Just some thoughts...

Pardon me as I go on a stream of consciousness ramble here...

It would appear that overnight, I lost one of my followers.  Don't know why... I can only assume that the rainbow colored scarf was just too much for them... oh well... If they're that touchy they don't need to be hanging around me anyway... I have strange fits of obnoxiousness and the thin skinned don't bear up well.

I've also been thinking about my depression fits.  I've mentioned before that I grew up in a house with an unmedicated bi-polar sibling.  I am probably a little more aware of moods and such than most... a few years ago I had it checked out, and, fortunately, I had a Dr. that didn't immediately start prescribing drugs.  She ran the tests and came back with the conclusion that yes, I was probably a little depressive, but it didn't seem serious enough to resort to pharmacueticals.  This is a good thing, as I've had experience with some of them and I don't always react well to them.  She recommended a healthy diet, and learning what would trigger the depressions and avoiding that if possible or learning to deal with it in a different way.  She even recommended a few books that might help.  And they did. 

That's why I avoid holiday parties.  Not neccesarily all of them, in particular  family centered ones where there's likely to be self-centered teenagers with a high sense of the dramatic.  Which, let's face it, is most teenagers.  And no, they probably won't throw a full bipolar fit... but things are likely to happen that will trigger a bad chain reaction in my head. 

But, I've done a lot of reading and research on Depression.  And I'm probably a bit of a sucker for any book that claims it will help me deal with it.  Some are excellent.  Some are pure tripe.  I've found the ones that don't neccesarily talk about depression are often much more helpful.  There was a book called "Embracing the Shadow" written by a Jungian psychologist (can't think of the author name at the moment)  that was amazingly helpful. 

I think I've also mentioned on the blog that I go to a Non-Denominational Church.  Our members have had backgrounds in about every belief system out there.  And that's good.  We are not a 'blind faith' group.  We don't neccesarily believe everything that a pastor says to us, nor do we follow like sheep off the cliff.  We are expected to think and to discuss.  The only requirement is that we treat each others attitudes with respect. 

I am lucky that I have the kind of mind that doesn't dismiss things out of hand.  When given a new idea, I tend to pick it up, turn it over, look at it from all sides... eventually I'll probably put it down and either abandon it or come back when it's needed.  I have consequently learned things that I never would have learned before.  What I've always found interesting though is how different sources, different backgrounds and different beliefs often have so much in common.  It's that universal stuff that I find so fascinating. 

For instance... I was given a copy of 'Eat Pray Love' recently.  I had seen the movie, and it was ok... but the book is much better.  It's a deeply spiritual book, in a down to earth and often humorous way... heavy on Buddism. 

I was also given a copy of "The Secret."  The best way to describe it is all of those Power of Positive Thinking type books smashed together, mixed up and condensed. 

Another member of the church sent me a link to a website about creativity in general.  The web site had a story in it... about a CIA study.  It would appear that the CIA put a bunch of people in chairs and made them watch cartoons and comedians and such while they monitored their physical reactions.  Anyone who has ever been amused knows that it affects you physically... it releases endorphins and all sorts of brain chemicals... nothing too surprising there.  Next, the researchers took a group, and made them hold an ink pen between their teeth.  This forces your cheeks up into an unnatural smile or grin... and according to the monitors... the physiological changes from sitting there with their faces forced into a smile were exactly the same as the people who were highly amused.  (I should note that the site didn't give me any reference to the actual CIA study, so I can't confirm the source.  I hate that about the web.) 

Then I remembered in 'Eat Pray Love' that one of her gurus had recommended that she sit and meditate while smiling for about 15 minutes a day, to ensure happiness and health. 

And in 'The Secret' they recommended watching comedies and listening to music that made you happy, because happiness attracts more happiness. 

I find these areas of common ground in these vastly different contexts fascinating. 

I have come to a certain understanding about some things. 

People always see what they want to see.  A devoutly religious person will see evidence of the divine in everything.  A committed  athiest will see the lack of the divine in everything.   Most of the population are somewhere  in the middle. 

That sort of thing. 

I think I'm about done for the day.  I should get on with what needs to be done.  Sorry about the rambling nature of the post... I'm afraid I didn't write in my journal this morning and you got one of my journal entries here... LOL