You'll be happy to know I survived the Day O' Little Sleep without falling into a deep trough of despair, but I do appear to have caught whatever that disgusting drip on the bus was passing around - we can only hope it's not the Bird Flu! Thanks, mister!

In other news, I picked up some photos yesterday, which I will guiltily admit to you was my first round of attempted author photos, taken by the talented photographer GalPal #2. Yes I know publication is still a year away! But I want pictures taken of me before I age any further! While I still have flowing tresses and a slender body and a look of deceptively dewey youth about my eyes!

And besides, can you blame me? I've been waiting to take this author photo for 25 years now.

I ripped them open, impatient to see how glamorous I looked in black and white. How hip and authorial and alluring. I had blow-dried my hair for the occasion, put on lipstick, and a dab of eyeliner, maybe even some eyeshadow.

And alas, despite GP #2's relative skill with the camera, I am in desperate need of a stylist. When photographed from the side, my hair looked like a layered quasi-mullet straight out of my 9th grade yearbook, and my chin was nonexistent.

As much as I would like to be photographed au naturel, outdoors with little makeup, hoping that my natural beauty will shine through, I now know this: it won't. It needs help. And much as I'd like this to be a family affair, I'll probably hire a professional photographer, too. One who can shine the rightlight on my face and make it look like I actually have a chin. And beforehand, I will have my hair done by someone who actualy knows how to wield a blow-dryer.

I admit, I'm a vain person. Vain enough to think that I have just enough glamor - if photographed correctly - to help sell a book. To strengthen my marketing campaign. I'm no Catherine Zeta-Jones but I'm cute! My mommy told me so! But even Ms ZJ, I'm sure, doesn't appear on the red carpet without spending several hours with her style professionals.

Besides, most women my age have been married at least twice by now, which means I've missed out on getting made-up and photographed (yeah, I'm one of those people who like getting my picture taken, if you haven't guessed by now). So here I go to find me a stylist!

What? What's that you say? Shouldn't you finish the book first? Is that what you're saying? What - are you my mother? I'm trying, OK? I'm working at it. It's just that getting my author photo taken is so much more fun!