February in Texas this year finds me subjected to a brisk southern breeze that drives temperatures into the seventies and finds me outdoors with more frequency than I should, should, be enjoying considering the woes of my neighbors to the not-to-far north.  I’m a bastard, but if I could bottle the feeling of a soft, clear breeze I would post it here so that you could feel insane quantities of jealousy on my behalf.

Life has been good.  Short of the recent health scares that have given me some much needed perspective, everything else has been going well.  Everyone is happy.  I don’t know if you are like me and hesitant to put that sentence (or something like it) out in the universe for fear that you are jinxing it somehow, but at the moment I’m rife with confidence that my writing isn’t going in endanger the balance of the universe.

N is well (love her).  Everyone else that touches my life is doing well and considering the hell that the past few years have been for some of them, that is pretty good.  This vacation has been as well timed as any I’ve ever taken, and although I made no exotic trips this time, I enjoyed it greatly.

I’ve had time to read.  I’ve had time to cook.  I’ve had time to listen to the entire collection of music I’ve gotten - I’ve even converted some albums (yes, I’m old enough to have them) over to MP3.   This has been a relaxing week.  I am amazingly unstressed and smiling more than I’ve ever done.

I would tell you that it is because I’m not stressed and no longer in touch with my inner angst, that is why I’m not writing, but indeed, I didn’t write when I was in the middle of my own personal hell.   This is the first time I’ve felt the urge to write and its because I’m back to feeling like myself.  I’m back to being the rock.

This year looks to bring me a lot of good things.  It started badly, but its looking up.

I hope yours is as well.  I’ll get back to writing more, but alas, the weather outside has awakened my inner grilling beast.  Steaks, my place.  Can you feel my smile?