So, you start to establish a few rules for yourself.

Rule #1--Stop manufacturing good times. Instead of attempting to make every time better than the last, simply accept and appreciate the fact that some times are simply going to be okay. In that, start attempting to recognize those okay times and live for them. Eventually you will start to recognize that the okay times are better than you thought.

Rule #2--Recognize and adequately prepare for the good times to come. Simple eradication of those times will do nothing but make you resent everything else. So, pinpoint when those times are on their way, know they are coming, and when you have to live through an okay time, remind yourself that you are going to live a good time one day. That should be enough juice to keep you in check.

Rule #3--When the good times arrive, don't treat each one as it has to be better than the last. After a while, you can't get much better and you just start going backward. Eventually good times turn into bad ones and then you don't have much left.

If you're the kind of person who has lived good times until they start getting bad, you might have some idea what the hell I'm talking about. If you're not, just accept the fact that there are some things I don't like to talk about and some things I still need to get off my chest.

So, here's to the okay times. Here's to the good times.

And here's to you.