A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders now that my graduate course is over and all assignments submitted. Now comes the hard part about making more decisions regarding the ever elusive Ph.D.

Happy St. Nicholas. Today is his feast day, according to the Catholics at least. I got my treats yesterday from Stephen’s mother: nuts, chocolate-covered nuts, white chocolate-covered nuts, tangerines, an orange, an apple, and two bags of dried fruit (I forget what kind). Afterwards, we browsed Half-Price Books’s art/art history section before heading to Shayne’s place with beaujolais nouveau in tow. (Well, Stephen and other Francophones within my blogosphere, did I spell that correctly? I should hope so: I’ve been drinking the stuff since Thanksgiving 1998 in Osaka, after returning from the UN Conference on Human Rights in Asia. Ah! my life used to be so interesting!)

Finally heard from Sonia. She’s been busy writing a play ever since the Sheik died. I was afraid she had been murdered and buried beneath the sands outside of Dubai. The after-school drama entitled Bitter Baklava starred Meryl Streep as Juanita (her mother) and Jennifer (pronounced Hennifer) Lopez (pronounced Lopeth) as Soniacita, and promised to win at least one Emmy. I guess I’ll have to put that story on the back burner while I instead try to meet today’s quota of words for my novel.

Right now, my belly is growling at the people sitting next to me in the library, so I should hurry and pick up Stephen from work for lunch. See you!