on my television... Almost Famous It's on in the other room. A place where I can't even see it. Just listen. And smile. "Cra-zy. CRA-zee."   on the page... Dave Eggers A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius I just got to the part about Judd from The Real World III. Laugh-out-loud funny.   on our NYsE agenda... Laine and I are thinking of eating dinner in for a change and then splurging on expensive holiday cocktails, such as Fressen's Gingersnap Milk Punch, spiced with fresh ginger, cinnamon stick and clove and fortified with candied ginger-infused vodka and Zoe's Brandy Alexander with bourbon and hints of hazelnut. Ordinarily these places are too expensive to even contemplate, but just one little drink. How much damage can that do?   now featuring: me and tree... Laine's original photograph taken in Rockefeller Center which I incredibly distorted by reducing it to fit on the head of a pin. I'm the pixilated blue thing with the cheesy smile. That's tree behind me. Not the guy with the gray hair and the neck brace-looking thing and the black coat, but the big, big branchy thing with all the lights.   golden opportunity and golden handcuffs... Todd got a golden invite to SLC for the Olympics and he has to pass due to the fact that at the end of February he'll have approximately 2 hours of vacation time. I say get the key, release the cuffs, and celebrate the unshackled victory amongst snow and sport. Oh wait-- not in this economy.   upstairs: take two... Saturday is another party in the apartment upstairs. Another social event in which Laine celebrates the fact that I could get away with not wearing shoes. Another chance to listen to the babble of the politically inclined. Dream come true. Indeed.   l'amour... A letter from Jay. He's in love. He says architecture degree, debt, kids, drift around the world... but maybe not in that order. Then an email from Jim. He's engaged. To be married. Amazing. It's this wondrous thing when your close friends fall in love.