Getting into work today was a real challenge, as I suspect getting to 4:30 will be, as well. Went out yesterday evening. Nick got out of work very early, armed with two paychecks, his regular one for the week, as well as his vacation check for the end of the month, and asked if I wanted to get dinner with him. I, in the mean time, was over my Mom's grudgingly doing my laundry (anticipating my clothes ending up covered in cat hair and just pissed about the time out of my own house that I have to devote to doing laundry.), so I let the washer run while I went back t mine to take a shower and get dressed, then ran back over to put the stuff in the dryer. I will, in turn, have to run the dryer a couple of minutes to get the wrinkles out and bring my stuff home now today when I go over. Nick and I went to Owl Bar for dinner, a dinner that I didn't REALLY need, since I had eaten throughout the entire day, and had had a bowl of cereal and cheese and crackers when I got home from work a few hours before, but the prospect of dinner with him at my favourite place, on gift certificate was too good to pass up. Unfortunately, it proved to be the most lackluster experience I have ever had at Owl Bar. First, Nick insisted on trying the oysters ("They're an aphrodesiac!" he said, "Like your libito needs any help!" was my retort.), which, as I could have told him, were gross (the texture is so off-putting. I refused to try them. I know they are wretched.). Luckily, I mentioned that they were gritty and ended up getting them removed from the bill. He got fish and chips, which he said was pretty good, but not amazing. I also thought the portion was kind of skimpy. I didn't feel hungry enough to get the steak, but wanted to try something different from my normal (and all-time favourite) margeurita pizza, so I tried this saffron chicken, with mashed potatoes and vegetables, with little success. Why didn't I get salmon? Really didn't enjoy it. The chicken, while boneless, had its skin still on, so that had to be removed, the vegetables were ridiculously undercooked and bland, and even the mashed potatoes, which I so enjoyed when they gave them to Nick the last time we were there, and was looking forward to most, were not that great. All in all, it just wasn't up to snuff. Hopefully the next time we go (for there is still another $50 certificate), the place will be awesome. Following that, we headed down to The Wind-up, where Laurie met us a little later, and Victor a while after that. It was a lot of fun, always good to hang out with Victor, although I do recognise that the words Mr. Farley need never escape from my lips, because even though I have no preoccupation with him, and am very fortunate to be where I am now, I do talk about him a lot to people who know the scoop, even if anything I say is pretty much a mild form of shit-talking. Really glad to have turned two more people onto the place, it's really cool. Victor was just thrilled that they make a delicious $4 Manhattan. We stayed till close, brought my Betty Boop dvd, but there was a guy singing, so I told Russell next time we come he can run it if he wants. Made our way home, and then Nick left for his, since it was so late, and as much as I wanted him to stay and call out today, I figured I shouldn't on account of there being a stupid conference I had to relay information on today. Nick said that he will be all mine for the weekend and I am very glad. It was incredibly hard getting up to come in here today, the few short hours later, with a headache, eyes that seemed incapable of opening fully, and then, having to stop for gas, getting here by the grace of God at 7:59. Had to drink a Pepsi to rejuvinate, which is a shame, because I prefer Coke, and I don't even drink regular soda ever now.

I have found that by eating breakfast, I set myself up to be ravenous all day, and eat seemingly constantly. Had a granola bar yesterday around 9 or 10, then a bagel and cream cheese for lunch, my iced triple mocha, then the cereal and cheese and saltines for dinner, or what I intended to be my dinner, then the meal at Owl Bar. Today I am trying to hold out till lunch and just get coffee, then have dinner (not sure what). I really felt better this week, hope yesterday won't out us back too far.

I will be so glad to get out of here, run over my Mom's get my laundry, and spend the rest of the evening taking a nap or doing something similarly lethargic. I will be glad to see Nick and sleep in. Totally want to hit Druid Hill for real this weekend. We had a really good conversation about literature yesterday, since I mentioned a list on The Guardian UK website of their top one hundred books. We just named ones back and forth, who was on there, who wasn't, one's you were shocked were passed over, one's you were suprised were included. I like conversing about such things with him.