There it is, Grace. It's the beginning of the end.

Start preparing the canned food, bottled water, duct tape and oil-fueled lanterns. We might be holed up for awhile.

It's going to be a long final week.

Holidays can be good and bad for the brain. Certainly they provide a bevy of food, friends and family, but they really destroy any momentum of the left side of the brain.

Whoa. I can tell already that this will go in forty directions. Who sent the Ritalin in my care package? Where is it? Ahh! Did I lock the door? Have I paid the bills? What? Oh. Nevermind. Back to the important stuff.

Time to regroup. Gather the troops and draw up a game plan.

Had my last law and ethics class today, which marks the beginning of the end of my first quarter of graduate education.

It's a good feeling. From here going forward, it appears as if things will get a little more intense, at the same time cooling off a bit. No more juggling three classes and a myriad of readings and assignments.

On to the good stuff, I say. Come hard or don't come at all. That's what they say, you know. Bring your 'A' game. Give 110 percent. (Cliches spewed by athletes might actually be more egregious than those used by politicians, don't you think?)

The planning is done. Time to spring to action.

Now, I'm mixing in some Editing homework, finals studying with some Diet Coke and Monday Night Football. Good mix.

But allow me to ask this: Who schedules a major assignment, a secondary assignment, a final and a quiz on the same day? The Editing Gods be Cursed. Who does this? Really? Spread it out, Man!

So, I'm dealing with that tonight, which is nice.

Another sleepless night in Chicago. Oh the pleasure.

I hope William Safire isn't reading this.

My floor is cold.

And if the fiancee is reading: send heated socks, a hot-water bottle, some Tagament... and the Ritalin.