Dirty Hands. Bleeding Arms.

I'm a few cuts and scrapes away from perfection. And I'm dizzy with effort and exertion. But things look better from here.

It's cold, and it rained a little. I like the sound of leather soles on damp sidewalks. I like the sound of forgetting that you can only hear just as you drift off to sleep and you can never remember afterwards. I like the sound of soft sheets being pulled back when I -- sweet-smelling and bed-ready -- call it quits and tumble in. I like the sound of sprinklers coming on in the wee hours. I like the sound of everything working as it should.

If I were a robot, my happy green LED would indicate that I am in fine working order. When the LED flashes red, it would mean it's time to fuel my ice cream tank. But solid green would mean all systems go. And orange would mean it's time to carve a pumpkin.