A few dreary midnights back, I found my mood up … and then down. No, it wasn’t a bipolar episode, it was merely a polar one.

While taking out two trash cans fully loaded with recyclables, I happened upon a piece of ice that had frozen to Zamboni-grade slipperiness. I crashed down, ignobly and brutally, joining the legions of other folks who have also fallen victim to ice and snow that won’t peaceably depart.