MELANCHOLY

Are you sad? If you are, that's not surprising, and certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Post holiday blues and dreary, difficult weather can perpetuate and multiply the angst of every day living. Broken New Year's resolutions gnaw at the ego. Then there's the ridiculous Conan O'Brien debacle. It's okay to be sad. Embrace your melancholy, struggle with it, defeat it, then let it go.

Find someone or something to blame (perhaps Jay Leno), then replace your sorrow with forgiveness, even if it is yourself who you blame and must forgive.

To help you enjoy (but not wallow in) your sadness, I propose the following songs to nurture your good/bad feelings:

Ask the Lonely - The Four Tops

Hello in There - Bette Midler

I Hurt Myself - Johnny Cash

Goodbye My Friend - Linda Rondstat

Didn't We - Richard Harris

Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen

I Dreamed a Dream - Susan Boyle

There are millions of great sad songs, sung with gut wrenching emotion. Everybody hurts, some times, even Steve and Eydie.

I'm no doctor; I don't even play one in this blogsisphere, but I am a really special patient. However, if I were a doctor, I would encourage you to ease your personal sorrow by reflecting on a "feel good" story. One of my favorites from this past year is in fact related to the last sad song on my list above.

Susan Boyle, Marion Lorne look-a-like, stunned herself and the musical world with her unsuspected talent. Rags to riches; freakin' inspirational.

How's this: Don't worry, be happy. And if you can't be happy, make, make someone happy.

And you will be happy too.

"So if you're walking down the street sometime And spot some hollow ancient eyes, Please don't just pass 'em by and stare As if you didn't care, say, 'Hello in there, hello.'"