Lose some, win some

Had a ticket, was on the list, everything -- and I still didn't get into the Distilled Spirits' Council's "Spirits of New York" party last night at the New York Yacht Club. Rumors spread that Arnold Schwarzenegger was coming to one of the night's top parties, so suddenly every Capitol Hill fly and Californian needed to be at the door, touting their connections to The Governator. I spent 45 minutes in the rope line when the fire marshals showed up and said they weren't letting more people in. Might've saved me from myself. Went back to the hotel and got a good 5 hours' sleep.

Much better luck at the Great American Farm Breakfast this morning -- sponsored by Koch Nitrogen, among others. Knew about it, but wasn't RSVPed or nothin'. Just walked up to the entrance and said (suddenly developing a southern Plains drawl), "Ahm from Wich-a-taw, and I'd like ta go to tha fawrm breakfast." Got let right in, and had one darn well-prepared, American-grown meal. And not a Terminator in sight. One more reason to love rural America.