Frustration is

watching the fourth episode of the fifth season of MI-5, seeing the preview at the end of it, planning to watch the next one after dinner out that night, and finding the disc is bad. Tomorrow, I must buy another copy of the box set.

Dinner, on the other hand, was extremely tasty, courtesy of Fins, a restaurant that the Raleigh News & Observer food critic, Greg Cox, chose as his best of 2007. My appetizer, the foie gras sandwich, was the only misstep of my meal, a dish rendered so-so due to the too thick, too plain bread overwhelming the perfectly prepared foie. The sashimi we all shared was lovely. My scallops entree blended perfectly cooked scallops with bits of pork and a lot of grilled onions. The tiramisu desert, which arrives in a tall thin glass, was the best I've ever had. Definitely a keeper. If you're in the Triangle area, check it out (though do plan to open your wallet wide; it's not cheap).

Dieting would be so very much easier if I did not love good food so very much.