Well, my day of pure and good intentions went awry somewhere around 4 pm...and his name is Jewels.

I went to the post office for 100 non-denominational stamps to send out holiday cards. I went to ten different stores to buy gift cards that were tailored to the shopping preferences of my various colleagues. And then I went to work. I lingered a good three hours longer than I should have in the office, picking at my cuticles and chatting to those who remained behind at work, waiting for information so I could close those 12th hour work issues.

Those replies were slow in coming and I realized around 2:32 pm that I would be waiting until late, so I decided to download music to dance around my office to for the remaining day. Yes, this is sad and pathetic in general principal, but from a music standpoint, it was splendid indeed and I thrashed around happily. You know you're bored when you're banging your head to "White Punks on Dope" by The Tubes and a Senior VP from the Holland office walks by and nods at you. Aw, the Dutch get it. I mean, they legalized hookers and marijuana. How bad can they be?

Finally having resolved most of the last issues by 4 pm, I caught sight of Jewels, tidying his desk in preparation for his time off to visit his family in Florida. He came over and asked if I was going to the company holiday party across the street at the cheesy Italian place. Hell no, said I, (full of my usual bravado), let's go for a margarita at Rosa Mexicano.

We had three. Jesus, Mary and Joseph. I confessed a couple of sins to my Father Confessor, Jewels. I haven't told anyone and it's bothered me, so I felt better when he says, "Oh, that's nothing!"

We catch a cab uptown. Granted, those were small margaritas, like a shot glass. But damn, they were potent. Heading uptown in the cozy warm embrace of the cab, I suddenly blurt out (another one of those unfortunate Tourette's type moments), "Hey, we haven't had any dinner. Want to get some dinner?" Jewels nods and the next thing I know we're in Midtown on 9th Avenue, eating fried chicken wings and beer in some dive. And confessing many more sins.

This is what life is about.