Smell the roses

Sometimes, life is just good. Take today for example: it's a beautiful day, bright sunshine, a chill in the air, a perfect autumnal day. I've got sore lungs from smoking despite having a cold (which is just stupid) but I'm feeling in good spirits. I've had two strong cups of coffee with a shot of hazelnut and have a resultant pleasant caffeine buzz. I have an afternoon of leisure with nothing in particular to do and life feels quite grand right now. I have the love of a good woman, who has offered to cook a lovely dinner for us both later. Splendid. Things are just splendid. It's not often that I feel in such spirits so I thought it should be recorded here for posterity.

Other things to feel positive about:

• The Arsenal v Spurs game yesterday. A 5-4 thriller goalfest, one of the most entertaining (and comical) games of football I have ever seen. OK, so the defending was so farcical at times you were half expecting Frank Spencer to whizz by on roller skates hanging onto the back of a bus, but there was an incredible collective energy in Arsenal that has not been seen since those Manc Scum robbed them at Old Trafford a few weeks ago. The hunger and swagger was back. Three points were won. Bring on Chelsea.
  
• Not long until Christmas now. Like last year, Christmas Day shall be spent at home with the missus and her sister and will no doubt be extremely pleasant. Christmas Eve should be a half day, I can then go home and not have to return to that awful work place until Tuesday 4th January, 2005. Excellent.
• Even New Year, so often a cause of distress to me, should be good this year. People will be around, there's a party going on or maybe there will be dinner and wine with some good friends instead. Either way, I think this New Year should be celebrated this time round.
  
• Before all of this, I have a joint 30th party on Saturday 4th December which, despite originally having reservations, I am now rather looking forward to.
• The plan for major life change is still only a sketch, but it's gradually taking more shape. Next year should be extremely interesting. . . The possibility of seeking out a more satisfying life is frightening but enlivening. I don't think I have felt genuine anticipation or excitement like this for several years. Occasionally I get a "rabbit in the headlights" moment (sorting out what to do with my flat is stressing me out a bit) but the prospect of not doing my job anymore or anything even like it is enough to snap me out of it. This book has also been useful.
• The prospect of writing. Whether it be this modest blog, or anything else I'm working on at the moment, the whole idea of it just excites me. There seems to be a spark of creativity in the air at the moment: I feel totally encouraged to write things down thanks to really positive and valued feedback from friends; my soulmate Cunners wants to take up the piano again; lots of my friends are interested in writing. One, for example, has suggested we make a demo for a radio play. We have the technology and the ability, so why the hell not? Christ, just think of all the rubbish that gets on the radio, not to mention the horseshit that we have to endure on television. I know plenty of people who are funny and smart enough to help us put something half-decent together. Let's do it!

Right, well, I'm going to have to go and have a little lie down. I'm not used to being this positive. Especially on a Sunday afternoon, so often the domain of the black dog. This post will be very useful to me tomorrow morning when I'm back at work and feeling miserable as hell. It will be a stark reminder of what I'm trying to do and why.