Things are considerably better than they were a few hours ago. (See previous entry.)

That is, my mood.

A phone call can do that. A sweet, loving voice can do that. A calming voice. Thank you, honey.

And thank you, Heather, for your concern. It, too, was much appreciated.

In a little more than an hour, it will be a new month. A new page on the calendar, a new cartoon on my Far Side day-by-day (I know, that happens everyday, but just go with it for now). A new dedication to the job hunt - Hey, I now have Job Hunting for Dummies, the tiny pocket version. Tomorrow I write back to the guy at that major sports magazine, even though they're not hiring. But their situation has changed - management shakeup - so maybe there might be a small opening. His letter was promising, and maybe my responding will produce at least a meeting, something if I'm a serious candidate for when something becomes available. And tomorrow I sit down and send out a few more resumes, following up on a few leads I've let slide because they weren't the perfect opportunities. But they're opportunities, and they're not bad ones, so I should do something. If I bear down and dedicate myself to this, there is no reason I can't have something by the end of February.

This is my month.

And it's also the month I make that doctor's appointment, because I know it's the right thing to do. It's just a checkup, and it may mean a change in my diet, some diligence on my part, but it's for the best. It's for the long haul. It's what needs to be done so I don't have problems when I'm older. I can get my cholesterol under control now if I just get to the doctor.

There are going to be some changes.