The formula for the day of utmost misery (apparently January 24th) reads 1/8W+(D-d) 3/8xTQ MxNA.

JANUARY BLUES DAY FORMULA
1/8W+(D-d) 3/8xTQ MxNA. Where:
W: Weather
D: Debt
d: Money due in January pay
T: Time since Christmas
Q: Time since failed quit attempt
M: General motivational levels
NA: The need to take action

The formula was discovered by Chris Arnalls, a part time tutor in Cardiff University. The medical profession associate the day with depression:

"The message is it's not a terrible disorder, people do get better," Royal College of General Practictioners spokesman Dr Alan Cohen said. "Exercise and bibliotherapy - reading a number of books to allow people to understand their own symptoms and how to control them," were initial treatments, he said.

Even in a good year, the going would be tough, but this year extra survival measures may be called for e.g. keep the Sibín open all day, ban all economy threads, change the portal from blue to pink...

Any other suggestions?

Yeah! It's my Birthday ;o)

studiorat wrote:

Yeah! It's my Birthday ;o)

Party ?

I'm dying of a chest infection.

Not this year...
But hey! Everyday is a Party in 'rat land.

Is that Man Flu ECU?

It's worse than anything other affliction ever crossed by anyone else ever, so it must be.

studiorat wrote:

Not this year...
But hey! Everyday is a Party in 'rat land.

Is that Man Flu ECU?

Poor ECU, that is wretched. You could try this, if you're well enough to get out of bed

http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/2008/01/how-to-make-enjoy-peppermint-zing-sinus.html

A Vicks inhaler steam can be good too.

Is it your birthday today studiorat? Happy birthday !

Don't really have a choice but to be well enough, my studies aren't going to do themselves. Shouldn't have taken the dog for a walk though, it turns out that being dragged across Wexford by an over-excited canine does not help...

That link is very interesting cactus, thank you. Unfortunately my peppermint is in Dublin but upon my return tomorrow that is definitely happening. What I really need is a nice mix of chokeweed and Daedra skin (guess the game).

And happy birthday studiorat, of course!

evercloserunion wrote:

I'm dying of a chest infection.

Really sorry to hear you are feeling so ill.

Having had actual flu twice as well as the usual quota of colds and chest infections my rule for telling the real thing is that if you feel like death, it's not; if you wish you were dead, it is.

You will know. You will not be walking the dog, or posting. You will no longer remember what you are studying or why. You will not be at work telling others you are dying with the flu. You will be prostrate, with minions in attendance if you're lucky, not that you will care. When you get better, you will feel like death again for a while. This is good; clear evidence of progress. When you are eventually employable again people will say 'Oh, I had the same thing but just had to struggle on. It's mind over matter really'. Oh no, it's not.

Hope it does not get worse. I told ya to wear your flannel vest.

Belated happy birthday, rodent one.

Everyone else, avoid dark rooms and Joy Division records, you'll get through it...

Ah, its 35 outside, finishing work in 25 minutes then off to the beach for a swim. Yeah its a shocker the 19th January.

shutuplaura wrote:

Ah, its 35 outside, finishing work in 25 minutes then off to the beach for a swim. Yeah its a shocker the 19th January.

My girlfriend's heading over there in March to Melbourne, her friend is living there. She has me cracked going on about it...

To work or for a holiday? If its any consolation the weather will be fairly ordinary in March.

shutuplaura wrote:

To work or for a holiday? If its any consolation the weather will be fairly ordinary in March.

3 months working holiday, I think she's hoping to work with animals in some capacity. Her friend Judy is already there working in a guest house. She doesn't care about the weather so much, more interested in getting out in the sea to do stuff, whale-watching or whatever...

shutuplaura wrote:

Ah, its 35 outside, finishing work in 25 minutes then off to the beach for a swim. Yeah its a shocker the 19th January.

shutup shutuplaura

toxic avenger wrote:

shutuplaura wrote:

To work or for a holiday? If its any consolation the weather will be fairly ordinary in March.

3 months working holiday, I think she's hoping to work with animals in some capacity. Her friend Judy is already there working in a guest house. She doesn't care about the weather so much, more interested in getting out in the sea to do stuff, whale-watching or whatever...

Yeah, as I'm sure you know Melbourne is a good place for that sort of thing. Sea Shepard has a base here. They are like an extremely agressive version of greenpeace. Think they are the guys who hijacked a whaling ship not so long ago. Not aure but I think the Australian Antartic researching organistation (not sure what its called exactly) is based here too. And there is still jobs about - but for how long is what everyone is wondering.

shutuplaura wrote:

toxic avenger wrote:

shutuplaura wrote:

To work or for a holiday? If its any consolation the weather will be fairly ordinary in March.

3 months working holiday, I think she's hoping to work with animals in some capacity. Her friend Judy is already there working in a guest house. She doesn't care about the weather so much, more interested in getting out in the sea to do stuff, whale-watching or whatever...

Yeah, as I'm sure you know Melbourne is a good place for that sort of thing. Sea Shepard has a base here. They are like an extremely agressive version of greenpeace. Think they are the guys who hijacked a whaling ship not so long ago. Not aure but I think the Australian Antartic researching organistation (not sure what its called exactly) is based here too. And there is still jobs about - but for how long is what everyone is wondering.

Danke. She'd love to kick some whalers' ass, I'll let her know they exist....