Don't know if you, Dear Reader, will be out working today or shopping, ( I pray it's the former, because the latter is too awful to even think of....) but I exhort you to have pity on Sassy and Others In the Retail Biz if you do go out. They are trying to make a living, and they are doing the best they can. They do not truly hate you. They just want to sit down and have a soda and try to rest for a few minutes before handling the onslaught that IS this Capitalist Extravaganza of a Weekend....

As for me, Thursday, I was actually OUT having a nice holiday! I went out with my friends Bill and Denny ( new) and they're actually friends with a bunch of industry folks ( writers, editors, etc.) One of their friends is a painter who lives with his wife in Marina Del Ray, ( a beautiful part of LA, right on the Marina- duh- next to the water) and hosted a very good dinner to which I tagged along. Good food, good conversation, nice people, excellent view....it was really a good time. Lots of hilarious stories and my favorite, pumpkin cheesecake, so not a bad deal. The hosts took a liking to me and invited me back anytime, so I will hopefully get to go back for another event. Denny keeps saying, "Ooh, Jessica, you never know! These people are industry, so.....!!!" Well, that's a good thing, I admit, but I enjoyed the company just for itself, nonetheless. That's a pretty rare thing in this town.

I even had a nice Friday. I went to Ron and Roy's and we had leftovers galore. Two whole days where I laughed and ate and was actually, pretty okay. I have eaten my wieght now in turkey with no bad (seratonin- tryptophan, the stuff in turkey that makes you sleepy, is a precurosor to seratonin in the brain) side effects, ( other than wanting to take a loooooong nap) and half of a pumpkin pie, so I think I'm feeling better (physically), too.

I discovered a new source for awards screeners via my friend Roy who is a SAG member, and is starting to develop quite a cache. We watched "The Illusionist" with the fabulous Edward Norton and the fabulous Paul Giamatti, and the-sort-of-eh Jessica Biel. I enjoyed it found it the story line very interesting ( I actually just got a book on that era and Spiritualism, so it tied right in) , and it has exquisite cinemetography. I found some of the "surprises" a bit predictable but it kept my attention fully. I recommend it highly.

At any rate, goddammit, I'm going to watch everything this year before the Oscars if it kills me!

A whole two days of "good". Not just "normal" but "good". That makes me really happy. It gives me hope I can continue to heal and have some good times in there, too. That really helps should the healing get hard, to hold on to that. My favorite holiday has come and gone without incident, and with actual fun involved. Color me....pleased and sated.