I missed work again today. Third straight day.

I just couldn't get up. I went right back to sleep. When I woke up, I started watching the World's Strongest Man competition.

That had to wait though. There were brand new, shiny mood stabilizers to pick up.

I beat the Canadiens 6-0 in console hockey. I kicked everyone's ass in Unreal Tournament for 2-3 hours. I made an amazing comeback in chess, which, if you know where to check, is dedicated to the greatest girl in the world, who also happens to be my girlfriend.

She doesn't realize that she's the most beautiful girl in the world, the most interesting girl in the world, the most creative girl in the world, the coolest girl in the world, the smartest girl in the world, and the most exciting girl in the world. (Which is hard to pull off if you don't fly jet planes, race Porsches, or sell illegal substances to George Bush's progeny, but she seems to pull it off somehow.)

Maybe it's because she doesn't know that after the first time I met her I had a dream where she was becoming progressively prettier and prettier by the hour, and she doesn't know that the exact same thing has been happening in real life.

She doesn't know that I consider every single thing she's written for me the most romantic thing I've received in my life.

It's probably because I tend to keep these things to myself.

Because I tend to exist in a shell.

There's no one I'd rather make plans to have adventures with. There's no one I'd rather sign a contract with demanding reparations from fireflies. (Ed. A poor attempt at humor.)

I have faith we'll always live through the night, because we're the good guys, and the good guys always win.

Even though my thoughts are racing and incoherent, even though every incessant yap that escapes from our dogs is piercing my brain like a red hot lance, and even though doctors are going to be drawing blood from my arm to make sure my weird brain medications aren't screwing up some vital, esoteric biological function, I still believe that all those good things that I mentioned are true.

Maybe this is a weak argument and a logical fallacy, but if I can believe in them, you can too. And it feels better to just let yourself go and believe for once.

Take it from me. I know it better than anyone.