New Accelerators

• Here's something to like: Finding in my drawer a square of chocolate that I'd forgotten was there. O perfect and satisfying delight!

• Here's something to ponder: Oliver Sacks' fascinating New Yorker article ("Speed," 8/20/04 issue) on time perception and personal clocks. My sleep-strategy for more productive writing is now officially grounded in science—oh, and also in studies of mescaline and hashish. (Where can I get some L-Dopa, by the way, to complete a summer's worth of writing goals within the next week?)

• Here's something to celebrate: I had a really, really good talk with one of my former advisers last night. Reflecting on the conversation afterwards, I was stunned by how articulate and clear I'd been. That may sound arrogant, until you know what a tongue-tied dork I've sometimes been in previous interactions with this person. Yesterday, though, we bantered and joked like old friends. I found myself relating entertaining (and thankfully relevant!) anecdotes that made her laugh. For her part, she was generous with advice and affirmations. (And the latter do not fall easily from this lady's lips.) The pleasant minutes passed in no time at all. But, for all its velocity, the conversational parry also felt as manageable as a slow-motion ping-pong game. For once, nothing got past my mental paddle. Afterward, I glowed as if I'd just aced an important job interview.

Why was the conversation so easy this time? Maybe it's because I'm so much happier now than I was this time last year. Happiness feeds confidence, right? Or is it the other way around? All I know is that a well-timed dose of chocolate nourishes them both.