My mother has been scoring points. First of all, despite her discomfort, she came all the way out here to Sin City to see me. Then, she agreed to go to a session with my therapist. And then she surprised me with some really great presents! First there was a tidy sum of cash (always appropriate), then there was a crazy vintage 14 karat gold watch with diamonds (potentially ugly but surprisinlgy not), and best of all THREE books by Thomas Friedman -- the foreign affairs columnist for The New York Times. I couldn't stop reading his book From Beirut to Jerusalem this weekend. Now I'm on to the others.

Cheesy as this may be, his clear and even and informed writing has re-inspired me about my chosen profession. Depression be gone: Journalism is important.