…nothing new to report on the Johan Santana deal…at least not last I checked, about ten minutes ago. All I know is that the Sox are the front-runners to get this guy. But who will we have to give up to get him?

On to a more personal issue…every year, once baseball is over, I fall into a winter funk. In years past, it’s not started until after Christmas and New Year’s. I do love the holiday season. But once it’s over, life sucks until spring training starts.

But hell…is it really normal to get this depressed just because baseball is over? I’ve suspected for years that I might be suffering from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). But now, the funk has hit me…big time, well before Christmas. I am almost 100% positive now that this is what I’m dealing with.

The past few weeks have been hell…I tend to stay up all night, either on the computer or watching TV. And then I sleep all damned day. I’ve been sleeping so much that I think we might need to get a new mattress, I’m wearing out the one we have now, I think.

My friend Kat recognized my symptoms, she read all about it on one of my other blogs.  She says that she suffered from this herself, when she lived in Maine.  But once she moved to Florida, the symptoms went away.

She knows that I’ll stay in New England until I kick the bucket, in fact, we do plan to move to Maine in a few years.  But she sent me a great article from the Mayo Clinic about SAD, and it was a great help.  It led me to look for more articles, and to find out where to buy one of those light boxes, so I can try light therapy at home.

I have a serious aversion to going to doctors, most of them are more interested in doping people up, anyway.  Many doctors have deals with drug companies, they get a kickback when they write scrips and sell drugs.  It has little to nothing to do with what is best for the patient; it’s mostly about paying for the doctor’s new Porsche, or his kids’ college, or something.  But no, I don’t want to take “happy pills” to get over this.  Light therapy is safe and non-invasive.

I ordered a light box yesterday.  It’s been shipped and I should have it within a week.  I’m very anxious to start with it, and I will be blogging about it.  Not so much here, though…the bulk of this will be on my main blog, The Passionate Ailurophile.  I want to blog the whole thing because I hope to help others who are suffering from this very real mental illness.  I want to be able to advocate therapy other than medication…yes, medication is necessary for many who suffer from depression, but I see it as a last resort.  Because of the “deals” that doctors have with the drug companies, they are too quick to medicate first.  I hate that crap.

I’ll be okay…I’m depressed, but not suicidal or anything (but that might change if the Sox sign Eric Gag-me to a multi-year contract…LOL!).  Mike and I will be going away this weekend to Old Sturbridge Village, for the Christmas by Candlelight event.  Distractions are always good.  A weekend away will break my routine and be a big help.  I just hope that there will be some sunshine over the weekend!

Maybe this is why I love going to all of these minor league games so much…I crave the sun, need it to stay sane.  Who knows?