Lessons learned after returning from vacation

1. Give friends pretty presents that they'll enjoy from where you went on vacation --- there's no better pick-me-up.

2. Read Harry Potter on the way to and from work, so that life at least seems a lot lighter and tolerable.

3. Don't feed the trolls.

4. When the going gets glum at work, fortify yourself with a brownie to keep the brain active and the fingers typing.

5. Put important TV programmes into your PDA, so you don't forget to tape them. (Sadly, I have to do this even for programmes that I love, like The West Wing.)