Its just before 8.

As usual, I'm alone in the office, with some good morning music playing at top volume. Today's selection is Bob Dylan's first three records on shuffle, inspired by the Scorsese documentary that PBS aired again last night. By all accounts, Dylan was a mesmerizing character in those early years. And when a master of narrative like Scorsese does the accounting, even a Dylan naysayer like Sarah is drawn in.

Yes, I married a Dylan naysayer.

Asher decided to get up at 5am - something he has not done in at least six months. Sarah was inexplicably already awake, so she acquiesced, and the two of them headed out to the front room to build a train station out of legos. I pretended to sleep for another half hour.

My good college friends Kelly, Kristen and Dana are in town this weekend for Gail's bachelorette party, and are coming over for dinner tonight. Kelly lives in Portland, Oregon, and has never met Asher. Should be fun.

Next week, we're off to the Midwest to see my parents in Springfield, then catch up with some other college friends in Chicago. It's an ill-timed vacation, given that I'm leaving NPD in a matter of weeks, and everyone's worried about knowledge transfer. But, what can I do?