I always have to fight with it.
If I do not, I will drown myself in pity, single malt, and in myself.
Every morning I reprimand myself to stay in line, and not to fall out.
Have to repeat that lots of time.
And light therapy, that helps too.
What about you?
Single malt and Allan Petterson. Helps you understand that however miserable you are, in reality you are a lucky man. Then shrug it off and move on. Good recipe.
Malt and Pettersson, that sounds to me a road to disaster. In times like this Pettersson is not on my menu.
I shrug the depression from me every time, but its not easy however.... :P
Quote from: Harry on December 18, 2007, 12:55:39 AM
Malt and Pettersson, that sounds to me a road to disaster. In times like this Pettersson is not on my menu.
I shrug the depression from me every time, but its not easy however.... :P
My prescription would be Rachmaninov's Second Symphony. A friend of mine said that it always made him feel better when he felt down.
I wish you well.
Quote from: vandermolen on December 18, 2007, 02:41:01 AM
My prescription would be Rachmaninov's Second Symphony. A friend of mine said that it always made him feel better when he felt down.
I wish you well.
It was a long time that I played that recording. They are the old EMI Previn recordings I have.
So yes I will try that Symphony today, and see if it cheers me up...
Thank you, for your kind wishes. :)
Quote from: Harry on December 18, 2007, 02:46:53 AM
It was a long time that I played that recording. They are the old EMI Previn recordings I have.
So yes I will try that Symphony today, and see if it cheers me up...
Thank you, for your kind wishes. :)
You are welcome. I have put on that symphony myself, in solidarity (Ashkenazy, Concertgebouw Orch). I have a soft spot for the Symphony because it was my mother's favourite music (along with his Third Piano Concerto). I hope that it makes you feel a bit better.
As a Hay Fever sufferer I don't really mind the winter, although the Autumn is my favourite season. I hate very hot weather (In the UK, it is ok abroad) as my Hay Fever means that I have to be in a darkened room, like Miss Havisham in "Great Expectations".
Quote from: vandermolen on December 18, 2007, 03:03:08 AM
You are welcome. I have put on that symphony myself, in solidarity (Ashkenazy, Concertgebouw Orch). I have a soft spot for the Symphony because it was my mother's favourite music (along with his Third Piano Concerto). I hope that it makes you feel a bit better.
As a Hay Fever sufferer I don't really mind the winter, although the Autumn is my favourite season. I hate very hot weather (In the UK, it is ok abroad) as my Hay Fever means that I have to be in a darkened room, like Miss Havisham in "Great Expectations".
Knowing the space in which Miss Havisham lived, I do not envy you.
That is a serious ailment too.
And that must not be a fine time for you.
In that respect my WD is minor indeed.
And the Symphony worked for me, I feel somewhat better.....
Quote from: Harry on December 18, 2007, 03:31:59 AM
Knowing the space in which Miss Havisham lived, I do not envy you.
That is a serious ailment too.
And that must not be a fine time for you.
In that respect my WD is minor indeed.
And the Symphony worked for me, I feel somewhat better.....
That's nice to know :) I am listening to the slow movement at the moment; I had forgotten what a beautiful score it is. I may even go on to play my terrific Nikolay Golovanov (1945) recording later (oops, we are not supposed to discuss music here).
Here is a quote that I just, coincidentally, came across, which I rather like:
"Unrest of the spirit is a mark of life; one problem after another presents itself and in the solving of them we can find our greatest pleasure." (Karl Menninger)
Maybe I'll add it to my avatar.
Jeffrey
Here in Vancouver, our winters are darker than what the vast majority of people in North America experience, but I actually enjoy the darkness a great deal. I get three weeks off of work at this time of year (tommorrow is my last day at work until a week after New Year). With the coming solstice comes a certain feeling of calm and quiet. I like to use my time off to meditate, listen to music, and read, and reflect. I've always been interested in the far north, the Arctic, and I think it might be fun to spend some time in a place where there is constant darkness for a few weeks. (I don't know, maybe it would drive me nuts)
.
Anyway, hang in there Harry! Music therapy is the best therapy for just about any type of depression IMO!
My advice, Harry: replace single malt with port and Rachmaninov with Boccherini.
Quote from: Harry on December 18, 2007, 03:31:59 AM
And the Symphony worked for me, I feel somewhat better.....
great! :)
unfortunately, you might have to think of other music, or other stuff to help you throughout the winter, but surely if you think hard enough, you can find whatever helps.
for right here, in Florida, winter doesn't
really start until January, during November and December it's on and off coldness and hotness, which makes everyone sick. Yesterday I was surprised that it was cold outside, i totally forgot which months we were in! In February, it's cold all the time, pure torture, to us even though it's "just" 30-50 deg F most of the time, that's extremely cold in comparison to the normal 90-100 F weather we're used to. So Winter depression.... hm, i guess for me it depends on the year... i guess the last few years, winter hasn't been exciting as before (when i was a kid winter depression would make no sense to me at all) so yeah, maybe just a little taste of winter depression sometimes, but not much. I used to count down the days until Christmas but now i totally forget about Christmas (even though i'm reminded a thousand times a day) until ... ok, now that i look, it's next Tuesday! :o wow, that's pretty soon......
Quote from: Florestan on December 18, 2007, 04:09:03 AM
My advice, Harry: replace single malt with port and Rachmaninov with Boccherini.
Are we trying to kill him?
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on December 18, 2007, 05:26:23 AM
Are we trying to kill him?
The simple joys of life haven't kill anyone, quite the contrary, they have revigorated many.
Winter is my "classical and jazz" listening time! This is my favorite season for these styles. (There's something very unsettling about listening to Mahler when it's sweltering.)
For this reason, I find "summer depression" a more common feeling for me.
Harry, I'm sorry to hear of your struggles with winter depression. I don't have it myself, although I am susceptible to year-round depression. My recommendation is that you drink a hot cup (or pot) of tea while listening to Bach's Mass in B Minor.
Winter is kicking my butt this year possibly because we had no winter last year and I'd gotten used to the light. It stayed sunny and relatively warm all through the winter months. The darkness and cold this year is really affecting my disposition and health. Music isn't helping at all.
Sarge
Quote from: Florestan on December 18, 2007, 04:09:03 AM
My advice, Harry: replace single malt with port and Rachmaninov with Boccherini.
That could work also Andrei! ;D
Quote from: Keemun on December 18, 2007, 05:43:08 AM
Harry, I'm sorry to hear of your struggles with winter depression. I don't have it myself, although I am susceptible to year-round depression. My recommendation is that you drink a hot cup (or pot) of tea while listening to Bach's Mass in B Minor.
Okay that worked for at least 5 minutes, my grin lasted that long....... ;D
Quote from: Harry on December 18, 2007, 12:46:16 AM
I always have to fight with it.
Me too, to one extent or another.
Quote
If I do not, I will drown myself in pity, single malt, and in myself.
Since alcohol is a depressant, it only worsens the problem. :-\
Quote
Every morning I reprimand myself to stay in line, and not to fall out.
Have to repeat that lots of time.
And light therapy, that helps too.
What about you?
Light therapy has been shown to help those with winter depression, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, as it's called by the professionals. I also take a lot of Omega 3 fatty acids for depression, in the form of Flaxseed oil and Fish Oil. These boost the mood and are good for your mind and body in many other ways as well. For fish oil, I recommend a high quality, molecularly distilled brand that removes any mercury or heavy metals. Nordic Naturals is superb. For flaxseed oil, choose a refrigerated form. I take 2 tablespoons every morning, either in a shake or right off the spoon with my morning cereal. I was depressed for many years and since starting this regimen 3-4 years ago, I haven't had a single serious depressive episode. If i get depressed now, it's short lived and not severe.
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on December 18, 2007, 06:04:39 AM
Winter is kicking my butt this year possibly because we had no winter last year and I'd gotten used to the light. It stayed sunny and relatively warm all through the winter months. The darkness and cold this year is really affecting my disposition and health. Music isn't helping at all.
Sarge
Wait, what about Global Warming?
Again we don't have snow in Helsinki and it's very dark.
They say it's going to be white Christmas in Lapland only.
When I was younger we always have snow... ...damn
climate warming...
Yes, depression is a problem this time of the year... :-\
Quote from: Harry on December 18, 2007, 06:15:12 AM
Okay that worked for at least 5 minutes, my grin lasted that long....... ;D
Good to hear it. :)
Walking (or another form of exercise) can also be beneficial. Of course, it's probably cold and snowy where you are, so outdoor exercise may not be an option. But you can always do indoor exercise, just not after consuming the single-malt, or you might end up like this guy: :D
http://www.youtube.com/v/JU2_Chcev3A
Winter has never been a problem for me. I love frost, dark and rainy days, resting by the fireplace, eating polenta and tasting cognac occasionaly. There's nothing that makes me feel better and calm than snow.
The only times I've been depressed or suffered from serious anxiety it was in spring and summer. In northern Italy we have a very humid, saltry summer. You can barely see the sun because of the humidity, and places get desolate and gloomy.
Quote from: Keemun on December 18, 2007, 06:51:02 AM
Good to hear it. :)
Walking (or another form of exercise) can also be beneficial. Of course, it's probably cold and snowy where you are, so outdoor exercise may not be an option. But you can always do indoor exercise, just not after consuming the single-malt, or you might end up like this guy: :D
http://www.youtube.com/v/JU2_Chcev3A
That made me laugh out loud, thank you very much..... ;D
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on December 18, 2007, 06:26:14 AM
Wait, what about Global Warming?
I'm sure that's what caused our heat wave last winter ;D ...it's also responsible for an unprecedented string of outstanding vintages since 1988. I'm in favor of pumping even more C02 into the air if fine wine is the result.
Sarge
Quote from: Keemun on December 18, 2007, 06:51:02 AM
Good to hear it. :)
Walking (or another form of exercise) can also be beneficial. Of course, it's probably cold and snowy where you are, so outdoor exercise may not be an option. But you can always do indoor exercise, just not after consuming the single-malt, or you might end up like this guy: :D
I do daily, heavy exercise for 80 minutes my friend.
Quote from: Harry on December 18, 2007, 07:16:57 AM
That made me laugh out loud, thank you very much..... ;D
You're welcome. :)
Quote from: Scriptavolant on December 18, 2007, 07:00:25 AM
eating polenta and tasting cognac occasionaly.
With cheese in it?
Quote from: erato on December 18, 2007, 12:48:05 AM
Single malt and Allan Petterson. Helps you understand that however miserable you are, in reality you are a lucky man. Then shrug it off and move on. Good recipe.
Petterson? In dark days (which in my case mean just bad mood, but never depression) I'd rather listen to Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, Beethoven's Emperor and perhaps the Hammerklavier.
Quote from: Florestan on December 18, 2007, 04:09:03 AM
My advice, Harry: replace single malt with port and Rachmaninov with Boccherini.
real life friends.
The final variation of the Goldbergs always gets me out of a negative rut.
Any classical music will do to get rid of my bad mood or depression.
But....I'd probably opt for something by Mozart over say....Bartok's string quartets :D if I were in the downers.
I find LVB's Razumovsky quartets to be particularly upbeat.
Is going on holiday to a warmer, brighter place a possibility, Harry? After Christmas, I mean. :)
The following sent to me by a work colleague made me laugh. Warning, it does contain some bad language:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv5iEK-IEzw
Quote from: Mark on December 18, 2007, 09:40:08 AM
Is going on holiday to a warmer, brighter place a possibility, Harry? After Christmas, I mean. :)
Due to the illness of my wife holidays are out of order, for the foreseeable future.....
But a real life friend brought me a light panel, the latest with lots of Lumen, so maybe that will bring some enlightenment ;D
That light panel just might work - saw it used in a documentary on depression.
For myself, I am glad that winter drives away that beastly summer heat. Also the fan is turned off and one can hear music without it.
What about some violin concertos by Myslivecek? They are a bit like Mozart's, but they are eight.
Quote from: Manuel on December 18, 2007, 08:22:04 AM
With cheese in it?
Of course. Gorgonzola is perfect with polenta. Polenta and sausages, or mushrooms, or
brasato (juicy meat cooked for a long long time, with wine added sometimes) or
usei (dialectal form for birds). And so on. 0:)
La polenta mi a sempre fatto schifo. Come fate a godervela voialtri, no saprei che dire. :P
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on December 18, 2007, 11:49:10 AM
La polenta mi a sempre fatto schifo. Come fate a godervela voialtri, no saprei che dire. :P
;D
Sei del sud Italia? Lì la polenta non è molto diffusa e non piace tanto, ma si mangia bene comunque. Dai, la polenta è meglio dei cheeseburgers.
Again the food brigade is wrecking another thread, so I close it temporarily.
Thanks for all the good and helpful postings.
I remember each and every one of them.....
Well for the time being, I had another stressfull evening, late in the night I walk with my foot to the bedside, and broke my little toe, so I had to go to the hospital. Its a little thing, but it hurts as hell. Keeps the depression away though...... ;D :P
But walking of course is difficult. My Meridian 508, 24 bit player decided to take a break and I've got as a replacement a Denon DCD 1560, 20 bit, and yes you hear the difference. O, dear......
Probably will not get it back before the end of the year...bugger.
Quote from: Harry on December 18, 2007, 10:19:14 PM
Well for the time being, I had another stressfull evening, late in the night I walk with my foot to the bedside, and broke my little toe, so I had to go to the hospital. Its a little thing, but it hurts as hell. Keeps the depression away though...... ;D :P
But walking of course is difficult. My Meridian 508, 24 bit player decided to take a break and I've got as a replacement a Denon DCD 1560, 21 bit, and yes you hear the difference. O, dear......
Probably will not get it back before the end of the year...bugger.
That sounds really painful. Hope your toe recovers soon. Whilst on holiday in Tunisia two years ago I fell over (whilst sober I point out) and broke a bone in my foot. Had to spend most of the holiday in plaster. Which was not pleasant in the Sahara Desert!
Quote from: vandermolen on December 18, 2007, 11:28:23 PM
That sounds really painful. Hope your toe recovers soon. Whilst on holiday in Tunisia two years ago I fell over (whilst sober I point out) and broke a bone in my foot. Had to spend most of the holiday in plaster. Which was not pleasant in the Sahara Desert!
Well they said it could not be plastered, so its in bandages to protect it, but while sleeping I awoke regulary because of the pain. That is a real nuisance, for I am a very active guy. Workout will be difficult too.
Something like that happening on your holiday seems to me a real disaster, Sahara or not! :P
I hate winter. It's so cold in the UK right now I'm sitting in the fridge to keep warm.
At least we're past the earliest sunset now. Even if it is just seconds later each night this month, that's better than nothing.
Harry, hope you toe (and CD player) heal soon. :)
Quote from: Harry on December 18, 2007, 01:16:16 PM
Again the food brigade is wrecking another thread, so I close it temporarily.
Thanks for all the good and helpful postings.
I remember each and every one of them.....
The clear implication is that a bit of good food helps stave off winter depression, whether it's polenta or a cheeseburger. (Though I like polenta considerably more than our friend Josquin.) :D
But I hate winter too, with the cold and the short days and the snow and ice. Give me spring, summer, or autumn any time!
Quote from: Sforzando on December 19, 2007, 05:34:54 AM
But I hate winter too, with the cold and the short days and the snow and ice. Give me spring, summer, or autumn any time!
Henry is tired of the winter,
& haircuts, & a squeamish comfy ruin-prone proud national
mind, & Spring (in the city so-called).
Henry likes Fall.
He would be prepared to live in a world of Fall
for ever, impenitent Henry.
But the snows and summers grieve & dream.
John Berryman, from
Dream Song 77Substitute Sarge for Henry. The only time I love winter is when I'm in the mountains, on the ski slopes. Alas, I rarely ski these days.
Sarge
(http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/28/69/22426928.jpg)
Quote from: Keemun on December 19, 2007, 05:11:10 AM
Harry, hope you toe (and CD player) heal soon. :)
Thanks I will tell them..... ;D
Yeah every year I get depressed around this time too, between half december and half januari. The rest of the year I'm happy but then it just comes up and takes me down. I got really depressed yesterday evening, and I solved this by getting drunk together with a friend and talking about the good old days; now it's gone. I think the worst will come after christmas.
No music can fix this.
Autumn/Winter are my favourite seasons. I'm happiest sitting inside on a wintry day with lots of rain and wind lashing the house while browsing books with my fave music playing. I feel it brings me closer to 'nature'.
I wouldn't like snowy winters though ;)
Quote from: Sforzando on December 19, 2007, 05:34:54 AM
But I hate winter too, with the cold and the short days and the snow and ice. Give me spring, summer, or autumn any time!
Yes, me too!
I don't mind the short days though. As Ms Marceau says "Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours" >:D
Quote from: orbital on December 19, 2007, 12:03:34 PM
Yes, me too!
Tell me, when will you be moving to Bel Boca Vista, Phase II? ;D
Quote from: George on December 19, 2007, 12:15:19 PM
Tell me, when will you be moving to Bel Boca Vista, Phase II? ;D
There's not one condo available in all of Del Boca Vista :D
Quote from: orbital on December 19, 2007, 12:44:09 PM
There's not one condo available in all of Del Boca Vista :D
;D
Maybe your son will buy you a Cadillac and you can drive down there. ;D
Watch The Snowman, or listen to Howard Blake's respective score. ;)
Quote from: George on December 19, 2007, 12:56:56 PM
;D
Maybe your son will buy you a Cadillac and you can drive down there. ;D
And once we're there, we can drink hot chocolate and wrap our electric blankets :D
-
This is getting too cheery for this topic :-[
Quote from: orbital on December 19, 2007, 02:06:35 PM
And once we're there, we can drink hot chocolate and wrap our electric blankets :D
-
This is getting too cheery for this topic :-[
Right, let's talk about why you are so depressed because you want to become a banker. ;D
Quote from: George on December 19, 2007, 02:28:28 PM
Right, let's talk about why you are so depressed because you want to become a banker. ;D
Yes I did. My dreams were shattered because I could never become a banker. But I was over that soon. I became an architect. Have you seen the new addition to the Guggenheim?
Quote from: orbital on December 19, 2007, 02:56:01 PM
Yes I did. My dreams were shattered because I could never become a banker. But I was over that soon. I became an architect. Have you seen the new addition to the Guggenheim?
Did you do that? I heard the guy who did that was also responsible for eating an eclair out of the garbage.
Quote from: George on December 19, 2007, 03:01:03 PM
Did you do that? I heard the guy who did that was also responsible for eating an eclair out of the garbage.
And that same man wants to become my latex salesman :D
Quote from: George on December 19, 2007, 03:01:03 PM
Did you do that? I heard the guy who did that was also responsible for eating an eclair out of the garbage.
Clearly, it was an eclair de'l au-dela.
I can certainly identify with those who get seasonal depression. I get it every year, but I am out of phase with most people - it strikes me in the summer. Excessive heat and sunlight send my mood right down into the dumps. This winter has been great so far; it has been cold, and there has been a lot of snow. There has also been a lot of cloud cover on most days - definitely an added plus. All of this cloud cover, combined with short days, means that I seldom have to see the sun. It has been wonderful! The only downside is the air pollution, which can get quite dreadful.
If I seem to be overly cheerful, you will all get your revenge in six months, when summertime depression sets in and I start to get grumpy.
Heather
Quote from: orbital on December 19, 2007, 03:09:43 PM
And that same man wants to become my latex salesman :D
Lol you bought the last season yet? I bought the refrigerator limited edition set :)
Quote from: 復活交響曲 on December 20, 2007, 07:30:17 AM
Lol you bought the last season yet? I bought the refrigerator limited edition set :)
I have not bought any on DVD, except I received the first three seasons a few years back as a present. I know all the episodes by heart now, and I still regularly watch the 11pm reruns ;D There are some episodes that never air though (The Puerto Rican Parade is one, I have never seen that one on)