it's hard to believe that it's nearly '99. it seems /more/ like christmas now than it did on the 25th; there's a slick of snow on the streets and breath turns to steamy clouds outside... fingers go numb without gloves... but nope, christmas is over. how very very odd.

office weirdness today: while i was fiddling with The Abomination, a guy in a stereotypical brown trench coat walked in, cigarette dangling from two fingers. how film noir, i thought to myself, and he started asking me about the lawyers there. "Oh, I saw his name on the door -- I went to law school with him!" I didn't know them, though...

[enter info about 'i'm doug's brother' and the naked lady story]

as nate said when we spoke tonight, "Keep notes, and store them away from the office in case it burns down. I'm only half-kidding." Scary side note: the furnace is 'fussy.'

nate is dealing with frustration with amy. he is coming to a decision point, and feels he's ready to officially attempt to court her. the mind reels -- the last of the great monks, fallen.

he helped me figure out what was up with becky and the random compliments, poking, etc.

"So, Jeff, describe to me her personality. Just some relevant bits."
"In a word? Spunky."
"Ahaa. And you argue with her, things like that?"
"Yep."
"Imagine you are a spunky female, and you are meeting you. 'Oh yeah, you don't like Bed of Roses, huh?' How would you annoy you?"
"Hmmmmmmmm."
"Poking, random compliments, things like that?"
"Now that you mention it..."
"She's trying to get under your skin and bug you."
"Thank you, Nate. The world... it makes sense again."
"Of course, if it were Junior High, it would mean she likes you."

Laughter followed.