I napped to Joni Mitchell's "Hejira," which eventually switched to Radiohead's "Kid A," for a couple of hours this afternoon. I woke up this morning at about 9:15, made some pancakes, and ate them while cranking out more of the dime store novel. I now have 18 pages. I guess eating flap jacks and cranking out pulp is tiring work! Now I'm listening to NSync's last studio effort, "Celebrity," drinking some coffee, and getting into the blogging vibe.

In an effort to stay on top of grad school stuff, I have been very proactive with Hopkins though they seem to have forgotten about me right after they admitted me. I wasn't even mailed the Fall semester catalogue, so I went online, downloaded the registration form, and mailed in my course registration. Because I have yet to hear from them about financial aid (and won't find out until the end of July), I had to indicate that my method of payment is TBA. Lame.

The registration office did e-mail me to ask for a promisory note in the event that I don't get any aid. Fortunately, an e-mail from me sufficed, so now I am enrolled in two classes for the fall term. I hope that it's not like pulling teeth every semester.

I am still learning to negotiate the pas de deux that is my relationship with Gordon. Our mutual friend and her husband are throwing a party today, about an hour away. My lack of a car is really beginning to be a problem. Unless I was offered a ride with another Baltimore local, I knew I wouldn't be able to make it. It's just as well, since the parties this person throws tend to be hard for me, for a number of reasons. But, I really wanted Gordon to want me to go. And in the course of an exchange about other things, he did offer to give me a ride. However, he's also giving someone else a ride. As a woman I know that this woman really wants to get close to Gordon, and I didn't think that my being in the car with them would be a good scene. I would be surly and annoyed, and would end up making myself miserable. If you've ever sulked at a party, you know it's not the way to go.

Gordon knows I don't like this person, so when I begged off, I feared that I would come off as childish, but I know whatever impression he has of me for letting this dame be a dealbreaker is better than the one he'd have of me if I lost it on her in his car.

And by the way, she so has a vehicle of her own. Dubious.

It's not that I worry that something will happen between them; I don't. I just hate social usurpers, and that is the kindest thing I could call her. And really, with us both in his car, what would separate us in his mind? We're two women who can't even drive ourselves to a party. I'm too prideful, I know, but I can't play second fiddle to that sociopath.

So, again, I am choosing to take myself out of the equation. I just told him I would see him next week for our dinner engagement. Of course, we also have the roadtrip the week after that. So, I'm being selective about this one event instead of being an ass.