2015 Goal: January

[rowyn]

It's February! That means I have not yet forgotten my goal for the year, which is to post monthly updates about whatever it is I've done.

Health/Fitness
My diet is as bad as ever. Weight is approximately the same, maybe up a pound. I've been exercising less than I do during the summer; probably averaged to "half an hour of biking every other day" for the month. Although in practice, it was "most of the last two weeks and very little for the first 2.5 weeks" of the month, because the weather was nice enough to bike outside for a little while.

Writing
I successfully completed a "write a page a day" challenge for January, solely by counting absolutely anything I wrote. Mostly PBEM posts, Flight Rising dragon bios, and blog entries. Plus some notes on setting/character/plot for original stories, and a very little actual fiction. Like maybe two pages.

The Business of Writing
Nothing here. But since I made no significant progress on writing new fiction in January, I did decide to start Round Two of editing A Rational Arrangement in February. Maybe I'll even finish it this time! A girl can dream. -_-

Art/Other
*thinks*

Nope, nothing here.

Gaming
I did actually get out for board gaming twice in January, when I rented a car three weekends ago. The Elect PBEM is still going, though I have been sluggish about replying and need to catch up.

Socializing
"Gaming" covers about all the socializing I did this month, too. Mmm, the hermit life.

Happiness
I was pretty depressed for a couple of weeks in January; the weird thing about this bout was that it took me ten or twelve days to notice. "Hey, I'm depressed!! That's why I'm snappish and mopey and irritable and don't want to do anything at all." I started to feel better after that realization, which is not any less weird. Been doing well for the last week or so, so hopefully it's passed.

Comments

[alltoseek.livejournal.com]

the weird thing about this bout was that it took me ten or twelve days to notice. "Hey, I'm depressed!! That's why I'm snappish and mopey and irritable and don't want to do anything at all."

Nah, that's not weird. I often forget that irritability is a symptom of depression, and I'm depressed all the time. You sounded like you were just tired/fatigued for a period, or having a post-holidays letdown, or something. Not surprising you didn't recognize depression for a while.

I started to feel better after that realization, which is not any less weird.

Nope, not weird either. Often just acknowledging our (negative) feelings can help relieve them. We don't have to keep expressing the symptoms of it once it's acknowledged. This happens to me with anxiety all the time. You might also have some automatic CBT stuff you do when you recognize your depression that helps relieve it.

In any case, weird or not, am glad you are feeling better now! :D

[rowyn]

I suppose "weird" is the wrong word. "Counter-intuitive", maybe. ;) I'm used to a different kind of depression, involving more self-loathing and feeling useless/worthless and suicidal ideation. (I'm not actually suicidal, I just think about it a lot when I'm depressed). So having day-after-day of "everything seems pointless and I don't want to work, or be at home, or play games, or do anything, actually, except sleep" was more unusual for me. And thus went unnoticed longer.

I think you're right about the automatic CBT. I did mood-tracking daily for a few years, and that helped a lot with leveling out my moods. n_n

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

I've been so bad about exercising lately.

And I didn't even notice when you were miserable. Blah.

[rowyn]

Hey, I didn't notice when I was miserable! I'm certainly not gonna blame anyone else for missing it. :) *hugs*

[octantis.livejournal.com]

Really glad you're feeling better! Rebellious brain is a special kind of awfulness.

[alinsa.livejournal.com]

I was pretty depressed for a couple of weeks in January; the weird thing about this bout was that it took me ten or twelve days to notice. "Hey, I'm depressed!! That's why I'm snappish and mopey and irritable and don't want to do anything at all."

I completely failed to pick up on this ... am I really quite so oblivious?

[rowyn]

*laughs* What part of I didn't notice I was depressed makes everyone else think they should've noticed? :D You figure you know me better than I do?

Seriously, I don't think it was you or Terry or Lut or anyone being oblivious. I am out of the habit of talking about it. It's not that visible. It's okay. *hugs*