2002-12-21 - 4:13 p.m.

Woke up at almost 10, after 10 hours of sleep that I desperately needed, and I threw some clothes on and headed out.

Got a cafe au lait to go and walked uptown 15 blocks to a giant electronics store, where I was counselled on the best games for the boyfriends Xmas gift, by a little 9 year old boy with giant black eyes and a big puffy down coat with a hood. Took Fifth Avenue home, got a bunch of shopping done, then dropped off my bags at home and had lunch, then walked to Soho. The five block shopping center of Soho was teeming with people, more crowded than any mall anywhere, and I went to Bl1ss to get gift certificates, and stopped in a Tibetan store, and a CD store, and a shoe store for boots for myself.

Cash machine, paper store, P0ttery B@rn. A little dog-petting in the park, and as I walked west I stopped to light a cigarette, and all the big fat squirrels that live there ran up to the fence and stopped, eyes bright,up on their pear shaped haunches, looking for food. They're so socialized, they'll climb up the fence and take them right from your hand. and any time someone stops they assume it's to feed them. So I made a detour to the nut seller on the corner and went back. And felt supremely contented. Merry Christmas, squirrels. You fat asses.

Then a stop at my bookstore and home, where I wrapped everything and packed for the night, and now I'm done, done shopping, (with the exception of a wine shop, and one stop in NJ tomorrow) done wrapping, done with all of it. I'm very excited about this, as I can now have breakfast with the girls in the morning, and stop and see my grandmother, and drive my dad's car back to the city in the afternoon, before dinner with our friends, in from Boston. Looks like I might even be able to fit in a nap there, or at least a little lounging around and paper reading.

I'm sure I'll be back here tonight, after the party, from my parents house. I can't seem to stay away from their computer.

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