BEATING THE BLUES

Before I started taking Nardil, an MAO Inhibitor, I used to get the "blues" all of the time....you know what I am talking about.  Free Floating Anxiety.  Don't want to do anything.  Can't read a book.  Eat, Eat, Eat.
Sleep, Sleep, Sleep.  My probem was a medical one....I had atypical depression.  Luckily I found help, began treatment with the medicine and I, for the most part, feel great.

But I still get the "blues" from time to time.  I read everything there is to beat the blues.  I read this article by Stephanie Pierson and cut it out about 15 years ago....She gives you 30 Ways To Beat the Blues...

1. Go to the maternity ward of the nearest hospital.  Check out the babies;
2.  Call someone who adores you and allow him to take you to lunch.  Charm him, laugh at everything he says and let him flatter you (I have not found this person);
3.  Do something nice for someone (works every time);
4.  Reread every old love letter you ever received;
5.  Call the florist and order yourself a bunch of flowers.  Ask for french lilacs, gardenias, camelias and wild orchids;
6.  Take a cab to work instead of the subway (if you live in New York);
7. Try to remember the best dessert your mom every made for you.  Put on your terry bathrobe and whip it up for yourself; (peanut butter fudge)
8.  Rent three Frank Capra movies for your VCR (before DVD);make popcorn and watch them all in a row;
9.  Take you best friend to lunch at the choicest restaurant  in town;
10.  Buy the latest travel books about Paris, Rome London or the Greek Islands.  Start planning a fabulous trip;  (to Paris)
11.  Adopt a kitten.  Meow (Mr. Silver);
12.  Buy the best truly trashy romatic novel in the bookstore.  Hide it in your closet and wait for a blue day to devour it;
13.  Stay up till 2:00 a.m. and watch reruns of I Love Lucy. Mary Tyler Moore, The Honeymooners.  Sleep in the next morning.  Take a mental day off of work;  (Rent the movie Its A Mad, Mad, Mad World)
14.  Swim Laps;
15.  Go to a french bakery and buy the richest, darkest choc mousse cake.  Don't share it; (I prefer carrot cupcakes from Crave)
16.  Write a love letter to Bruce Springsteen and mail it; (it might be Robert Pattinson);
17.  Buy Phillip Glass's album Glassworks and listen to it turned up very loud;
18.  Do something to your hair.  Cut it short, color it, angle your bangs, change it up;
19. Sign up for a class in something you have always been fascinated in;
20.  Call someone more miserable than you.  Let her do all the talking.  You'll feel better about your life (me and Jane);
21.  Go to a jewelry store (http://www.pastera.com/) or Deutsch and Deutsch (ask for Deborah) and try on every ring in the store;
22.  Get some crayons and color;
23.  Go bowling, ice skating, horseback riding;
24; Try on wigs (Ms. Jackie);
25.  Go to the Museum and sit for an hour in front of any painting by Monet, Manet or Mary Cassatt;
26. Read or reread a book by Doris Lessing; The Golden Notebook, The Summer Before Dark, Proper Marriage.;
27.  Go to San Miguel Allende (http://www.casaheyne.com/);
28.  Go to the Beach; (If you can find one without oil or the smell of oil)
29.  Love someone and write them a letter about it;
30. Clean your closets (or call me, I will).