I regret to report that I indeed have not been away on a refreshing restorative. Indeed, Professor X has seduced me with legal wiles. X is so amazingly mind-numbingly brilliant it actually hurts, but likes to have toadies like me to bounce ideas off of. X is also (unfortunately for me, because I have to finish reading it all) a publishing machine. We're working on a new book and there is an overwhelming amount of work to be done -- X hasn't touched this particular branch in a few years.

The other night we spent several hours discussing bizarre and esoteric theories. Research assistants should avoid this at all costs. You learn little because you don't understand what they're talking about, yet are somehow called upon to finish working out the details.

Even now, X's siren-song calls. It says, "Alice! You do understand and feel an irresistible urge to write me a memo!" Hopefully I can get a little blogging done first.