I have three days left in New York (of my twenty day hiatus), when my laptop becomes lapbottom. In the absence of a keyboard, mouse, and screen, I opted for a book (The Heights by Peter Hedges, author of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, who also adapted Nick Hornby’s About A Boy). I devoured it… along with everything else.

I’m certain I’ve gone up a full cup size. I won’t get on a scale. Now that I’m back in Texas, though, I’m back on track. Writing down every last thing I consume. Though, I might have to ramp up the exercise. Today I slipped on pumas and a Barenaked Ladies over-sized tee, went for the sneakers. Dropped the beans off at school with every intention to work out, only to return home to sit on my bountiful bottom. All day. Every last moment was spent “noodling.” That is, “online organization” for my new MacBook Pro.

Contacts, for instance, can take a full day of noodling. Hello, HOLIDAY GREATING SEASON is here. And where are my addresses? I want to sync my iPhone contacts with my Google contacts, with my MacBook contacts, each lovely person with an associated email, phone, twitter address, facebook handle, home address, and birthday. This takes time. It also takes Plaxo.

In organizing my contacts, I realized I needed to create an Austin Friends group, so I can easily fire off a geo-mass email when I’m in last-minute need of a drink, a movie, a TV viewing party… in need of a friend, in general.

It’s amazing how technology, something as mind-numbing as reorganizing your contacts and address book can make you re-evaluate your relationships. Make you realize that you want more more in your life.