Sometimes, you look at your life, see how wonderful it is and can't believe it's yours. I've been having this sort of
disconnect lately. It's a little on the dark side, I know. Perhaps I just feeling down to balance out just how great
life is right now. I'm learning new things at work. Brittan is at Vanderbilt and Alora will be going back to Mary
Baldwin soon. In a couple years I'll have a couple 18-year-old college grads. Maxwell placed a year ahead in math to
start off middle school. He and Zara recently started a business selling snowcones by the neighborhood pool and have
already reaped a profit. We play tennis. My beautiful bride, who's getting ever closer to her doctorate, I love
more than anything even after 17 years of marriage. And confounding its improbability she's still in love with me.
Earlier this month I ran my fastest 5K ever.
1. They don't live in the past.
Yeah, I have a big problem with little things reminding me of past failures. Little stupid things bring up these internal
monologues to act like cautionary tales so I what, don't repeat them. Seems like I'm just living them over and over again.
2. They don't dwell on problems or hold grudges.
Worry wort much? I think this is just as hereditary as acrophobia. Fortunately I don't hold grudges.
3. They don't prioritize perfection.
Yup, I’m a perfectionist. Big time. Every sock on the floor or database call outside the model class has the ability to
pain me until I fix it. If I let it. Sometimes I can ignore it. But it never goes away.
4. They don't surround themselves with negative people.
Does the person inside my head count? Cuz he's REALLY negative.
5. They don't say "yes" to everyone, all the time.
No, I don't do this. Unless you really need me to. But just his once. Actually let me write a program to do it for you
from now on.
So maybe these are habits for good mental health rather than success. I might add another one. Don't read the news.
Israelis murdering Palestinians. Militarized cops in Missouri murdering kids and locking up journalists. My twitter feed's
gone from pictures of dead baby parts to constant police in military garb this month. There are too many horrible things
going on in the world to worry about. How did Q put it? "Humans are a dangerous, savage child race."
. . . Or I could just be bummed because my birthday's this weekend.
