FRIDAY IS APPARENTLY THE NEW MONDAY
Item #1: At approximately 7:15 this morning, I was standing at the corner of York Avenue and East 81st Street, waiting for the light to change. I felt good and looked good: freshly-pressed khakis, a yellow Ralph Lauren shirt... very Friday casual. And then a pigeon took aim...

Item #2: Now dressed in freshly-pressed khakis and a white-and-burgundy-striped shirt from Banana Republic -- and safely on the bus -- I dialed my office to check the voice mail. My cell phone battery, which had been charging all night, held its charge for 30 seconds, then abruptly died.

Item #3: I arrived at the office at 7:55 and immediately got on my computer, only to come face-to-face more than 40 e-mails, most of which, for once, were not spam or e-mails from Hot Toddy begging me to be his friend. It appears people expect me to work today.

I'm going back to bed now.