1. Captain Nemo's was excellent. They have a free pool table and the world's largest beer glasses. You can watch Nascar or artist reality shows, or you can listen to Tom Petty, or you can admire my friend Curtis. Curtis is amazing. When confronted with a person who is arguing the merits of Sarah Palin, Curtis can murmur, "You're full of shit," in such a way that the arguing person replies, with complete sincerity, "I think you're the politest person I know."

2. Going out to breakfast with my friend Donna was also excellent. I forget what the food was like, but Donna is so chattery and lovable and full of comedy and tears that I could have stayed in that booth all day long.

3. And then I came home and held paws with the dog, and Tom told me a funny story about our son's necktie anxiety, and I told him a funny story about the Poetry Out Loud entertainment, and altogether I am feeling extraordinarily happy to have hovered among so many sweet and affectionate people over the course of the past 24 hours.

But now . . . I must attend the final elementary basketball debacle. Things were bound to go downhill eventually.