MAN WAKES UP HAPPY

AP Apr 24, Vienna - 55-year old Gene Long
woke up today happy.  Living in Vienna,
Virginia, he awoke in his bed this morning
around 7 AM and heard a bird singing
outside his window, and felt happy.

"The sun was shining in my window, and
then I heard this bird singing.  And I noticed
that I really felt content" he said.

The night before, Long had had a party for
friends he had made over the past 18 months
from conducting a gathering, and this was to
be the last gathering for a while.  He called
these people his "family of choice."

"Maybe it was a glow left over from having
all these wonderful friends of mine come
together", he said.  "Or maybe life is just
good, and I don't notice a lot of the time."

Born into an environment where he
experienced abuse and neglect, Long has
had bouts of depression in his adult life, but
he says they have gotten less and less over
time.  He attributes the change to "meds,
good friends in my life, and developing a
relationship with the spiritual." 

Eye witnesses at the event said that Long
looked particularly happy in the hot tub,
being stroked by those around him.

"Life is good," Long said, standing tall and
naked in the morning sunlight.  "I just feel
glad to be alive."