Comments on: Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3 http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/ Are you with me? Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:32:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bill http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-66 Bill Tue, 08 Feb 2005 20:29:31 +0000 http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/index.php/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/#comment-66 From the looks of most folks replies, they too have seized on a point or another for their comments, which was apparently very Bill of them. ;-) Our number is legion. At any rate, this is your forum and you're reasonably well acquainted with my POV, when it concerns you, so I'll leave you to it as seems best. From the looks of most folks replies, they too have seized on a point or another for their comments, which was apparently very Bill of them. ;-) Our number is legion.
At any rate, this is your forum and you’re reasonably well acquainted with my POV, when it concerns you, so I’ll leave you to it as seems best.

]]> By: Amy http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-65 Amy Tue, 08 Feb 2005 14:13:50 +0000 http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/index.php/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/#comment-65 I'm glad you posted, Sharon -- I enjoy your blog -- and I'm glad if I can be of any help at all. I always find it helpful to learn about other people's ways of coping too, and I wish you and your family the best in dealing with the awfulness of it. There is hope, and it does pass -- I'm already feeling somewhat better myself, and certainly functioning better. Part of that is just time, I think -- my major episodes tend to just go away after a while no matter what -- and part of it is because I've started seeing a therapist as well as a shrink who's working on adjusting my medication. I've just started, but it's my first experience with cognitive-behavior therapy, and I think it's going to be a good fit for me. And I'm knitting again, which has to be a good sign -- in the worst throes of this bout, I wasn't even interested in knitting, which is one way I knew I was in trouble. :-) It never goes away completely for me, though I've certainly had times of great happiness and enjoyment in life too. In any case, I hope that's not the case for your child (and for some people, it really isn't a lifelong thing, which is good news). FWIW, one book that I found particularly helpful when I read it several years back was <i>Undoing Depression</i> by Richard O'Connor. In general, I find those sorts of books to be of limited help, but that one made such intuitive sense to me that it really was helpful in getting me to think differently about my depression (at least temporarily). The author is a psychologist, but he's also struggled with depression himself, which is probably a big part of what made his book so effective. I’m glad you posted, Sharon — I enjoy your blog — and I’m glad if I can be of any help at all. I always find it helpful to learn about other people’s ways of coping too, and I wish you and your family the best in dealing with the awfulness of it. There is hope, and it does pass — I’m already feeling somewhat better myself, and certainly functioning better. Part of that is just time, I think — my major episodes tend to just go away after a while no matter what — and part of it is because I’ve started seeing a therapist as well as a shrink who’s working on adjusting my medication. I’ve just started, but it’s my first experience with cognitive-behavior therapy, and I think it’s going to be a good fit for me. And I’m knitting again, which has to be a good sign — in the worst throes of this bout, I wasn’t even interested in knitting, which is one way I knew I was in trouble. :-)

It never goes away completely for me, though I’ve certainly had times of great happiness and enjoyment in life too. In any case, I hope that’s not the case for your child (and for some people, it really isn’t a lifelong thing, which is good news). FWIW, one book that I found particularly helpful when I read it several years back was Undoing Depression by Richard O’Connor. In general, I find those sorts of books to be of limited help, but that one made such intuitive sense to me that it really was helpful in getting me to think differently about my depression (at least temporarily). The author is a psychologist, but he’s also struggled with depression himself, which is probably a big part of what made his book so effective.

]]> By: Sharon http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-64 Sharon Tue, 08 Feb 2005 01:48:35 +0000 http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/index.php/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/#comment-64 Amy, I'm appreciating the comments you make about your struggle with depression. One of my children has this battle to fight, and while I've read quite a bit on the subject, I find that nothing is as enlightening as simply hearing about how others deal with it. Thank you for your openness. Amy, I’m appreciating the comments you make about your struggle with depression. One of my children has this battle to fight, and while I’ve read quite a bit on the subject, I find that nothing is as enlightening as simply hearing about how others deal with it. Thank you for your openness.

]]> By: Amy http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-63 Amy Mon, 07 Feb 2005 21:13:36 +0000 http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/index.php/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/#comment-63 Defensive much, Bill? :-) It's true that you also watch shows that are definitely <i>not</i>geared toward teen girls, like "NYPD Blue" and, God knows, "The Shield" and "Rescue Me." But in any case, I explicitly noted several reasons that I can't tease you with much conviction about the shows you watch, given my own taste in TV. Besides, I write this whole long post filled with all sorts of fascinating (?!) information, and you seize on the one little reference to you, which wasn't even a negative reference. How very Bill of you. :-) Defensive much, Bill? :-) It’s true that you also watch shows that are definitely notgeared toward teen girls, like “NYPD Blue” and, God knows, “The Shield” and “Rescue Me.” But in any case, I explicitly noted several reasons that I can’t tease you with much conviction about the shows you watch, given my own taste in TV.

Besides, I write this whole long post filled with all sorts of fascinating (?!) information, and you seize on the one little reference to you, which wasn’t even a negative reference. How very Bill of you. :-)

]]> By: Bill http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Bill Mon, 07 Feb 2005 20:21:02 +0000 http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/index.php/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/#comment-61 I don't think your observation that I "watch(es) a lot of shows that have teenage girls as their main target audience" is entirely correct. I won't deny that teens may well be a target audience for staples of my teevee viewing like "Everwood," "Gilmore Girls," "The O.C." (last year's favorite, this year's second-favorite show) and "Veronica Mars" (my favorite new show and my show of the year), but I have a hard time seeing that is has any particular significance. It may be continued evidence of my (dreaded) "sensitive guy" status, but it's kinda late in the game for me to run from that sad characterization. I was raised on soap operas, and in one way or another all these shows, hour-long dramas as they are, have some elements of grown-up soap to them, without the kitsch built into stuff like "Desperate Housewives." I don’t think your observation that I “watch(es) a lot of shows that have teenage girls as their main target audience” is entirely correct. I won’t deny that teens may well be a target audience for staples of my teevee viewing like “Everwood,” “Gilmore Girls,” “The O.C.” (last year’s favorite, this year’s second-favorite show) and “Veronica Mars” (my favorite new show and my show of the year), but I have a hard time seeing that is has any particular significance. It may be continued evidence of my (dreaded) “sensitive guy” status, but it’s kinda late in the game for me to run from that sad characterization. I was raised on soap operas, and in one way or another all these shows, hour-long dramas as they are, have some elements of grown-up soap to them, without the kitsch built into stuff like “Desperate Housewives.”

]]> By: Jamie http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-53 Jamie Sat, 05 Feb 2005 16:03:53 +0000 http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/index.php/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/#comment-53 I don't think I *can* beat that, Amy. :-) I observed a news blackout midweek as well. The State of the Union address came on right after American Idol, and we duly hit the power button on the remote. Gone...poof! I don’t think I *can* beat that, Amy. :-)

I observed a news blackout midweek as well. The State of the Union address came on right after American Idol, and we duly hit the power button on the remote. Gone…poof!

]]> By: Amy http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-47 Amy Fri, 04 Feb 2005 18:50:12 +0000 http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/index.php/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/#comment-47 Jack, I can say unequivocally that I will <em>always</em> be happy to hear from you, whatever else might be going on with me at any given time. (And I'm not shying away from individual social contacts so much as from the group thing -- I'm unsubbed from all music-related lists right now, pretty much, though that won't be permanent.) I'm listening to the new Bettie Serveert a second time right now, and noticing more similarities to Log 22 than differences from it -- it's (so far) striking me as a nice combination of where they used to be long ago and where they've been headed lately. I'm thinking about stopping in St. Louis to see them in March -- I'll be driving through on my way back from swingin' Champaign that evening -- but the timing might not work out so well, and I'll probably be eager to get back to this town...insofar as I'm ever eager to get back to this town. :-) Could happen, though, especially since my only other option for seeing them on this tour would be a weeknight in Lawrence, and those are next to impossible for me to manage these days, unless I play hooky the next day. And it's been years since I've seen them, so...we'll see. Let me know if you end up deciding to go to the STL show. Jack, I can say unequivocally that I will always be happy to hear from you, whatever else might be going on with me at any given time. (And I’m not shying away from individual social contacts so much as from the group thing — I’m unsubbed from all music-related lists right now, pretty much, though that won’t be permanent.)

I’m listening to the new Bettie Serveert a second time right now, and noticing more similarities to Log 22 than differences from it — it’s (so far) striking me as a nice combination of where they used to be long ago and where they’ve been headed lately. I’m thinking about stopping in St. Louis to see them in March — I’ll be driving through on my way back from swingin’ Champaign that evening — but the timing might not work out so well, and I’ll probably be eager to get back to this town…insofar as I’m ever eager to get back to this town. :-) Could happen, though, especially since my only other option for seeing them on this tour would be a weeknight in Lawrence, and those are next to impossible for me to manage these days, unless I play hooky the next day. And it’s been years since I’ve seen them, so…we’ll see. Let me know if you end up deciding to go to the STL show.

]]> By: Jack http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-46 Jack Fri, 04 Feb 2005 18:40:15 +0000 http://www.lynxpoint.com/wordpress/index.php/2005/02/04/reasons-to-be-cheerful-part-1/#comment-46 Amy, I'm feeling a little funny about responding...I caught your references to your blog during my brief, recent revisit to a certain message board and followed your links, and I'm much appreciating your journals. So, given your understandable choice to step back a little while, I hope you'll forgive me following you into the rabbit hole <g>. Anyway, I mainly wanted to say thanks for the Bettie Serveert review...I liked Log 22 a lot but hadn't yet heard any opinions on the new one, so, trusting your judgement, I'll probably be seeking it out this weekend in Indy. (We seem to be much on the same wavelength musically these days, as I've also been listening to the Delgados, at least occasionally). Have a good weekend, and good luck with classes! Amy, I’m feeling a little funny about responding…I caught your references to your blog during my brief, recent
revisit to a certain message board and followed your links, and I’m much appreciating your journals. So, given your
understandable choice to step back a little while, I hope you’ll forgive me following you into the rabbit hole .
Anyway, I mainly wanted to say thanks for the Bettie Serveert review…I liked Log 22 a lot but hadn’t yet heard
any opinions on the new one, so, trusting your judgement, I’ll probably be seeking it out this weekend in Indy.
(We seem to be much on the same wavelength musically these days, as I’ve also been listening to the Delgados, at
least occasionally). Have a good weekend, and good luck with classes!

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