Suitably Flip

Nowhere To Go But Up

Down in the dumps?  Undoubtedly so.  Still, if some guy in England is to be believed, things are going to start looking up if you can make it through the day.

Researchers in England, citing unpaid holiday bills, rotten weather and people's realization that they likely won't live up to their New Year's resolutions, say Jan. 22 is the unhappiest day of 2007.

Cliff Arnall, a Cardiff University psychologist, devised the depressing formula.

His equation takes into account six factors: weather, debt, time since Christmas, time since failing our New Year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling a need to take action.

Taken together, they calculate to equal "Blue Monday."

I think I'd throw the movie calendar into the mix.  There are just no imminent releases to get jazzed up about at this point in the year.

Maybe it's just as well today's expected Consumer Confidence report was delayed until tomorrow.  The results might've lain bare our seasonal demoralization, further trampling our fractured spirits.  The Conference Board claims the delay was due to database and technical issues, but presumably they just couldn't get out of bed this morning.

The malaise is almost palpable.  Time just seems to drag along.  Suddenly you realize that what felt like 18 days has only been 42 hours and 25 minutes.

Plus, you now have the never-before-encountered dilemma of whether to watch "Heroes" or "24" tonight.  And are you even going to be in the mood for a gripping serial drama after tonight's unholy pregame show?

If all seems lost, follow the example of Matthieu Ricard (HT: Drudge) the happiest man on Earth, according to scientists, who can teach you to trick your brain into happiness in 10,000 short hours.  If you get started now, you can self-induce a little contentedness by March of next year (or, if you're a Congressman, by 2016).

Comments

Nowhere To Go But Up

Down in the dumps?  Undoubtedly so.  Still, if some guy in England is to be believed, things are going to start looking up if you can make it through the day.

Researchers in England, citing unpaid holiday bills, rotten weather and people's realization that they likely won't live up to their New Year's resolutions, say Jan. 22 is the unhappiest day of 2007.

Cliff Arnall, a Cardiff University psychologist, devised the depressing formula.

His equation takes into account six factors: weather, debt, time since Christmas, time since failing our New Year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling a need to take action.

Taken together, they calculate to equal "Blue Monday."

I think I'd throw the movie calendar into the mix.  There are just no imminent releases to get jazzed up about at this point in the year.

Maybe it's just as well today's expected Consumer Confidence report was delayed until tomorrow.  The results might've lain bare our seasonal demoralization, further trampling our fractured spirits.  The Conference Board claims the delay was due to database and technical issues, but presumably they just couldn't get out of bed this morning.

The malaise is almost palpable.  Time just seems to drag along.  Suddenly you realize that what felt like 18 days has only been 42 hours and 25 minutes.

Plus, you now have the never-before-encountered dilemma of whether to watch "Heroes" or "24" tonight.  And are you even going to be in the mood for a gripping serial drama after tonight's unholy pregame show?

If all seems lost, follow the example of Matthieu Ricard (HT: Drudge) the happiest man on Earth, according to scientists, who can teach you to trick your brain into happiness in 10,000 short hours.  If you get started now, you can self-induce a little contentedness by March of next year (or, if you're a Congressman, by 2016).