An end to S.A.D.

[pjthompson]

Although inland in SoCal they're still having hot weather, here at the coast we've had a couple of weeks of cool, foggy weather—and I'm happy! The only thing that would make me happier is a good, pouring rainstorm.

I have seasonal affected disorder. I've known this for over a decade, but medical science just recently caught up with me. They've known for quite some time that some people would go into depressions with the waning light and cold of winter, but it's only quite recently they've discovered that there's an opposite syndrome. I knew there was an opposite syndrome long before they admitted it because I'd been living it. It was vindicating to finally have it confirmed. (See this article, kindly provided by merebrillante.

Every summer since at least my early teens, as soon as the hot weather came and stayed, I would go into a tailspin. My summer doldrums would last until the weather cooled, which is why fall has always been my favorite time of year. It harkens the lifting of the gloom, the beginning of my most productive season. Every summer I seem to rehash the old stuff because my creative energy wanes, and every fall I seem to start a new novel because my creativity explodes forth once again. This year is no exception: I've raked over the corpse of Shivery Bones and now I'm well launched on the new novel, Charged with Folly.

I really should move to England or the Pacific Northwest. Whenever I visit those places, or there's a rainstorm, I really come alive. I'm nauseatingly chipper, in fact. Nothing that a good dose of cold won't cure...unless you're one of the winter S.A.D. folks and then I believe you need to sit under sun lamps.

Random quote of the day:

"Your mood doesn't really matter. Some of the best creative work gets done on the days when you feel that everything you're doing is just plain junk."

—Julia Cameron


P.S. Happy birthday, John Lennon.

Comments

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

I'm anothre one. The long, blinding, hot summer days are to be endured--this is the time of year for long walks and thorough enjoyment of clouds and coolth.

(Though I fear we're still due for our siege of hot, hideously dry Santa Anas...we just haven't had a strong enough western front to trigger it off.)

[pjthompson]

I am soooooo hoping that doesn't happen this year. But it could still happen. :-(

[hominysnark.livejournal.com]

Same here. You'd think, living in the Sunshine State, that life would be pure-d hell, but the summers are *so* hot and humid we're almost guaranteed a nice juicy thunderstorm every day of the summer months.

And when we live up to our state name, well, that's when the weather's nice and cool.

[pjthompson]

Hey! Nice how you worked it out that way. :-)

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

I am exactly the same way. I feel at my most creative, my most energetic and my most alive in the fall and winter months. And as the heat of summer sets in, all of my energy and creativity seem to melt away. I've often thought of moving to the Pacific Northwest and actually have it in my mind to move up there once I'm done with school.

I had no idea there was an actual disorder. LOL... Glad to know I'm not alone.

[pjthompson]

I had no idea there was an actual disorder. LOL... Glad to know I'm not alone.

Not alone by a long chalk.

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

Very good to know! Thanks!

[merebrillante.livejournal.com]

One lovely thing about going to Columbus this past weekend was seeing the trees up in Ohio already amber, gold, russet and red. We're still only slightly yellowish down here. And being outside on a chilly October night, lit by the brilliant full moon, was just lovely. The high tomorrow is expected to be in the upper 70s, but by Thursday the high will only be in the mid-50s. Oh, how I long for Thursday!

By the way, I just started reading what I think is the first Tony Hill book, The Mermaids Singing. Have you read it?

[pjthompson]

seeing the trees up in Ohio already amber, gold, russet and red.

Lovely. We never get more than an appetizer of that sort of thing out here, but we do get some. The trees here are all still resolutely green.

By the way, I just started reading what I think is the first Tony Hill book, The Mermaids Singing. Have you read it?

No, but now that you've called it to my attention, I've wish listed it. Here's the thing I find hilarious: the Brits have a real taste for this kind of crime fiction but in RL they've had maybe 2 serial killers in their entire history (and I'm counting Jack the Ripper as one). They always have to borrow from their less savory American cousins for this sort of thing.

Did you see the other Robson Green serial killer series, Touching Evil? Excellent series in which he played a brain-damaged cop prone to acting impulsively. Very intense. They made a horrible, water-downed American version that lasted about a nanosecond.

[merebrillante.livejournal.com]

Did you see the other Robson Green serial killer series, Touching Evil? Excellent series in which he played a brain-damaged cop prone to acting impulsively. Very intense.

No, but it sounds awesome. How surprised am I that the American version sucked? Not at all.

[pjthompson]

No, but it sounds awesome.

It was. They play it sometimes on BBC America and I first saw it on PBS.

How surprised am I that the American version sucked?

The actors were trying their darnedest. I quite liked the guy in the lead (though he was no Robson Green). But the scripts were a) derivative (they simply reshot the plots already used in the BBC series) and b) sanitized (because Americans obviously can't handle anything but pablum).

I'm sure you find none of that surprising, either.

[sollersuk.livejournal.com]

You clearly need to move to Manchester! With 75 degrees Fahrenheit being viewed as sweltering hot weather and umbrellas not so much an accessory as an essential, you certainly wouldn't overheat!

[pjthompson]

Sounds good to me. :-) I suppose it's possible I'd burn out on the wet and cold but whenever I've been in a situation of prolonged wet and cold and everyone's been complaining how sick they are of it, I've been secretly glad. I guess I'm hardcore.

[sollersuk.livejournal.com]

BTW, I've just rememberd the joke from when the Commonwealth Games were on. They kitted out the official guides with folding umbrellas but were told not to refer to them as umbrellas because foreign visitors should not be given the impression that it rains all the time in Manchester.

There is now a growing tendancy to refer to umbrellas as "Manchester parasols"

[pjthompson]

Visitor bureaus are a hoot.

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

I never realized there would be a Summer version of SAD, but it makes perfect sense. I can see how it might be really hard to explain to some people, though.

I shall eagerly await the products of your renewed enthusiasm, though. You just sold yourself out!

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

No, wait... not sold yourself out... gave yourself up? well, at any rate, you have no excuses now. We'll be expecting you to be productive. :-P

[pjthompson]

Actually, I knew what you meant all along and my initial response was, "Damn! Now I have to produce!" ;-)

[pjthompson]

No, the selling myself out comes after publication.

(Ha ha, funny joke, no one should take it personally. Just being silly and can never pass up a straight line. Ha ha.)

[pjthompson]

And yes, I've spent a lot of time hiding my dislike of summer. After all, this is SoCal, home of "Summer Means Funny" and surfer boys and addicted tanners.

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

So.... are these three replies an example of your new peppiness? ;-)

[pjthompson]

So take that as a warning. :-)