There's something to be said for living across the street from a place of business that has frequent UPS deliveries. For the second time in the last year or so, I've been able to put this to good use. Yesterday I wanted to return the item sent by this retailer from hell - an excursion that required tracking down a local UPS shipper. I tried stopping by one yesterday but the place I'd been to before was no longer there so I had to go on the Internet and find a new location. The place closed before I got off work, however, which meant it would have to wait until today. But then, lo and behold, there I am getting out of my car last night at 6 p.m. and there is the UPS guy making a late delivery and there I am, pulling the big box out of my car to bring back into the house and there is the guy in brown walking back to his truck - parked down the street from our house - and then our paths crossed and it was like one of those magical movie moments where butterflies float and bluebirds sing and everything is dreamy and romantic as he smiled, took the package from my weary hands and drove off into the dusky evening.

I've decided that 2004 is going to be a good year - the above just being one tiny sign of such. Although the first week of the year has already had quite a few strange moments, it's also had some good ones. Some good news, some nice moments, some promising ideas, some optimistic plans.

Now hopefully I have not just jinxed everything to all hell by declaring my hope for the new year.