Looking for a Fortress of Solitude

I can always tell I'm reaching the close to exhausted stage by the sudden craving for sugar. I've given up most of my unhealthy sweet treats. Things like cake, ice cream, milk chocolate, frosting (yep, just frosting out of a can), m&m's (peanut, of course), etc., etc. But when my energy level hits its dregs (bottom of the barrel), well, my sugar jones (addiction) hits with a considerable impact. Yes, I am whining about being tired. Thursday nights I like to try to get to an informal Mandarin class at another Mandarin student's house, but I haven't made it in quite a bit of time. Either I have too much I have yet to get done, or the wind has gone out of my sails, which is the case this evening. I am quite the party pooper. C'est la vie. 
Of course, Eddie is always happy to have me home, as I'm sure my seven wives would be. If I had seven wives. And I always have a book to read. Many, many books, actually. I also have no trouble telling the world to go away on an evening like this. It's good to relax and regroup when needed, which is more often than I would like, but sometimes it is much easier to go with the river current , than to fight your way upstream.
So, the update goes like this: Albert is still out in the world somewhere, but I expect I'll see him soon. Those nasty, smelly Republicans are still down in Tampa, pulling every dirty trick they can think of, to make President Obama look bad. There currently haven't been any more attempts on doing bodily injury to my person, but as they say, I am watching my back. 
The world can appear as a dark and dangerous place. But we must not forget, it is also a wonderful place. And there is no better time to be alive than now. Trust me on this. Squeeze out all the enjoyment and wonder you can. And there is lots of wonder, of all kinds, to be had. I'm sorry there has to be so much darkness in the world. But I do like a bit of darkness in my world. To paraphrase the title of a ghostly anthology I happen to like, I am "Acquainted With The Night".