I have felt a little melancholic of late, a state that often emerges after a period of more intense anxiety. The anxiety is something I have to constantly work on and it's cessation cannot be taken for granted. To that end I have reread some classic texts on the subject (take a bow, Claire Weekes) but also read more widely, as is often my wont. Anxiety sufferers will know that the mountain of release can be ascended from many starting points and by numerous methods, so the more one knows the better. Central to any ascent is the axiom that avoiding what one fears is a sure recipe for worse fear. The flip side, of course, is that only by facing your fears can you conquer them.

Some of the melancholy might have its origins in my reading and podcasting habits. A quick glance from the past three weeks indicates a bit of a trend forming - podcasts on The Black Death and Great Minds of the Medieval World, and Kindle editions of Dante's Inferno and Kempis The Imitation of Christ. Oh and even more recently, Ted Talks on the Great Extinction Events, a cheery reminder of the hubris of mankind. I will try to find more cheerful material to balance the doom and gloom.

Last week a copy of a recommended text arrived in the mail. It was second hand, an older edition and had some handwriting within but nevertheless is proving to be a good read and another arrow in the armoury.