ThanksTaking included:


A stop at the Middle Eastern Bakery for some delicacies -- a sort of "thank-you-for-letting-us-bomb-your-cities-and-take-your-oil" gesture

A sloooooooooow drive to my friend’s place in the Middle of Nowhere, during which we came up with some new names for cars: (Dodge Retard, Ford Citronella, etc.)

The watching of 30 % of Cleopatra while consuming far too many salty blue corn chips (the better to look like Elizabeth Taylor)

The stirring of and sweating into the veggie gravy

Watching the friend’s saucy sister arrive with not one but two male companions – one a gregarious eye surgeon, the other a laconic, medicated Cure fan with the requisite silver rings and dyed-black hair

Observing the friend’s husband’s friend plopping himself at the head of the table and proceeding to take a cell phone call during the meal -- and shouting as though he were talking into a cup on a string

Visiting the brother, where our body fat percentage was calculated (bro won, I lost) shots of Buttery Nipple were consumed (they did six; I had but one) and the pregnant girl smoked some 40 cigarettes.

Learning I had unknowingly transported someone elses doobage all over the tri-county area. And yet somehow avoided getting pulled over by The Man.

Please o please let this mean my luck is turning. Please....




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For those of you who've been clamoring to know more about the EcoYoga mat -- Is there a problem with the web site??? IT'S ALL THERE. Suffice to say the jute is embedded in the mat and you'll never find a better one. It comes in black, purple, natural (tan), and flourescent pink and costs just $39 (three weak dollars cheaper than at for-profit Jivamukti) at Cali-based Green Yoga Association, www.greenyoga.org). Now there's even a 2mm travel one as well but like most good records it's only available as an import (www.ecoyoga.co.uk).