Thursday nights are the hardest of all weekday nights. Mahalia is asleep and I pass the time looking up strange things on the internet. I look at the clock and realize that I've spent over one hour checking out ticket prices to far flung locales--Palermo, the Amalfi Coast, Greece. Did you know that you can fly from Munich to Athens for $77?

I spend some time staring at villas for rent on Patmos, the Greek Isle where I spent 5 weeks. I sigh. It is cold and wet here in New York City.