Comment: It's a cruel, cruel summer.

How cruel can summer be, with its sunshine and long days? I’m sorry, Bananarama, but the fall is far crueler, and the impending winter worst of all.

S.A.D., anyone?

I’m using my lights for the winter blues, and today my husband commented that everyone in the family might need them. We're all so fussy and irritable. And we don’t even in live in Seattle or Vancouver. I don’t know how well I’d do there and I don’t think I want to find out, although, truth be told, Vancouver is my dream destination for life and the pursuit of happiness, B.C.-style. But the rain would be really hard to take.

When the darkness seeps into your psyche from the outside, you know your days are going to pretty much suck no matter what you do. And it’s utterly predictable. Every November I feel like a sack of crap and every November I forget this, and am shocked and dismayed when my mood plummets like a bag of wet dirt right after Halloween.

So I am trying like hell to be pragmatic about it, and just keep plowing through the cold- molasses-in-January that is depression. What else can I do?

I just finished reading Tracy Thompson’s book about depression and motherhood. It sounds depressing, (natch) but it actually isn’t. She talks about how fighting an illness like depression can make you a stronger and better mother. Not that I recommend depression to you—kids, don’t try this at home! But she puts a (relatively) positive spin on it and she knows of what she speaks. Apparently she wrote a memoir about her depression struggles, the aptly-titled “The Beast.” I am interested in reading it, but it’s probably depressing.

Doh.

So what are some fun things to do and read that are upbeat? I mean, the whole, “fake it til you make it?” I have my Pandora radio station set on Madonna, not The Cure. That helps. It’s hard to be depressed when Kylie Minogue can’t get you out of her head. Did you ever see that video? That woman is smokin’ hot and how does that outfit stay on her body? Plus she’s about my age and she rocks. Apparently she is highly coveted in the other hemisphere, more so than J-Lo was in her booty-lishous heyday.

Anyway, listening to upbeat music, eating chocolate, exercising, doing something creative, all seem to help.

Now Janet Jackson’s “Escapade” is on. What’s not cheerful about that? “Come on baby, let’s get away…let me take you on an escapade!”

Tonight I'm going to see "Twilight" with my dear friend who understands me and my foibles and I will be sure to let you know how it stacks up to the book.







PS- In case you were keeping track, I’ve used the annoying word, “natch”, for three postings in a row. You win my devotion and respect for having read this far, even if you didn't notice the repetitive use of stupid slang.