Daily Thoughts, Random Thoughts, Venting Area

[Linville]

Yeah celts I figured it would have been more of a game, in both of them.
So how good is Atlanta?

[Linville]

Jan. 24 called worst day of the year
[color=rgba(27, 27, 27, 0.65098)]British psychologist calculates ‘most depressing day’[/color]

LONDON — 
Is the midwinter weather wearing you down? Are you sinking in debt after the holidays? Angry with yourself for already breaking your New Year's resolutions? Wish you could crawl back under the covers and not have to face another day of rain, sleet, snow and paperwork? Probably. After all, it's Jan. 24, the “most depressing day of the year,” according to a U.K. psychologist.
Dr. Cliff Arnall's calculations show that misery peaks Monday.

Arnall, who specializes in seasonal disorders at the University of Cardiff, Wales, created a formula that takes into account numerous feelings to devise peoples' lowest point.

The model is: [W + (D-d)] x TQ 
                          M x NA 

The equation is broken down into seven variables: (W) weather, (D) debt, (d) monthly salary, (T) time since Christmas, (Q) time since failed quit attempt, (M) low motivational levels and (NA) the need to take action.

‘Reality starts to kick in’ 
Arnall found that, while days technically get longer after Dec. 21, cyclonic weather systems take hold in January, bringing low, dark clouds to Britain. 
Meanwhile, the majority of people break their healthy resolutions six to seven days into the new year, and even the hangers-on have fallen off the wagon, torn off the nicotine patches and eaten the fridge empty by the third week. Any residual dregs of holiday cheer and family fun have kicked the bucket by Jan. 24.

“Following the initial thrill of New Year's celebrations and changing over a new leaf, reality starts to sink in,” Arnall said. “The realization coincides with the dark clouds rolling in and the obligation to pay off Christmas credit card bills.”


The formula was devised to help a travel company “analyze when people book holidays and holiday trends,” said Alex Kennedy, spokesperson for Porter Novelli, a London-based PR agency.
It seems that people are most likely to buy a ticket to paradise when they feel like hell.

“People feel bleak when they have nothing planned, but once they book a holiday they have a goal, they work toward having time off and a relaxing period,” Kennedy said.
“When you imagine yourself on the beach it makes you feel positive. You will save money, go to the gym and come back to the optimism you had at the end of 2004,” she said.
In U.K., up to a third get SAD 

Research shows an escape to the sun can have real health benefits.
Up to a third of the population, in Britain at least, suffers from seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, also known as winter depression, according to MIND, a leading mental health charity in England and Wales. Furthermore, nine out of 10 people report sleeping and eating more during the darker months.

While most cases of the winter blues are not severe, 2 percent to 5 percent of those with SAD cannot function without continuous treatment.

However, it's extremely rare to find anyone with the disorder within 30 degrees of the equator, where days are long and the sky is bright year-round, according to MIND.

Although their findings appear to support a key factor in Arnall's research for Porter Novelli and its client, Sky Travel, the charity warned against overemphasizing the psychologist's claims.
“These types of formulae, if anything, probably serve to oversimplify the complexities of real-life experience,” a spokesperson said on customary condition of anonymity.
Others in the medical field were less skeptical.

“I’m sure it's right,” said Dr. Alan Cohen, spokesperson for the Royal College of General Practitioners, referring to Arnall's equation.


However, “it is postulated that there are a number of different causes of depression,” he said.
“It may be something about one’s personality, genes or external events. For those who suffer from external events, [Jan. 24] would be the most depressing day,” Cohen said.
While travel companies hope to turn gloom into gold this date, for those unable to book a last-minute tropical getaway, Arnall might want to consider a formula for the “happiest day of the year.”
[i]© 2013 msnbc.com Reprints[/i]

[Charon]

interesting. makes sense.

[Charon]

my son and i did that. and when he had his cousins and friends sleep over, which was every weekend, we all went to sleep in leggings. i never told my son the leggings i bought were for females. they don't make them for boys yet.

and, one can get up in morning and be dressed enough to face a living room full of children.

good thinking, fire.

[Linville]

interesting.  makes sense.

Hi Charon. I saw the weather channel talking about this .

And today is the day .....  

[Charon]

well no sadness or sorrow in here! its an interesting concept. hope u r well.

[Linville]

Hi , You are right , I was just noting about all that as I find the study of things interesting as well .

Sometimes in this Information Age it can go into overload, eh?

But in here is a refuge for sure.
Love it !
Thank you Charon   

It doesn't really need to be highlighted but for the lack of news I guess to talk about ...so I move on , Hmmmm, what is up next ?

A cool pic seems about right, check how the snow slid here!

[Charon]

[Orange rabbit]

Well this is true for my life time

[Dancing Wolf]

Linville,
I have picture of my grandson when young sitting on snow higher the roof of my house next to it.
Had a lot of snow that year.  About 5 ft in 24 hours right before picture, I think? On top of snow already there.
Often had snow covering ground most of time until spring from Dec & could snow anytime until  ?  (I've seen snow late May)
 

What I didn't expect was how much I would miss the snow now that I'm back south...
Seems so weird to be in short-sleeve weather during January.
It's been overall such a warm winter here so far.

Cold spell is on the way though -
Everybody bundle up in layers!