Well, I bought a black outfit. What a SHOCK. I never buy anything except black and this time I really tried not to.

No way am I going to stand up there Thursday night in bright white anything. The stores are full of sailor-ey nautical white outfits--forget it, it's too early for that. The other chic color is evidently brown. Yuck. Brown makes me look washed out and so does that fuchsia puke green color which is everywhere.

There I was trudging through the mall, probably looking grouchy as all hell. Some stores I'm not cool enough to go into any more. You just know. STAY OUT. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT COMING IN HERE. One is "bebe." Have we seen this, ladies and gentlemen? It's not a new store either. I can remember going in there with my daughter ten years ago. Yeah!! YOU'RE OLD HAT!! YOUR JEANS AREN'T RIPPED!! AND YOU CALL YOURSELF CHIC!

I hate the music they play in most of the stores. What's wrong with quiet?

I went to a bridal shower last week and some of the young girls were wearing very attractive, I don't know what you would call them, gaucho pants? They looked great, but these babes don't wear nylons. No one wears pantyhose any more except those of us with something to hide. My legs are pasty white and always have been. So is my whole body. I have that white Irish skin with the blue veins thing going on. A map of New York state on my chest.

I taught my last MWF class this morning for the semester. I was unexpectedly irritated by them too. A couple of them failed to turn in the big paper that counts for TWO papers, the one that was assigned six weeks ago. AS I frequently say, some people just can't do the work. It's regrettable.

God, I am so nervous.

A bientot