I need some advice. I'm going to be seeing a friend that I haven't seen in a few years tomorrow night. We haven't seen each other because she has been in graduate school and doesn't come home very often. I wanted to get her a little thought gift, but it has to be something that she can take back to Italy (where she is doing her post doctoral work) easily. Any ideas?

The snooze alarm is important because it eases me into being awake. I don't do well with abrupt transitions and the snooze alarm is my buffer between actually waking up and getting up.

(Waves to all)

I've had a busy time and been trying to catch up.

Hugs and hairpats to all who need them.

Mornings: I'm not really a morning person, but I can function on autopilot to the extent of getting myself to the bus and then wake up completely on the way to work. I'm not safe to make coffee before then ... and there's always a potprepared when I get into the office.

Laga, the whole holiday thing can be distressing. I've gone through times when I've searched - and spent - for the perfect thing for someone only to have them give me something generic. Or obviously cheap. Last year my family didn't get around to sending me birthday presents ... so they sent them this year.

As someone once said, the holidays are at our throats again.

As someone once said, the holidays are at our throats again.

I've been thinking about this recently. I dread the holidays - they're by far my least favorite part of the year. I'm trying to figure out why that is - I guess I just hate shopping for my parents and siblings and nieces and nephews. I just never know what to get.

Last year I got the nieces and nephews all Borders gift cards. Maybe I'll do something similar this year....

Tommy! I don't know about your area, but this Wednesday the local PBS is showing something about monsters of the deep, including squid!

Awesome! Thanks - I'll have to keep an eye out for that....

I wanted to get her a little thought gift, but it has to be something that she can take back to Italy (where she is doing her post doctoral work) easily.

think about the random crap the you can't get overseas. Has she mentioned anything that she's so glad to see/get (i.e. a kind of tea or candy bar )

Has she mentioned anything that she's so glad to see/get (i.e. a kind of tea or candy bar )

We really haven't talked yet. Just quick e-mails for time and place for dinner. Tea might work. I think she used to like tea.

When I was in London, I missed random shit. Mostly food related, but some items like my pantyhose, etc.

I'm cursed with the inability to sleep more than five or six consecutive hours. I fall right asleep, but once I wake up, I'm up. And I usually wake without an alarm. Things hurt too badly for me to stay in bed. I have to get up and ease achy bits, pay my morning respects, stumble into the shower, stumble out and wander around half-dressed while consuming coffee that either the timer-coffeemaker or one of the other humans has thoughtfully provided.

Verbal communication is unlikely and unreliable for at least an hour or two. I'm quite capable of driving, and performing physical tasks by rote--even some quite complex ones. It's just conversation or human interaction that's difficult. When I'm writing, the first two hours on arising are my most fertile time, as long as I don't have to talk to anybody or deal with math.