Blergh.

[baratron]

Seasonal Affective Disorder is really biting me on the arse. Today, I got out of bed, put clothes on, renewed my library books only 5 days late (though I'm not sure if they count days when the library isn't open towards fines), and paid my credit card bill 6 days early. I feel like I should be awarded a medal.

College is starting again soon and I have stuff I need to be getting on with for that (work, and filling in forms), but I also need a trip to the Equator or Australia or something. The various friends who are off to the south of Spain and the Canary Islands and places like that over the next couple of weeks have the right idea.

Radical thought: Next year, let's go *somewhere sunny* over Christmas. (*Tells Richard to get in now with the leave calendar*)

Comments

[x-mass.livejournal.com]

which is why i been looking into the cost of you flying gatwick to almeria on easyjet.

I realise that you might be feeling skint right now with everything else and If necessary we can pay for the ticket

we would love to have you come for as long as you want

[baratron.livejournal.com]

You know, I actually thought about this myself, but I have college! My research is portable, but I have compulsory lectures twice a week on Mondays & Wednesdays, plus a few extra classes at "random" times. (They're not really random but they don't follow a pattern).

So thank you for the offer, but it's not going to be practical. I just have to drag myself into college for the next couple of weeks, making sure everyone knows what the problem is and that it's time-limited, until things improve.

This is medical treatment NOT a holiday

[x-mass.livejournal.com]

can I suggest you have a talk to Mark (in disability) and your lecturers.

This is medical treatment, not a holiday! If you had to go to hospital for a week, they would automatically allow it.

If you came you would be at a 80% likelihood of continuous all day sun every day for the ten days you could be with us. We picked this area specifically because it the one bit of Europe that has Sub-Saharan levels of rain/cloud. It is very dry, but temperature will be about 10-20 celsius.

You could come next week and stay till the week after missing the first week of term. For the loss of 1 week schooling your likely to be far more effective and functional for the rest of the term, as opposed to very slowly regaining function.

I remember what it was like when I was doing my masters and at Ruskin. I was really good at the start of the first term and i was starting to get it together at the end of the second term, but by then I had a huge backlog of work to complete.

We should have broadband, so you could skype to your lectures if they want to set that up. This is the season of flues and colds - how many people are going to miss classes because of that this term?

I know I'm giving the hard sell but it what i would be saying to mark and your lectures in your place. If I was your lecturer i think i would much rather you miss 1 week and be more attentive and effective in class than 6 weeks of you regaining function slowly.

Have a talk to Mark about this stuff, they may well have policies in place for this already.

Re: This is medical treatment NOT a holiday

[baratron.livejournal.com]

I appreciate the thought, I really do, but it isn't going to be practical this time.

I can't go off to a place I've never been before, where I don't know that I can easily get vegan food, without a lot more planning. My diet is almost the total opposite of low-carb, so we wouldn't be able to share much in the way of cooking. (Neither of us can eat the other one's food and be healthy). So I need to know that some ready-made foods are available in supermarkets, and that there are restaurants I can go to. There is very little data available for cities other than Madrid and Barcelona in Spain - I've looked!

I also can't go without Richard when I'm relying on him to be my carer (and he CERTAINLY can't book time off work with no notice). I know Alexa is also my partner, but as you've pointed out, she isn't in a good state to care for someone else right now. And I know you aren't, so don't try to take that on!

I also also have stupid relatives to wrestle about the wedding, and none of them are in the 21st century, so that requires phone or physical presence.

Even if I didn't have lectures to go to, I couldn't go somewhere without knowing there was plenty of food available for me.

It might be practical next year when I've had time to look it all up (and maybe found Spanish vegans who can talk to local people), but this year it really isn't.

Re: This is medical treatment NOT a holiday

[x-mass.livejournal.com]

next year we would be going later.
I cant remember if Birkbeck has a reading week, if so we can time it so that you can come during that week

As for next year - assuming we retake the place, their are 3 bedroom so you and richard could come

If you and lexa can help with what your looking for in food, i can photo-document what is available.

The area is the heart of the spanish vegetable growing region. Due to the good light the land is covered with miles of polytunnels growing hydroponic veg for northern europe. Their is a market that moves from town to town in the local area depending on the day.

hope that helps

kate

[x-mass.livejournal.com]

I think a key issue here is that it isn't just 2 weeks!

Yes in 2 weeks time light levels will be the same as the start of December, but their is VERY high chance it will be cloudy. Most people with SAD start using lamps at the latest at the beginning of November!

I find I don't start getting improvements till March and their is also an overhang/payback for lack of light for a long while after that. otterylexa seems to take much longer.

This as opposed to longer days with a very high probability of sun for 10 days (for you) and 18 days for us...

Which is why we are going, this is a medical journey for treatment of depression not a holiday!

[jinian.livejournal.com]

The sun will come back! Really. And we got a BEAR CARD in the mail today, thank you!

[yoyoangel.livejournal.com]

Well done for getting some stuff done.
Going south for (a chunk of) the winter sounds like a great idea.

[nitoda]

I think X-mass makes a valid point or three. Might be worth discussing with disability support types - can you get video conferencing on the lectures etc?

[baratron.livejournal.com]

The key problem is that even if I didn't have lectures to go to, I couldn't go somewhere without knowing there was plenty of food available for me. It's easy to be vegan in some large cities, when you've had time to check out what ready-made meals are available in supermarkets and what restaurants you can go to. It's much harder if you haven't.

I get chronic anxiety if I have to stay overnight in a town that I haven't thoroughly checked out (or if I've checked it out and found there isn't anything). I would need way more preparation for a trip like this.

[nitoda]

Sorry, I hadn't thought of that. Maybe next winter then. Is there anything I can do to help currently?