NILLY!

Oh I am so sorry about the line (Cashmere cracks me up--but the DMV is nothing compared to the High Emperor of All Lines: Disney World!), but I am so excited about you coming! I will be in San Fran for the cookout as well as possibly seeing you while you're on the East Coast, and I'm very excited!

Crossing fingers and toes for you!

I've only been to an American Embassy once, and it was great compared to the next day's visit to the Canadian Consulate. Because the American Embassy in Moscow has no Russians, and they were the ones that gave me incredible grief at the Consulate. The Canadians themselves were just fine.

NILLY!

I just bought two tri-fold futons, single bed size, and we have Ralph Lauren pure cotton sheets and soft blankets, and there will be a trip for me down to the kosher butcher to make damned suire they really are kosher, and a special set of dishes/cutlery/cookware just for Nilly, and...

You guys are the bestest. In the dictionary, when the word "bestest" is going to be there (and, yeah, I'm aware that it isn't, yet), they could put a picture of you.

And, Jessica - that's a little scary, even.

I think Nilly needs more lines. While she's in LA I'm going to take her to the DMV. Maybe also a theme park. Now THOSE are lines.

I vote for the INS office in LA. Or I would, if I didn't like her.

Yeah, at least at Theme Parks there's usually something fun at the end of the line.

The DMV in Boston has gotten somewhat civilized. You take a number and sit on benches until your number appears on a big screen.

The DMV in Boston has gotten somewhat civilized. You take a number and sit on benches until your number appears on a big screen.

Santa Monica's like that, plus with appointments and Saturday hours. Not bad at all. The INS was my idea of hell -- I had to go in two days, because I missed out on actually getting into the building by about ten people. I mean, I got in, just to be told to go home and try again tomorrow.

What struck me the most was that they just kept moving the line around, as if that would change anything. You think you're just about to actually do something - but, no, you just move to another line. And, hey, I've studied traffic jams - moving the bottleneck isn't going to solve anything.

I had to go in two days, because I missed out on actually getting into the building by about ten people. I mean, I got in, just to be told to go home and try again tomorrow.

Oh, those are the worst. And they happen here, too.