AniManiac, I have always gulped when I should have perhaps sipped. Is this a symptom of being bipolar? Maybe it is. And maybe all these lows have been the direct result of having loved and lived in such an all-consuming way. So be it. But I think I am learning slowly how to rein myself in a bit, to save more of myself for myself, to not give so whole-heartedly that I am left only with the charred remains of my self, as it were. And lest my prose here turns completely purple , let me just wrap it up by saying that in your (new, sober) life you may never experience again anything quite like the manic phases we've all come to know and love. In fact, I'm quite sure of it. But it may prove to be a more sustainable, if somewhat muted bliss. I do know that I must slay the romantic in me in order to really produce serious work (and serious love); of course no one wants to slay the creativity that comes along with that...but my romantic was quite the destructive fellow as well. I slashed and burned my way through life. So really the only responsible thing to do is break the old, un-sustainable molds and build something that will last longer than a summer or a semester. Speaking for myself here of course.

Do I sound high? I hope not. Still very sober here, wishing everyone else the same. Nor am I manic. Actually I'm just sitting here very quietly, gently typing away as I wait for a little peace so as to resume my fascinating book.