26
Jan
2009
Happy Most Depressing Day Of The Year!
Written by Alice Jester
A few years ago some egghead in Wales came up with a mathematical formula to calculate the most depressing day of the year. Many dismissed his findings are pure bunk, but for some reason, come every 4th Monday of January, I've had no reason to doubt this dude. That is until this year.
The Math
Dr. Cliff Arnall, a seasonal disorder specialist at Cardiff University in Wales, came up with the following equation to explain his rationale.
The model is: [W + (D-d)] x TQ
M x NA
M x NA
(W) weather, (D) debt, (d) monthly salary, (T) time since Christmas, (Q) time since failed quit attempt, (M) low motivational levels and (NA) the need to take action.
Apparently, new years resolutions are broken by this time and any holiday cheer that may have been left over is all but gone. The weather is sucky, the Christmas bills are coming in, and moods grow from sad to just plain bleak. Of course the study was done to help travel agents determine when people were most likely to book a vacation, since the doldrums tend to prompt such behavior. So travel agents are excluded from the model.
2009 Has Issues
On top of just this theory, 2009 especially has its complications. Sure there’s hope with a new president, but less than a week after Obama’s grand inauguration reality has set back in. The world is in an awful mess. Daily we get the news reports of all off the mass layoffs happening in just about every sector. We hear the non-stop heartbreaking tales of families losing their homes and watching their dreams slip away. When the Wal-Mart stops hiring, we know times are bad. Our 401Ks have shriveled to nothing, and suddenly McDonalds is the new four star restaurant.
Also, given the economic situation, I doubt people are going to be booking those vacations now. So travel agents now get to join the gloom.
For me personally, our financial situation has never been dicier. Everything has been very tight since I quit my job in September because it was sucking my will to live. However, since then I’ve become a better mother, a better housewife, a magnet for clingy pets during the day (two cats, two dogs), and my dreams of expanding my writing career are coming true. I was finally able to put in the training time needed to take my black belt test in Taekwondo, and after two years I got my belt in December. Of course none of this results in me coming remotely close to what I made salary wise as an IT Consultant, but for some reason, life is much better.
I’m far less depressed on this January 26th than I have been any other year. Sure the weather is snowy and cold with no end in sight, the Christmas bills aren’t doing much for me or the hubby’s health, and I’m getting awfully creative with ramen noodles. I don’t care. For the first time, I’m finally an example of why this theory has been blasted as nonsense. It oversimplifies the human condition. Sure, I won’t be booking my expensive vacation anytime soon, but I’ll love writing about how I’m not. This time last year, I would have never seen the logic in that. Then again, since when has human behavior been about logic?
Happy most depressing day of the year everyone! May your motivation drive you to land in the “theory doesn’t hold water” column this year and beyond.
Advertisement
Login
Advertisement
It's not all about money. With impecable timing, Sean is in the process of sliding out of a well-paid but totally soul-destroying job and back into his old gig which involved far less money but much more time to stare into space in a life enhancing way. So I expect we'll be joining you on the all-noodle diet pretty soon!
I've always thought that logic was overrated anyhow ... put your faith in snowdrops!
Also, one of my mates did 4 years at Cardiff and it's the most miserable dump on earth, so I reckon Prof. Thingy's findings are a bit squewed what with the endless drizzle and the sheep and the pubs only opening every other day and all ...
Of course the news is coming out that Kim Manners died yesterday, so I guess it's a depressing day after all.