It's funny, what difference a day can make.

Or perhaps it's just predictable.

Sunday: I was sad and lonely for no good reason other than...well, Sunday. As my friend North Star wryly observed, "Melissa and Sunday don't always get along." It was a day where, even when I was around people, I was terribly, terribly lonely. Not seeing any end to the hard work and duties and chores and missed chances until the very final end, when I die alone or else suffer endlessly, drooling in an under-funded nursing home. (Yeah, I know, that got dark really quickly.) It was a day where the tears were always lurking, just one kind word or cruel word away from welling up.

And then, a solid night's sleep brought me to...

Monday: Technically a day off. But I have Important Leadership Institute! obligations to follow through on today, and people from work sent me texts early in the day which  made me laugh, and I have errands to run and pricey shoes to buy and a birthday party to plan and a dinner to go to. And that's just today--there's so much to do this week, this month, this year, this life.

In short, ain't nobody got time for the Black Dog on a Monday. He'll be back, barking, nipping at my heels soon enough, but on this (annoyingly) bright January day, he's in the doghouse.