Question for eBayers: One of my auctions ended about this time on Monday morning, and I have not received payment or any other communication. The person who bought the item is very very new to ebay-- they signed up on Sunday.

Is it too soon to send an "hey, I haven't heard from you/gotten paid yet, and I know you are very new to ebay, so let me know if you have any questions about the process or payment options" email?

I would definitely send an email and state that you'll need to hear from them within a certain amount of time or you'll be re-listing the item.

When ya going, Vortex?

In October

ION, it is 2:15AM here in California, and I have a serious case of The Creeps. Granted, I was reading a murder mystery before bed, but I read them all the time without getting creeped out, and this one was predictible and not particulary scary. Still, for whatever reason the skylight over my bed, which has never bothered me before, suddenly seems quite menacing and extremely accessible to rooftop intruders. Every time I close my eyes, I have this horrid fantasy that someone is up there staring down at me, and then I have to open my eyes and make sure it isn't true.

Oh, I had that with The Carver on Nip/Tuck. Didn’t sleep well for a while, and I had to stop watching it at night, and wait until Saturday afternoon. And then, it suddenly occurred to me that The Carver was after the Beautiful People ™, of which I am not (Attractive People, maybe), and then I could sleep. Which makes no fucking sense, but it worked for me.

But we all thought the couple should have been given a 1/2 hour or so totally alone after the wedding to be together before having to be out amongst their friends and families.

It isn't a requirement or anything, but I strongly recommend that all the couples I marry do this. In some Jewish weddings, the couple goes off to a quiet room to regroup and eat apple & honey (to ensure a fruitful and sweet union).

Every couple I've had do this ends up enjoying the reception, and each other, so much more! (I never thought about it for macking purposes, but hey, that works too.)

Thanks Nicole.

Hey Beej! Did I see that you went to the Fringe Festival this past weekend? My actress friend was in a staged reading of the play "Abstract Nude" at the festival that got a very good review in the Post.

Yes! I saw "Dangerous Devotion".

I was intrigued by several people musing that the show, on a Sunday morning, would not be sold out because 'this is DC.' Not sure who is keeping track, but anything I find even remotely interesting around here gets snapped up in an instant.

The show was sold, very far out, and the audience was very appreciative.

How did your friend's reading go?

Thanks for all the anniversary wishes! Four years. What is that in married years? 28?

Nope. Only 2.78

Let me add my happies to your pile Aimee. I love hearing your family stories...congrats on being one of the lucky ones!

Also, Nora...could I be a part of your vendetta against Verizon? I'm seriously researching alternatives. This month, they turned my phone off for non-payment...when I have the canceled check right here! And, my phone has had 'no line' ( a new error to me) 6 times in the last day and a half. PLUS, they over charge me for dsl every month and have done so for two years!

I had come to accept the 6 or 7 outages a year due to 'squirrel activity'. Hey, I live in an old building in an old 'hood. I can adapt, but the service issues are just way, way over the top.

In conclusion...I'm with ya sistah!