It is another of those long nights, reader. All my companions have long since gone to bed. The dog is curled up at my feet, his paws twitching in a dream. I can hear crickets chirping outside my window and the more distant sound of cars racing up and down the highway outside. They never stop, although they are quite frequently chased by sirens.

I'm awake and I will be awake all night, driven by a curious sense of urgency. I seem to have let a great deal slip away, these past few weeks, and now I am determined to make up for lost time. I don't have any deadline tonight except the one I've imposed on myself. That makes me feel very grown up.

This being a master of my own destiny stuff is scary, but I think I could learn to like it.