Dateline: above the sold garage, thinking of tomorrow's packing, 15 June 2005

Up at 0430 after a tiring night of sleeping with a small Chinese woman who started kicking me violently around 1 am (we drank some water, had a short talk, and made amends). My five-year-old also magically appeared at some point, he of the sleeping sideways trick. I was almost grateful to bail at dawn's early light.

Commuter jet to LaGuardia, then another to Charlottesville VA. Quick drive in rental to yet another out-of-the-way-but-totally-unique-antique-resort-setting-just-60-miles-from-DC. This was a Brookings Institution retreat/training seminar for DoD midlevel types, both civil and military. Got there just in time for the gourmet lunch. Then hooked up and went 120, getting less far in the brief than I usually do in 60. The fatigue of the past few days slowed me down. Good news, I tend to tell more stories when I'm tired, so I cover less ground but a richer brief. Went over well, and I signed the copies of seemingly everyone there, all of whom had new paperbacks and two of which also had hard covers to sign.

Then back to the airport, and return flights to and through Philly to home. I am beat. Here are articles blogged along the way.

Oh, and I picked up an Esquire July issue along the way. Rummy on the cover (small picture), plus the first of four additional "covers" (super close-up) just inside. Sort of my first cover-story, I guess. And that's what Mark Warren called it over the phoneóthe lead story of a 'special issue.' It felt very good to see it in print.

Even cooler to seeóin two Philly airport bookstoresóthe Esquire cover story plus the PNM paperback within feet of each other. I felt an almost Bill Shatner-like level of self-love.

Which reminds me of my waistline . . .

Ouch, and my hairline too . . .

Time to go to bed.

Here's the daily catch:

■ No Rumsfeld wars, but no Rumsfeld peace either

■ Iran's sullen majority to speak out?

■ Politicians are expert at pissing in the wind on global trade and integration

■ Real estate bubble is global, emphasizing globalization's profound connectivity

■ Ending poverty? How long? How long must we sing this song?

■ China's literate peasants are revolting? For what exactly?

■ God's eye view or ground eye's view?

■ Gas: It's the other hydrocarbon

■ The UN: What's it good for?

■ Homeland insecurities

■ On elder affairs, Japan sets the pace