Winter blues is making me feel depressed again

[Markness]

Ever since I returned to work, I’ve been feeling what some call the winter blues. The lack of sunlight, the desolate look of the area I live in, not hearing back from people I wish I could hear from while having to deal with annoying people I don’t want to talk to (Such as a friend who stupidly left his credit card in a reader and I had to drive him back where he left it because he doesn’t have his own car.), the lack of feedback on my creative projects despite apparently doing what people wanted me to do with them, and getting constant coughing as well as mucus hocking spells is making me feel blue indeed.

My mind is going down all sorts of scary paths because of this. I am sad I still haven’t heard back from my new friend and my mind is telling me that it was just the universe once again playing me for a fool. My younger brother and my sister in-law had a new baby while I can’t even get a coffee date and others don’t want me to have a romantic relationship because I am apparently a “misogynist” or a “creep/incel” despite how they don’t provide any evidence. I signed up for college even though I am anxious about returning and feel like I will probably get bullied and excommunicated because that’s been my life pattern since last year. I feel like I either might die due to having so much stress piling on me or I will finally truly commit suicide so I can escape this vicious cycle I’ve been ensnared by since 2005.

 

[Metalhead]

Get a sun lamp. Seriously. Fifteen minutes of that in the morning is a decent bandaid for the winter blues.

 

[VictorR]

Get a sun lamp. Seriously. Fifteen minutes of that in the morning is a decent bandaid for the winter blues.

I concur. I got a light for myself this Christmas and having it on in the morning helps lighten things up.

 

[Judge]

More often in the past at some point I would begin to get a little frazzled by winter.

After the most recent summer rife with drought and forest fires, I'm happy to see a winter with a 240-260% snowpack. Looking forward to the next snow...if it actually comes. In the high desert it's often "feast or famine" when it comes to precipitation of any kind.

And having paid $38 for water for a single month depressed me to no end. Hopefully those days are behind us at least for a while.

 

[Judge]

I discovered something today that makes the winter blues even more blue. Got the electricity bill for december. $733 and 23 cents... I saw that number and yelled **********!! And it`s not because I have used a lot, the energy market is just completly messed up right now. I`m hoping spring comes early this year, the beginning of february would be perfect.

Yeah, I'd say that's messed up alright!

Then again so is what y'all across the pond pay for a whole lot of other things based on value-added taxes.

Though I also suspect few Norwegians would be so anxious to live anywhere else.

But then what constitutes winter in Norway makes it seem like paradise in Nevada. Guess I got spoiled living in the sunbelt for so many years. Moving back to Virginia would probably kill me.

 

[Judge]

Yeah I pay $2 and 37 cents for 1 liter petrol now. That`s $10 and 66 cents for 1 gallon. And that`s the normal price. It`s a little sickening.

Guess it's no accident why electrical cars in Norway aren't subject to value-added taxes. Stands to reason under those circumstances.

We have some of the highest gasoline taxes in the nation here...but in comparison it only adds up to around $3.99 a gallon presently.

As for Norway, I could spend a lot of time with my SLR taking so many spectacular photographs there.

 

[Judge]

I have never been in Nevada and I don`t know what winter looks like there. Does it look like this when you are out driving?

Only at much higher elevations (above 5000 feet) in the Sierra Mountains along our border with California.

No, in the more populated areas below 5000 feet our snowfall is quite moderate. Often melting off in a day or two. But then we live in an area that is heavily forested in mountains to the west, and raw desert to the immediate east. Quite a transition one encounters driving only a few minutes down the freeway.

Here's a "heavier" snowfall from some years ago. Nothing like Norway!

View attachment 73723

 

[Judge]

Yeah people are buying electric cars like crazy. Works ok in the summer but in the winter forget it. The cold weather drains the batteries, I`d say it`s not safe to use electric cars here during winter. You`ll get stuck somewhere. People like those Teslas but Teslas do not like our weather.

We have Tesla's (Panasonic) battery factory just a few miles east from here. They sell very well here, but they still seem quite problematic. Wondering if more traditional manufacturers from Japan will eventually overtake them in their own market.

 

[Judge]

I think the electric car people are too eager. Sure it`s a good idea but the technology is not good enough yet.

Indeed, it's an industry full of problems at the moment. I suppose it's the acceleration factor that appeals to many here buying them. However ask a firefighter about electrical cars and you'll get a mouthful.

When those cars' batteries catch fire, most firefighters will simply keep their distance and allow the car to burn to cinders. Too toxic, apart from too difficult and intense a fire to put out using conventional means.

 

[Judge]

These cars make the electric cars look silly. This is what we like to do in Norway, play with American cars. You guys perfected cars decades ago, couldn`t be better. Two thumbs up.

Perhaps, though you're talking about a car averaging around 10.3 miles per gallon.

The 1960 Cadillac Coupe DeVille was the first car I ever "drove" while sitting in my father's best friend's lap. Just steering, but at five years old it was a thrill. LOL. He was the man who first nick-named me "Judge".

 

[Judge]

LOL...not quite Norway, but certainly not Nevada either. Winter in Virginia, circa 1966.

Depressing was how fast mother nature filled in the pathway we dug out. In about 30 minutes all that snow shoveling was for nothing. A crazy year for winter...

I still recall all the adults loving it. So much snowfall no one could get into Washington DC to go to work.

 

[Judge]

There`s something special about those old US cars. Sure we have lots of BMW, Mercedes, Porsche and Audi here, you can`t throw a stone without hitting a BMW but those are ugly and dull cars compared to US cars. You guys did a great job with the cars. Congratulations.

I should probably tell you I've never owned an American car or any with an automatic transmission.

1974 MG Midget
1979 MGB
1988 Honda Civic LX
2000 Toyota Celica GTS
2018 Mazda 3 GT

"But Doc, the best stuff comes from Japan!" - Marty McFly, "Back To The Future Part II".

 

[Suzette]

@Markness
Each day since December 21st the number of daylight hours have been slowly increasing. I like to remember that the dark is slowly being overtaken by tbe light.
Here are sunrise, sunset for Austin. Texas. Look at how the day gets longer!
Like watching a sprout grow, you can't rush it. But it is exciting!
(p.s. the daylight lamp is a good idea)

 

[Judge]

@Markness
Each day since December 21st the number of daylight hours have been slowly increasing. I like to remember that the dark is slowly being overtaken by the light.

Yep. The darkness we experience here comes just around 5pm. But in another month or so it will begin to start to stretch well beyond that. Not much consolation though for my brother who lives not too far from the border with Canada. Where that darkness is going to last somewhat longer. Where winter can be downright brutal.

 

[OkRad]

@Forest Cat Holy Moly......I am about speechless on all your posts here. Do you have a scheme whereby you can pay the same amount for electric all year? We do and it helps A LOT to reduce those oh *** moments.

 

[BrokenBoy]

Winter sucks! I tend to catch common colds around that time.

 

[Fino]

Sounds like we should just have everybody live in California.

 

[BrokenBoy]

Sounds like we should just have everybody live in California.

I don't like the idea of ever leaving here because I can't stand the idea of rain and rain being a completely mundane occurance.

 

[watersprite]

I concur. I got a light for myself this Christmas and having it on in the morning helps lighten things up.

I also have one & leave it on for 30 minutes every morning.