Courage is the thing. All goes if courage goes. J.M. Barrie

Tonight's picture, 'i liek music' is from Jinx Fulion, over at deviant.art, which is rapidly becoming as addictive to me as my favourite blogs. An experimental photographer by trade, Jinx perfectly captures the disenchanted ennui that was my day. Check out her site over at DA and the rest of her work while you're at it.

I'm getting rather suspicious about the lurgy that is affecting everyone. I think it may be a new strain of illness released by the government to test our general health. Next will come arguments that the British gene pool is weakening and calls for eugenics measures from the last century.

Or I'm paranoid.

Back to work today and it was a bit of a suck-fest, and I don't mean the good kind.

The day started ebulliently enough with a text message from the Chief.

"Rise and shine, kritter, the holidays are over."

I was - and I know how sick this sounds - really glad to be going back to work. I took my new Christmas wand in and everything (I would love to show this to you, I really would - and as soon as I find a way, Dear Reader......) to share the magic. By midday though, I was having as sucky a day as any other post-Christmas returner, so I decided on the walk home that tonight's Daily would be about good things. Things that inspire me. Things that are new and positive and bright.

After all, my good mood this morning was genuine, I figure. It just wasn't very strong, and quickly overthrown by circumstance. I must beef up my moments of happiness with a kind of psychological steroid, so that they cannot be so easily conquered by things beyond my control. I feel all Hendered now.

First joyful thing is Scott Matthew's Dreamsong video, which I love, both for song and video.



I love this song almost as much, in fact, as I loved watching the solo Maccabee on Popworld's review yesterday - my Gosh, that boy was pretty. And his name's Orlando. You're damn lucky I managed to find him for you. Here's First Love. Oh, yes.



Isn't he pretty and soulful and indie and pretty? I saw the Maccabees last week, too, they were supporting the Delays, who were also fab. The Maccabees reminded me of a cross between the Kings of Leon and eighties punk. I think the lead singer, Orlando, is my new lovepunch.

Which reminds me, my sister and I spent the best part of Christmas day debating the real meaning of Emo - please share your views if you're an indie kid with a stake in this debate.

By luck more than judgement tonight, I found Neil Gaiman (one of my favourite writers and all round cool chap) has his own blog! If you like fantasy and gentle, highly intelligent Englishmen (he now lives in Minnesota), add his blog to your daily haunts.

Ok, I know I said happy stuff, and really this item is for the feminist blog that Shon and I are currently discussing launching in the new year, but I really want to tell you about the article by Julie Bindel in the Guardian from a couple of weeks back. Check the link to read it, and thanks to the ever pioneering Shonagh for forwarding the newsletter of the fabulous Lilith Project, which brought this article to my attention.

Last of all, our quotes du jour:

Anyone who works is a fool. I don't work - I merely inflict myself upon the public. Robert Morley

It is characteristic of all deep human problems that they are not to be approached without some humor and some bewilderment.
Freeman Dyson

Happiness depends upon ourselves. Aristotle

The secret of happiness in not in what one likes to do, but in what one has to do.
James M Barrie

Today's Beautiful Things
1. Walking home in quiet, dark streets

2. Still the food

3. Thinking of Lofoten