*Clink!*

I almost forgot to drink! While I was cleaning for my move, I found this cute little bottle of Tomintoul 10 ("the gentle dram;" pencil added for size comparison). This was a gift from my friend Charles, who brought it back from a trip to the U.K., and I promised him I'd drink it in celebration the day I got an agent. So, okay, I was off by a few days, but yesterday I did it as soon as I had a free moment in my new temporary New Jersey digs.

I've discovered that this is one of the weird things about any kind of audition-based job-hunting. You work and you work and you work, and nothing happens, and then suddenly everything changes overnight as easily as an email or a phone call. It happened seven years ago when I found I'd gotten a piece accepted by The Atlantic Monthly, and happened again just over a year ago when I got my first "yes" from This American Life. And now I have an agent, and that's another potentially life-changing "yes." So it turns out life can be merciful! It just takes a while sometimes.

Anyway, I invite everyone to charge their glasses. Here's to life's sudden changes for the good! If you want to make an artificial "clink" noise with your mouths, I will completely understand.

LATER: Oh, I forgot! The Tomintoul was very nice. I expected something smoky or peaty, but it was more sweet and grassy, with definite notes of citrus. I'd have to call it the sunniest, most optimistic single malt I've ever had. Though of course I might be biased.