For a few years now, I've been attending and hosting clothes swaps, aka panty raids, where friends bring the clothing they no longer wear and take other people's. It feels so good to get rid of the closet clutter, and I'm always excited about the new things I come home with, especially since I'm such a horrible shopper (aanother story for another time perhaps).

Somehow about a year or two ago, I got invited to one at the home of a couple I didn't know but immediately adored. Wendy, the hos... read more

My back has been hurting for over four weeks, ever since the mysterious foot thing faded. I figured I was out of whack from limping for three days and that it would hurt less as I began walking normally again.

Maybe I was embarrassed to complain about my back so soon after the foot thing, I don't know. Maybe I don't like all these ailments making me feel like I'm falling apart. Anyway, it didn't hurt that badly so I didn't do anything about it. I mean, what's to do, anyway? Medicine's not... read more

I was trying to set up a lunch date for next week with my friend Christine, and she offered some dates but said she'd understand if I didn't want to meet Wednesday because she knew it was a “special” day. This was on e-mail by the way, which is pretty much tne only way I talk to anyone these days, although I'm trying to get back to basic competence on the phone and ideally even in person.

In any case, my first thought was, "What the hell is so special about Wednesday?" It's fall, so I figu... read more