Does your blog proprietor seem sluggish and grumpy today? Perhaps it's because his home city, Seattle -- or as it's known around the house these days, "f**king Seattle" -- is in the midst of its rainiest November ever.
Outside my home office window, it is dark as night. The wind is blowing. The air is frigid. And if I'm not hallucinating, I think it just started hailing.
Kill me.
Update [2006-11-21 14:1:18 by David Roberts]: Oh, hey, speaking of darkness, does anybody out there know what's up with those full-spectrum lamps? Supposedly they make your body squirt happy chemicals? Anybody got one? Do they work or is it a scam? Know where I can find a cheap one? I have a feeling it's going to be a long, dark winter.
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sunflower Posted 7:14 am
21 Nov 2006
Cassandra thought she had SAD and wondered about lights. Heat from the wood fire makes her happy again.
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Kate Sheppard Posted 9:31 am
21 Nov 2006
Kate Sheppard
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caniscandida Posted 10:19 am
21 Nov 2006
Chickens are our cousins!
So are other sensitive animals!
Enough is enough!
No more factory farms!
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Robert Delfs Posted 6:23 pm
21 Nov 2006
I'm writing this from Hong Kong, where it's been dark and rainy since I arrived Sunday night. Despite the heavy rain, the air pollution here has been terrible. It's intensely Blade Runner-esque. Three days are enough - I can't wait to get back to Indonesia and sun.
Robert Delfs
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mihan Posted 11:39 pm
21 Nov 2006
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kmp Posted 12:02 am
22 Nov 2006
My grades were lower every Spring, my sleep patterns were horrible, I skipped (more) classes, I ate poorly... one Spring semester I contracted mononucleosis. Fun stuff.
I am convinced that my Mom has SAD, so I did a little bit of research on light boxes. There is clinical data that support that they work, not only in alleviating depresssion symptoms, but also in quantitative measures of melatonin production and in phase shifts of circadian rhythm. However, it seems you have to actually have SAD in order for the light therapy to be of benefit - it's probably not going to cheer you up if you don't have the biochemical imbalance associated with SAD.
That being said, the boxes aren't too horribly expensive - seem to be about $200. Here's one on Amazon. Of course, spending $200 if you don't even know you have SAD might be a bit wasteful, and you know how we pesky environmental types feel about waste. A more economical option to try might be to pick up a copy of Winter Blues, a self-help book about dealing with SAD, or this, much more amusingly titled one, Don't Jump! a book specifically written for those living through a Northwest winter (both authors live in Seattle!).
Personally, I find there's not much in life that red wine can't cure..... organic red wine, natch.
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pbearden47 Posted 1:37 am
22 Nov 2006
Aunt Phyllis
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atreyger Posted 6:12 am
22 Nov 2006
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lindaloo Posted 12:59 am
23 Nov 2006
I bought a theatrical-type light canister and colored gels (for about $50), and I shine different colored light on myself, while I work. It seems to improve my mood.
Dinshah thinks the full-spectrum light thing is just a scam.
lindaloo
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amazingdrx Posted 2:04 am
23 Nov 2006
But the wind is blowing? Plus there is plenty of wave power (and river and ocean current) power out there. Look on the bright side, even the cloudy NW can be powered by indirect (wind,wave and water) solar energy.
But I think for pure endorphin blues-ending stimulation, nothing beats exersize. An hour a day keeps the need for prescription anti-depressants away! And allows one to drink beer/wine and eat like a gourmet without getting plump.
Bike in the rain or on an electricty generating stationary bike in your home/office. Yippee!
(Under the full spectrum light, powered by the bike/generator, hehey)
http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog
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amazingdrx Posted 2:14 am
23 Nov 2006
The evil lord Cheney of Halliburton can though. Halliburton has a plan to annex the necessary orbital space then block the sunlight that normally hits the earth with huge satelites.
Then they will charge by the square foot to restore your sunlight.
Just kiding, hehehehey. Hope Cheney is too!
http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog
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sunflower Posted 2:54 am
23 Nov 2006
All to soon, Northern California climate will move north to Seattle, then move to the north shore of Vancouver Island.
I pray for a hard cold clear freeze this winter. Our trees need relief from the killer beetles.
Global warming gloom is far more depressing than Seattle rain.
P.S. I had a question on the carbon forcing/feedback. What causes the reverse? What caused the carbon reduction and cooling in the ice core data?
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bookerly Posted 10:43 am
23 Nov 2006
Beijing would love some of your rain! As would Northern China in general. Actually, we are supposed to get rain or snow today and tomorrow, we hope!!
Luckily the wind blew away the smog from earlier in the week, and it looks nice out.
Winter is coming all across the North!! Try to enjoy it!
patrick
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