I strongly suspect that I have not actually cycled up yet.   That the good day I had today was more or less just a high point or reprieve in a depression that will continue once I finally go to sleep and wake up again.   I’ve been up for about 28 or 30 hours as I type this.    I actually first went to bed around 9pm last night,  but I couldn’t fall asleep.   And my very thick winter beard  (untrimmed since sometime in the fall) started to itch.    I went to the bathroom,  took a hard look at my face in the mirror and fetched the clippers from the cabinet.

I started at the longest setting, nine,  and clipped my beard away,  going over and over my face while turning the setting a notch closer every now and then.    I used the clipper without the attachment to remove most of my beard,   though I did leave a short mustache and goatee.    I did not in fact actually shave my face,  so there is a layer of stubble on my cheeks and neck.    But I felt ever so much better after my beard trim and shower.    When I came out of the bathroom,   I put on some fresh clothes and rather than try to go back to bed,  logged on to my laptop.     Around 1:30 am,  a good friend who lives just a couple of miles away invited me to come over.     So I spent the night staying up at my friend’s house.      We had a lot of fun hanging out together and I did not come home until after 9am.

I am frankly pleased with myself for getting out of the house.   And thankful that I have such a good friend who lives so nearby.   And whose hours are just as irregular as mine are,  such that I was able to have a great visit and so much fun while most everyone else in this part of the world was asleep.      I really do cherish all of my friends,   both the ones I speak with online and the ones I see face to face.   And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being one of them.

PS–If the bacon chocolate peanut brittle in the background appeals to you,  click here to order some through a non-affiliate link.