I take comfort in knowing I'm something of a charming drunk. Which isn't to say I'm a drunk who is charming, but rather that I am charming when drunk. At least I'd like to think that I am, and since my friends keep coming over for parties, I have to assume that they don't go home and discuss how much I must embarrass myself when I am overserved.

Last night I was sitting at the opposite end of the dinner table from the other charming drunk. She and I were discussing whether or not Philip Seymour Hoffman was good in *Magnolia* (which he obviously was). She was rattling on about how he was better in *The Talented Mr. Ripley* (which I think might be true, although I don't know for sure. I try not to rate his work. I prefer to give it all the label "brilliant"). Meanwhile, dreamy-bon-vivant J*** was sitting next to me feigning to hold me back.

So as you can see I was being encouraged.