today was a good day - Monday October 25 1999    

Our company celebrated its millionth signed-up member today at a gala company meeting featuring genuine champagne mimosas. All 29 of us who have worked at the company for at least a year were called to the front of the room one by one to receive $1000 travel vouchers. Additionally, I received several bonus checks for recent projects I've completed. My cynicism had difficulty withstanding such a concentrated pounding of good news.

For the rest of the day I found myself being both unusually productive and cheerful. I didn't even take a lunch break, normally a psychological necessity.

At the end of the day I put a project live that is likely to win me over $500 in bonus money. It was the first major success of our somewhat-marginalized educational czar, and he was clearly aware that he had mostly me to thank.

Then when I got home I found I'd received the latest copy of the bimonthy Utne Reader. A bimonthly magazine is such an infrequent treat that the receipt of an issue confers an almost holiday quality on the day all by itself.