11.12.01 - 4:27 p.m.

Trying to figure out whether this day has been good or bad, and the best I can come up with is that it's just been surreal. As have been many days since I moved back to the East Coast.

I was woken up this morning by a phone call for a temp reception job, finally, after nights of wondering if I'd been blacklisted by the agencies. And a weeklong job, too. Wooo, buddy. But upon reaching the Path station, where I was already late, I was informed that "all train activity has been suspended." I didn't think anything of it, really, other than how fucking annoying it was that I had to walk the whole way over to the ferry when I was already late, because this has been happening off and on since Sept. 11. But then some Nordic guy (not Neil) said it was because of the plane crash in Queens. What plane crash in Queens? And that's when I started to panic.

I tried to call the temp agency, and Kerry, and Justine, and Dan, but only my call to Dan would go through - no 212s. I wondered if I was putting myself in the way of death by getting on the ferry, if the ferries were even running. I remembered the stories of people who had just jumped off the ferries into the Hudson River that day, knowing full well I'd probably drown if that should happen since I can't swim much more than the doggy paddle. But the ferries were running, so I hopped on the first one that arrived, and ended up across the river five minutes later at the World Financial Center.

I walked through the ghost town of lower Manhattan, past the police barricades and the uniformed officers, the streets wet and lingering acrid fumes in the air. Making a wrong turn down Vesey (not Vessey) St., I caught a glimpse of a decimated building - which one I don't know, but I didn't have time to stop and gawk like the tourist couple a few feet away. I found a subway stop on West Broadway - thank God the subways are still running - and took the 1 local up to Times Square. I made it to El Movie Company at 11:30 am, and that's when I finally learned the details of the crash and that all the bridges and tunnels were closed. And still are, as far as I know.

But the place seems pretty cool and much better to work at than King World. I get a computer, for one, even though I'm not sure if I should be using the internet or not. Must figure out who is safe to ask about that. But the highlight of my day has to be meeting Casey Affleck, and oh, I am such a freaking stupid fawning schoolgirl. He couldn't remember who he was supposed to be meeting with, and apparently (or politely?) didn't think I recognized him, so when he said "My name's Casey," I just had to be dumb and say "Mine is too." Then I blew everything by calling the extension and said, "Casey Affleck is here for a meeting..." D'oh.

Then some girl (apparently the director of publicity and marketing) breezed into the reception area and they were all, mwah mwah kissy kissy, hi how ARE you, and she was going to see Gwyneth on SNL on Saturday but was too tired but Casey went, and they were reminiscing about some time seven years ago when they were doing some photo shoot downtown by the San Gennaro festival and Casey bought a t-shirt and wrote "I snuck into this picture" on it or something and told people he was a student at Columbia...oh, those crazy times. I am a loser. I have nothing better to do than to pretend to read my book and eavesdrop on famous people.

I guess it's better than moping around my house watching them on TRL. And since I'm making money to do so, I'll then have more spending money to buy magazines with their faces on the covers. I wonder how late I'll have to stay? I wonder if I'll get that second interview at Unnamed Magazine? I wonder how I'll get home tonight?