Friday, September 22, 2006

S.A.D.

I have some bad news to share. I've been diagnosed (read: in a chain email I saw this and decided it fit my personality quite well) with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Yes, this is a real disease (or mental state, or excuse, take your pick) see link here http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/27.cfm

I hate winter, there isn't a think about it I like. Snow is nice the week of Christmas but I have to say that last Christmas in AZ I didn't particularly miss it, I still enjoyed the lights and presents and music just fine. I don't ski, I don't snowboard. Sure, I could learn, but that costs bucks, and unless someone is willing to donate the money, the equipment, an instructor, and TIME then I will not be learning to ski/board in the foreseeable future, and I'm fine with this because as I mentioned, I hate winter.

Its mostly the cold that gets me though, it can snow all it wants, as long as its above 55 degrees (I am willing to withstand that slight bit of cold just to truly be able to appreciate summer when it finally drags its lazy butt out again) that of course is 55 as a low, not a high. I even quite enjoy the rain. Again, as long as its above 55.

By some unfortunate series of events I was born in Utah. Not southern Utah with the red rock, hiking, Lake Powell, and heat. But the Salt Lake Valley (yes, I really do love it, I'm just in a bit of a funk) Where we get cold (humph) snow (gasp!) and inversion (gag, cough-cough). Somewhere in me there is a beach bum sunbathing on the sandy beaches of wherever.

Here is the depressing, sheltered side of me. I've never been to a beach. Not a real beach anyway. When I was 12ish my family traveled to Fortuna, CA (link too long to post, check out mapquest. BTW if anyone knows how to post a link but have it appear as the text you desire, please let me know) in the winter months, and we played in the water there. It was freezing cold, but we did it anyway because it was the ocean and we were kids.

So one day, hopefully while I still have a youthful physique (sort of) I'd like to visit a nice warm beach with hot sun, blue water, and no day planner to attend to. Until that happens I guess I'll be sitting here in fabulous SLC- where the snow falls, the temperature drops, the inversions settles in, and we're all warned to stay inside for the health of our lungs- waiting for the slow 6 months of winter (October-March it seems some years, yes this might be a bit drastic, but you forget I'm in a funk and apt to rant. And, as far as I'm concerned if its not summer, it's winter) to painfully slug by so that I can again bust out the flip-flops.

Ah, you know me so well. Yes, the flip-flops will certainly be seen before that. I wear them any day the temperature is above 60, or if its just a quick trip somewhere and the weather is dry, or if I'm being defiant and trying to show winter who's boss.

For fabulous flip-flops see the link at the left sidebar.

P.S. Sorry for the blantant mis-use of the parenthesis, that's just how my brain thinks, and I wouldn't want to rob you of the experience of the authentic me.

2 comments:

Jill Homer said...

Sorry to hear about the SAD. I'm a former Utahn, now Alaskan, and despite the legnthy, cold winters here, I had a much harder time with winter in Utah. The inversions really are the worst. But it's hard for me to relate because I am more of a "winter" person. The closest I've ever been to a case of SAD was during some of those month-long 100-degree hot stretches that sometimes hit SLC in July.

Anonymous said...

Silly Taunya! You were born here because you chose me to be your mother! And I have to wonder, during those 90 and 100 degree days why I am in SLC. I try to make sure the springs and autumns make up for it all, and I will always be found where the mass population of my family is found. xoxo