not readercon, not yet

[jazzfish]

At Readercon (trip report forthcoming) I had people ask me tough questions like "so, how have you been?" and want a real response, not just "oh, fine." Which was harder to come up with than it could have been.

My current answer is something like: I made it through the grey and gloom of my first Pac-NW winter and it wasn't so bad. Then spring was no better than winter: the days got longer but the sunlight didn't increase. That seems to have kicked off something that looks an awful lot like undiagnosed SAD. So now I'm picking up the pieces from that.

At least, that's what it looks like from here. I dunno. Writing and meeting-new-people effectively stopped after Rainforest at the beginning of March, which was also when workstress started getting to me in earnest. I can't say from inside what was going on. I don't know that I'm even entirely out of it yet. I'm doing more things, and planning to do more things, and keeping up better with the things I'm doing, is about all I can see.

Comments

[merseine]

In regards to SAD - have you tried using light therapy? Anecdotal wisdom says that using a full spectrum light helps combat SAD.

On a crafter's note, I love having my Ott lights at my sewing table. It really does make a difference over the fluorescent bulbs we have in that room. If I also get the benefit or less SAD, then it's a win-win.

[jazzfish]

I haven't tried it *yet* because there's been more than enough sun to keep me going. Having said that, getting at least one lightbox for the office nook is on the list of things to do before September.

Among the If This Were My House changes is to replace the dim-ish fluorescent fixture in the office nook with one that generates actual light.

(Thanks for the Ott lights link! Will have to check the awful fixture in here and see if they'll work in it.)

[merseine]

Don't take my word for it - do your research for wattages and such - but a lot of the quilt shops I go to have Ott light bulbs in what look to be normal fluorescent type fixtures...you know, the 4ft long sorts of things? If they work, then more power to you!

*fingers crossed*

[notyourwendy]

Unfortunately, Ott lights have specially designed attachment points so that you can only attach Ott bulbs to their fixtures. :(

[jazzfish]

You sure? The ones at C's link look like normal bulbs.

[notyourwendy]

Yeah, unfortunately, I'm sure. We sold them at Michaels and ran out of bulbs all the time because the replenishment system sucked. Customers couldn't just run down to Home Depot for replacements. In fact, we had a lamp on clearance because it had lost the bulb and no one would buy it because no one could find the damn bulb by itself.

[jameshroberts.livejournal.com]

I haven't been there, but I imagine Pac-NW winter has to be more tolerable than DC summer, so I think you come out ahead.

[jazzfish]

O yes, this is in no way a complaint, just a needed adjustment. I'll take nine months of grey winter over six months of broiling any year.

[jameshroberts.livejournal.com]

Can't rightly call this "broiling". That's a dry heat method. More like braising.