It’s Blue Monday today – allegedly the most depressing day of the year. This may be why I’ve been feeling blue all weekend – simply a build-up for today. So how come today is blue monday?

Wiki has it that a certain mr. Arnall calculated the date using this formula:

where weather=W, debt=d, time since Christmas=T, time since failing our new year’s resolutions=Q, low motivational levels=M and the feeling of a need to take action=N_a. ‘D’ is not defined in the release, nor are units.

So, let’s do the math.

W=weather. Very bad today, grey and cold-ish. Give it a 10 on a scale of 1 – 10
D=not defined. So do a 0
d = debt. None – at least no material ones – so do a 0
T=time since Christmas 25 days
Q=time since failing our new year’s resolutions. Mine are a. wash hands before every meal and b.  send family and friends a birthday card. Have not failed in either yet so this one is a 0.
M=low motivational levels, motivation to do art a 4 on a scale of 1 – 10
Na=need to take action, very high these last two weeks. I cleaned and sorted and ordered a. my studio b. the small chest  of drawers that I use to store my sewing materials c. the box in which the shoeshine stuff lives d. the box in which the cleaning stuff lives e. my writing desk  f. the box in which my spare buttons and beads live g. the box in which the business cards that I collect live h. the boxes in which the Christmas decorations live i. the boxes in which yarn and cotton and embroidery threads live j. the place where the un-read books are stacked k. the binder that holds my clipped-out receipes. Also put up a notice board and pinned stuff on it that must not be forgotten. Also restored and installed the french bed for the little girl (very pretty!). Also re-painted three small stools and one wooden basket. Also sanded a decorative wooden nut holder the main man made for his mum 40 years ago (very pretty too!). Also bought and painted four sets of stilts and a trestle table to be used for urban play. Where did this drive come from? Am I fighting depression this way? Give Na a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10

So today rates a   [10 + 0 – 0](25)0  / 4 X 10 = 10 / 40 i.e. 0,25

Will have to calculate a daily score for a while in order to find what is my lowest point. Make this a new years resolution, then the argument becomes circular. Nice!