People who area having way more fun than me

1. People with herpes. Is it just me, or do the people in those ads for Herpes treatments seem incredibly happy and active? They're always mountain biking or hiking or climbing rocks or taking a stroll along the beach. They are always accompanied by attractive partners who aren't bothered in the least by the fact that they have herpes even though, it turns out, you can infect your partner between outbreaks.

2. Anyone who has taken a vacation this summer. OK, it's true--I somehow managed to find time to write this post. But I keep staring at the calendar and various looming deadlines (have you ever noticed that deadlines are always looming?) and I cannot find a one-week stretch of free time. How is it possible that the summer is nearly half over? (Meanwhile, this week is going by at a glacial pace.)

3. People with nice cars. I hit a pothole and it cost me more than $1,000. A wise investment, surely, in an 11-year-old car. I blew out a shock absorber and, when I went to the mechanic to have it fixed, discovered I also need a new motor mount, two new front tires and front brake pads. What the hell, I figured--might as well get the oil changed, too.