1. After waking up from a deliciously bizarre dream about being on that mysterious, addicting island with Josh Holloway, I stumble into the bathroom half-asleep, look at myself in the mirror without my contacts, and still believe that I am a cool, fierce jungle woman fighting for survival.

2. Angel’s unfailing daily routine:


• - Yawn and stretch
• - Become fully awake in three seconds
• - Run yelping to the leash, while giving me dirty looks to make me feel guilty for not moving fast enough
• - Futilely chase every pudgy pigeon that innocently crosses our path
• - Insist on overenthusiastically greeting every single neighbor
• - Wolf down breakfast
• - Pass out for seven hours



3. Reading new e-mails and the New York Times

4. Opening all the windows in my apartment and breathing in fresh, sun-baked air

5. Looking over at the huge pile of scores on the piano and feeling that yesterday’s practice at least made some sort of progress (needless to say, this is not a daily occurance….)

6. The quiet makes my thoughts seem wonderfully BOLD and EXTRA LARGE