There are lots of important topics that I need to address in this space, but I'm taking a break today to talk about something less important to most readers, but more important to me personally.

Today is the 24th anniversary of the day in 1982 when Agnes and I married in a civil ceremony in the Standesamt Zehlendorf in Berlin, Germany, accompanied by our friends Ken and Andrea and our daughter Yasmin. It was the second marriage for each of us - the triumph of hope over experience, as someone once said - but it's worked out marvelously well over the intervening years. I can truthfully say that I'm one of what seems to be a rare breed: a happily married man.

Nowadays, 24 years is quite a long time for a marriage to last. Each day I wake up marveling at how lucky I am to have found such a great lady...and how lucky I am that she hasn't strangled me in my sleep yet. I'm not the easiest person to live with, but Agnes does a marvelous job of putting up with all my quirks, both big and small. If it wouldn't have been for Agnes, I'd never have gotten into ballroom dancing and probably wouldn't have achieved whatever level of success in life I've attained. As she would probably say, behind every great man is a woman, pushing like hell.

So...no deep thoughts for today. Just a shake of the head in wonder at my good fortune in having found such a grand lady, and a happy look forward to the next 24 years. You should be so lucky.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo