Journal Entry
Light blogging
November 28th 2007 at 2:58 pm
I apologize for the light blogging, I’m a bit behind on stuff and am plugging through my to do list (using the quite awesome OmniFocus, btw).
Today I overslept again. It was all I could to get up and I wondered what the hell was wrong, I’ve been groggy and lethargic for a week now. I’ve been a human slug.
Then I stood up by my bedroom window and realized, oh yeah, the weather’s been total s–t all week and hardly any sun has been out, it’s winter in Ohio and I have seasonal affective disorder, I need to start using my sunlamp or I’ll end up cowering under my bed with a chemical imbalance. It’s the time of year again where my being from the Caribbean isn’t just a biographical curiosity, but a serious liability.
Most people enjoy Christmas and Thanksgiving and the holidays. For me it’s the start of a 2-3 month struggle with homesickness, depression, and general blahs because my skin doesn’t get enough Vitamin D. Even after 12 years living here, it still is just the hardest adjustment.
The sunlamp helps a lot, I need to get it plugged back in. I need to hit the exercise routines hard. I need to take vitamins. A few days of doing all three consistently will go a long way towards stopping me from wanting to hide under the covers all day.
I also, much to the shock and horror of people who live in these climes, increase the thermostat to at least 80 degrees so I have a warm environment.
My opinion is that it’s that or move. When I visit people’s houses I can’t take off my jacket here, I just sit and shiver if I do.
Filed in My Writing: My Books: Ragamuffin: Reviews. You can subscribe to the RSS feed for this entry to keep track of comments. You can also use this URL to trackback.
8 Responses so far
Leave a comment
Your host:
Tobias is a Caribbean-born SF/F novelist who lives in Ohio.
Get in touch:
tobias@tobiasbuckell.com
AIM: tobiasbuckell
Latest Comments
Stephen on Latest IGMS book review column up (2)
Kerry on Sly Mongoose review copies (hello reviewers) (3)
Tobias Buckell on Shaun Duke review of Ragamuffin (4)
Joey on My freelanceiversary gift to myself: Scotch (14)
James on A pamphlet on writing? (7)
Stephen Granade on Two freaking years, man, two years (my two year freelanceiversary) (13)
Mark Terry on New Space Opera authors (6)
Two freaking years, man, two years (my two year freelanceiversary) at Tobias Buckell Online on Making A Jump (13)
Twitter blog:
-@pnielsenhayden congrats on Cory's bestsellerdom :-) 7 hrs ago
-Working on Project X outline 4.0... almost done with this incarnation 1 day ago
-@hotspurOT My mom did her best to make sure her kids stood out. As kids we didn't like it. In a google world, I love it LOL. 1 day ago
...More updates...
Video Posts:
Buckellcast #7
I interview Fantasy novelist Joshua Palmatier
Buckellcast #6
Presentation on creating a writing career to the Alpha workshop. Pt. 1 and Pt 2
Buckellcast #5
An interview with Cult Pop's Jim Hall about my new novel Ragamuffin.
Buckellcast #4
In this episode I unpack my new Mac Pro and show off my office. I also talk about how I plot novels and what I love and hate about being a writer.
Top Commenters
Rae (1)
Mark Terry (1)
Steve Buchheit (1)
Ken McConnell (1)
Diana Pharaoh Francis (1)
Laurie D. T. Mann (1)
Wyman Cooke (1)
Currently Reading & Enjoying:
Most Commented
Diversity in science fiction markets (82)
What does it mean to be this Caribbean writer? (74)
Science Fiction anti-Christian? (61)
How Much Does a Science Fiction or Fantasy Writer Make? (54)
The Brini Maxwell Show (52)
I just sold 3 books! (50)
Transracial writing redux (47)
Survey: How many novels did you write before selling your first? (44)
Locus Bestseller (39)
Harriet Klausner redux... redux? (34)
1. Mark Terry on Nov 28th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
“Most people enjoy Christmas and Thanksgiving and the holidays. For me it’s the start of a 2-3 month struggle with homesickness, depression, and general blahs because my skin doesn’t get enough Vitamin D.”
Actually, Toby, I’ve lived in Michigan for 43 years and I’m still like that. (Except maybe the homesickness. Can I be homesick for someplace warm and sunny if I’ve never lived there?)
2. Steve Buchheit on Nov 28th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
I still get a little gloomy myself (even after living here for decades), even though I physically feel more alive in winter, the dark nights bring me down (drive to work in the dark, drive home in the dark). On the other hand I get more writing done in the winter than at other times.
But now I know how you can stand to wear your leather coat all the time.
3. Ken McConnell on Nov 28th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
I rarely say this, because we really don’t want the secret out, but here in Idaho, we get about two weeks of overcast around Christmas and that’s it. (Due to an inversion) If Florida had not already claimed the “Sunshine State” we would own it. Want snow? Go up to the mountains, snow rarely lasts more than a day or so here on the ground.
In the summer, we are getting warmer. Usually it’s only a week or two of hundred degree days - though that is getting longer. Oh, and no humidity. But then you probably like that being from the Caribbean.
4. Diana Pharaoh Francis on Nov 28th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
When I lived in the midwest, I felt the same way. Couldn’t get warm enough. I live in Montana now and it’s strange. It’s cold, but the sun shines here nearly every day. Which is very good. Too expensive to crank the heat, but I like woodfires. But over the last 8 years, I’ve become acclimated to the cold more and now I can’t stand heat at all. It gets to be around 70 degrees and I feel like it’s sweltering. Can’t win, eh?
Di
5. Rae on Nov 28th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Man oh man, do I relate to all this. Charlie and I are determined to retire to someplace sunny and warm. Any chance we could entice you and Em to join us?
6. Laurie D. T. Mann on Nov 28th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
Getting out for a walk can help.
I’m not sure I have SAD, but I know I tend to be depressed more than usual in January.
7. Wyman Cooke on Nov 29th, 2007 at 12:03 am
I think I suffer a bit from SAD, but there’s been so many sunny days around here this fall that it hasn’t hit me yet, and may not this winter. I don’t mind missing it at all.
8. tobias buckell on Nov 29th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Rae: I’m in, yeah!
Ken: I’m jealous
Mark: yeah, why not?