Saturday, 25 January 2003 | Gone

I had hoped that when I returned to the room, it would be dead, fully exposed and on the floor, but in an obvious place so that I wouldn't accidentally put a socked foot on top of it. I gave it thirty minutes to absorb the glass cleaner I sprayed at it just before it tumbled down the wall and onto my desk. It no longer appears to be on my desk, but it isn't where I asked it to be, and I have no idea whether it's dead. Living alone has made me generally braver when it comes to killing roaches, but (fortunately) I only get practice about once a month.

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It will be my first slumber party in almost two decades. I'm supposed to arrive wearing pajamas of some sort, and the hosts are going to provide drinks and food and cheesy 80s movies. I'm not sure whether we are going to revive other slumber party traditions. I have no objection to "Truth or Dare," but I'm hoping there will be no pillow fights. I've never liked those.