January 29, 2003 - 5:07 p.m.

Whoa. After that last entry, which I thought was pretty understated, I was barraged with e-mails and notes saying things like "I love you!" and "Hang in there." You were supposed to come away from that entry feeling positive, but somehow I suspect I came across as a charity case. Whoops.

So in any event, I am fine. Thanks. And I love you, too.

My article came out in Melbourne Magazine today. I'm in the first section after the letters to the editor, which is pretty cool, and I have two pictures accompanying the story instead of one (their original estimate). And - I was pretty stoked about this - the copy is nearly all mine. They hardly edited the thing.

So are you ready for the bad news? I have no byline. I used to read about things like this, where all journalists cared about was a byline, but I'd never had it happen to me. I just figured you had every right to include the thing in your portfolio, and if anyone wanted to question it, they could just call up the publication. Let's hope there's not a problem, unless it's a case of my parents trying to find the darned thing within the magazine!

I went to a casting for a TV commercial for Target today. I asked the agency what the dress code was because they usually have something very specific in mind. "It's for a winter commercial," she said, "and it's going to be 40 degrees [104 Fahrenheit] tomorrow, so wear whatever you want."

Well, whatever I want turned out to be a topic of discussion because the casting agent said, very seriously, "I love your look." My look? As if it was something I'd manufactured. "Oh really?" I should have said. "This is Erin #15. I was hoping it would be appropriate."

Not my hairstyle, or my clothes, or anything else. It sounds like something out of Zoolander. The weirdest part? It's not the first time I've heard it. And I had to fight off the giggles the other times, too.

I'm off to the movies to see One Hour Photo. I know, you Yankees probably had it in the theaters months and months ago, but you're also in a bit of a cold snap at the moment, right? I think I'll stay here and run around barefoot instead.