Tuesday afternoon, I felt completely worn down for no apparent reason. Yesterday morning, it was clear I wasn't going to make it into work - and this morning was even worse. Luckily there wasn't anything significant on my work calendar for either day; in fact, yesterday's pre-trial conference had to be adjourned to a later date anyway because my client was unavailable. But staying home from work wasn't my first preference (for a change). Nor is staying home from tonight's auction at Cardozo, which I'd been looking forward to - but I don't want to risk still being sick tomorrow.

I've been puttering around the house trying to do what I can to feel better - napping, taking it easy, watching movies ("Zelig" was cute and worth a Netflix rental, but not great), running an errand or two when I had the energy. But I didn't really start feeling better until just a little while ago, after picking up and eating a potato knish, a raspberry hamantasch, and a cup of coffee with milk from the Bagel Mill across the street.

Now I'm feeling warm and happy. With any luck I'll be close to 100% tomorrow. Hope you're all doing well.

I understand, a beautiful sea green 1962 re-issue Fender Jazzmaster electric guitar spectacularly autographed by Elvis Costello is a relatively big-ticket item, and you're just being cautious. I understand, many people like to wait until the waning moments of an eBay auction before putting up their maximum proxy bid (either manually or via "sniping" software); it has the double benefits of boxing out other potential bidders if you're the high bidder, and preventing you from revising your maximum on an emotional basis if you're not. So I'm kind of assuming the bidding will pick up in, oh, about eight hours.

But there are thirty-three of you. You can't all have the guitar. I rather suspect the bidding might end up fast and semi-furious in the last several minutes, and I believe (or at least hope) that it might sell for a nice, tidy sum, perhaps (I hope I hope) even somewhat over the reserve price I set hoping to recoup my costs. So it really shouldn't matter exactly when you bid - now or later - since thirty-two of you will not be the high bidder.

And when the auction ends at 10:18:47pm EST tonight, I will probably be in my aunt & uncle's car on the way back to Manhattan from the family Hannukah party at the ancestral home in Dobbs Ferry. I might have a few opportunities to slink off and check on the auction during the party itself, from 6pm to whenever the party is over, but if none of the impending remaining bids are cast until I'm off the grid, the stress will begin to get to me, and I will surely experience some massive form of coronary infarction and get my aunt & uncle's car all messed up. You really don't want to see that happen, right?

So could y'all please be nice auction-watchers, and place your bids now? I'd really love to see that price go up before I leave work in two and a half hours.

Thanks. You're bricks, each and every one of you.