There's no poetic way of saying this, so I'll just say it: I'm hungover. I'm supposed to be plowing through my intense to-do list (I have 1/4 of my book due next week, and so much, so much to do before then). But my tummy, head, and achy joints are all collaborating to try to get me back in bed, and sometimes I find it hard to fight my very determined body.

I'm proud of us, though. Despite pouring rain, weather that in every other circumstance would have called for sweats, pizza, and DVDs, A. and I had a big city adventure last night. Started out going to an art show a couple of my co-workers were having (where I dropped $70 on an amber bead necklace and a fuzzy, pink, sparkly handbag that A. said looked decidedly unlike me). Then headed to Union Square, explored the massive Williams-Sonoma flagship store, and over to Macy's for assorted wants and needs (slippers for A., a new brand of cosmetic for me — I'm completely confounded by how overwhelming it is to find a good, dependable cosmetic brand). Then over to the park, where we sneaked in to a fast and comforting meal at our fave restaurant, Park Chow. Finally, to the martini party that was our entire excuse for going to the city in the first place.

I was absolutely charming. I talked to people about their work and their lives, and I didn't feel shifty or awkward or unimpressive as I typically do. I met a really interesting guy who does product marketing for the company that makes "the audio version of PhotoShop," a Berkeley couple who are as goofy and self-depricating as A. and I are, an oddly quiet Dennis Kucinich supporter who kept asking us if we wanted to go dancing at his friend-the-DJ's club afterward, and a woman wearing a sari who recently immigrated from Winnipeg after meeting her husband on the Internet, and who apparently smokes pot and watches talk shows all day while waiting for her immigration visa to be processed.

I talked this much probably because the people at the party were mostly PR professionals, so good at putting their guests at ease. Also, because I had three martinis.