What a strange few weeks this has been. I don't know about you, but I've been glued to CNN, both at work and at home, listening to spin after argument after false claim. Despite the sameness of all the arguments, I can't say that I'm tiring of it yet. But I do confess that I love a good fight, and that probably explains a large part of why I'm following it so closely.

The other reason it's been strange for me is that, for weeks, I haven't been feeling well. This is why it just takes a few small pleasures to get me to sit up and remember that live isn't that bad after all. Like last night when I finished a rather depressing book I'd been reading by a guy named Barry Unsworth. Although it was late, I couldn't sleep and needed another book to get into. Unfortunately, for once, I had no unread books by the side of my bed. So I returned to my favorite author, Patrick O'Brian, and picked up the very first book in his magnificent Aubrey/Maturin series, "Master and Commander."

Within minutes, I was smiling at the opening scene, wherein the characters that I will follow for some twenty more books just leap off the page fully formed. Aubrey and Maturin, two strangers attending a music concert in Mahon during the war with France around the beginning of the 18th century, get into a nasty disagreement which ends up in a challenge. Such a challenge conventionally resulted in a duel during those times. But shortly after their encounter, Aubrey learns of his own promotion. Subsequently, running across Maturin, he impulsively throws out a heartfelt apology for their misunderstanding.

Instantly, Maturin returns the apology:

"My dear sir," cried the man in the black coat, with an odd flush rising in his dead-white face, "you had every reason to be carried away. I have never heard a better quartetto in my life - such unity, such fire. May I propose a cup of chocolate, or coffee? It would give me great pleasure."

After reading that paragraph, I put the book down and prepared to sleep, smiling inwardly with a kind of affection for the characters I know so well, two men, however fictitious, with a generosity of spirit I wish I possessed myself.

And just this evening, my good mood was stoked by having the best workout at the gym that I've had in weeks, where it's been such a struggle lately.

Finally, I returned home tonight and received a letter from my Dad in my mailbox. He's such a good letter-writer - he puts me to shame with my inconsistent and infrequent correspondence.

It's hard to believe it's almost December. It will be a busy month for me, since I'm taking three separate trips. The first is next week, with a couple of days in our headquarters in the south. Then, the following week, a couple of days down in Los Angeles. The biggie is the week I'm spending in Washington D.C. between Christmas and New Year. I'm really looking forward to that! Jed will be close by, staying with his family in New Jersey, and a couple of friends will be flying in to spend a couple of days. I'm hoping for my first white Christmas in years, but I know the odds are against it.

And that's all really. Just thought I'd take advantage of my good mood to write something cheerful for a change :)