Well, shit. Just as I was feeling a little better about myself, salving my bruised self-esteem, some fucking reader (Paul Scheele, to be exact) has to send me a link to this Slate article -- What Is Narcissistic Personality Disorder? -- that says NPD is no defense for homicide. Among other things, it reports:

"As the disorder's name suggests, an NPD sufferer believes he or she is the greatest thing since sliced bread. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders lists nine telltale signs, including unrealistic fantasies of living a more glamorous life, a desperate craving for admiration, and a complete lack of empathy for others."

Just for the record, I want to make it perfectly clear that she never threatened to kill me.