Cool weather + Napping Couch + snuggle-prone cat + Katharine Graham's Personal History = difficulty getting things done. Just so you know.

The West Wing is really good, isn't it. Dammit.

Wendy asks that I clarify that Spike would not, in fact, be feeding Angie's baby blood -- he tends to crumble Wheetabix up in his own blood, because he's a vampire. Look, it all made sense at the time.

Ahh, new Buffy. There is much rejoicing.

Angie and I have decided that our plan for fiscal year 2003 is to make Spike our bitch. That seems a reasonable goal. We can make him speak in a British accent and feed Angie and Jordan's baby when he shows up. (He just needs to promise not to crumble any Wheetabix up in the blood, because that's nasty.)

Also watched Haunted, which was pretty good. At one point, Wendy said "Oh no, are they going to rip off the Sixth Sense thing here?" To which the only response is.... yeah, that's kind of the premise of the show. He sees dead people. They want him to do things for him. That's pretty Sixth Sense-y to me. (She meant is he going to hear something down the hall and have someone dead jump out at him.) I did enjoy being able to yell "Not the ceiling fan!" not one but twice in the course of the episode. It doesn't take much to keep me happy.

One good point that Wendy raised: If he thought he saw his son on "the other side," why did he leave a message for him in the real world at the end of the episode? That's taking denial a little too far. And hey, where is it supposed to be set? I thought it was supposed to be Seattle, but did they ever have a subway? Wendy thought it might have been Chicago. Hmm.

Oh, hell, let's talk about the rest of the TV season so far.

I actually like Everwood thus far, although the folksy narrator has just got to go. I'm loving Ephram -- I'm a sucker for snarky geeky kids -- and the daughter isn't half as annoying as I feared she's be. Realistic screaming fights between father and son are nice, too. Plus, you gotta love any show with Willy Wonka references.

Fastlane, as I've mentioned before, is something I have to watch. Fortunately, it's fun in a completely brainless, they're-not-taking-it-seriously-so-why-should-I sort of way. I still think Tiffani Theissan in a flak jacket is one of the funniest things I've seem in a long time. Plus, flagrant Duran Duran references -- yet another sign of a quality TV show. So recapping it won't be painful.

I was expecting a lot of Firefly, the other show I'm recapping, and it didn't quite deliver. There's a lot of potential there. I know he can develop it into something worthwhile, if Fox gives him time. Note to Fox: DO NOT cancel the show after three episodes! Keep it for a season -- it could kick ass! Trust me on this.

John Doe -- interesting idea, and I'm waiting for them to fuck it up. Also, I can't believe no one kicked his know-it-all ass at any point during the show. My favorite moment, however, was the shot of him wandering the streets of Seattle and stopping to stare soulfully at his reflection in a store window. I just expected him to break out with "My God, I'm gorgeous!" Maybe that's in the outtakes.

Gilmore Girls was pretty much perfect. I love Paris. I'm glad I never need meet her, but I love the thought of a high school girl who can make grown senators run from her harangues. It makes me happy. Dean isn't going to be as abused this season, which is good. I'd be happier if they'd gotten rid of Jess, but I'll live. But folks -- where's Lane? Bring her back!

I am now the proud, happy and impoverished owner of a new iBook. It's very cool. I'm very broke.

The Trib apparently wants to launch a "young, hip" tabloid paper here in Chicago. Before I had the chance to drip with scorn, New City beat me to it.

Among the many joys of un/self-employment is the opportunity it affords you to conduct vital scientific research. My planned and ongoing research includes:

• How long does it take someone working from home all the time to start talking to herself?
  About 30 minutes, but I tend to talk to myself anyway.
  
  
• How long will a telemarketer stay on the line when you are obviously just fucking with them?
  I'm leaving this research to Lotti.
  
  
• How long before the cat stops seeing you being here all the time as a plus and starts seeing you as an annoyance?
  Research pending
  
  
• How long before you stop seeing the cat as an adorable furball and start seeing her as an impediment to work, especially when she insists on jumping up on your keyboard at random intervals?
  Research pending
  
  
• How many days can I go without showering before I
  (1) need to venture into a situation in which being icky would be an impediment
  or
  (2) actually gross myself out?
  Current record: Three. And it's always been because I have to see other people.

The things I do for the betterment of humanity.

As you could probably tell from my silence over the last few days, TiVo and I have reconciled our differences. This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

I think the cat is getting jealous.