A Gray Mood… January 23, 2008
Posted by littlebangtheory in Art and Nature, Love and Death.Tags: escape from OZ, gray-scale, SAD but true
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Elder Progeny confessed to me the other day that in winter, when she isn’t busy, i.e. at school, she tends to stay up all night and sleep late into the day, mostly because of the emotional effect the incessant grayness has on her.
I’m similarly affected by SAD (Seasonal Affect Disorder, as if you didn’t know,) but have always dealt with it by being hyper-physical, e.g. hiking to the tops of hills in the dark through deep snow to watch the sun rise, etc.
If I ever get us a decent sun-lamp, I’ll probably sit home and turn into a three hundred pound Beach Ball.
This winter has been difficult for me, with ankle and knee injuries preceding my shoulder fiasco, and an early winter which has devolved into a morass of monotones and flat light which makes Dorothy’s pre-twister Kansas look like The Emerald City.
Nonetheless, in an effort to appear to be a Sportin’ Type, I’ve decided to embrace the grayness for a while, at least when the rainbows aren’t to be found.
So here are three photos from The Dark Side, taken in the last two days, which both speak of the weight I feel and have a certain peaceful quality which I’d probably be better off embracing than struggling so feebly against.
Morning Twilight through my kitchen window, after a light snowfall:
A Farmscape under deep, crusted powder snow:
…and Yesterday’s Moonrise:
That is all.
TCR – that picture from your kitchen window looks like a gelatin print, it is utterly magnificent.
You should send it in to a magazine or something — it is truly art.
Regards,
Tengrain
Hey Doc!
As far as the lightbox goes, here’s the alternative that we use….replace all your incandescent bulbs with full spectrum bulbs. I started doing this about 10 years ago when I first noticed the effects of SAD. I have one in my office (no it’s just HELL with fluorescent lighting) that I use all year and we have them scattered around the apartment. It’s the poor folks alternative that works. You can now get them just about anywhere.
Tschuss!
oh my, the 1st one takes my breath away!
we get used to grey here. pittsburgh is known for it.
a sunny day is celebrated!
You can borrow my light box!
I certainly I am glad I have it, though I shudder to think how much electricity it uses.
Superior pictures like that only prove the superiority of SAD over obscene amounts of sunshine which only makes me sad.
TG, Sherry, thanks – you’re too kind!
Frau B, CK – I just replaced all of my incandescents with compact fluorescents this past summer as an energy-saving tactic, figured it was the right thing to do. And now this!
Randal – So “they” say. Ya gotta be a poor, suffering bastard to make any kind of art. So even without pretensions of art, I’m “pre-qualified!”
When I lived in Boston, I didn’t get SAD much but now that I am back in Chicago, I am really struggling. I highly recommend a small Vit D supplement. It has made a huge difference for me….
Thanks Heather, I’ll try that. How “small” was enough to make a difference for you?
I take 400 IU a day from November 1 until mid-March. If it has been particularly gray time and I notice I am drinking a lot of Vit D enhanced milk, I might up it to two tablets for a week or so. It costs me about $10 a year.
If there is fatigue with SAD, low B12 might also be an issue.
Thanks, Heather, I’ll check that out!
Actually, if you only replace your reading lamp with a full spectrum bulb you’ll be better off. I also think that you can get them in fluorescent.
Tschuss!