which serves as a kind of psychological batting cage where you can connect more deeply with people than in the small ball of everyday life, which is a frustratingly cautious game of change - up pitches, sacrifice bunts, and intentional walks.