Posted: 20^th November 2008

A Little SAD

A couple of issues ago I wrote a few flippant lines about my occasional bouts of winter depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. It's a very odd thing for me to talk about; outside, the sun is shining and it's the sort of autumn day that I should be outside enjoying. Instead, I'm moping around the flat, drinking endless cups of tea, flaking out on the sofa in front of crap TV and trying to get enough energy together to take a shower. I hate it; anyone who knows me will tell you I'm generally incredibly energetic and vivante, and at the moment all that has been drained out of me.

Lainey found out the other day that she has a little holiday to use up, so it seemed a good idea for me to take some as well. Turns out I have some I can take and, not only that, but a quick scour of the Internet's Latest Bargains revealed that we could take a half-board week in Spain for just £100 each! Ok, so it's not much warmer than here and the days are almost as short, but I'd be able to relax and enjoy myself for a week without breaking the bank.

Unfortunately, life isn't that simple. We've got a concert to go to (which we could cancel) and Lainey has a college day (which she could miss) but, more importantly, Lainey has a training day that her work are sending her on. It's going to be incredibly useful for her fledgling accountancy career and comes right in the middle of the one week we can take off. Having a weekend away in the UK at this time of year doesn't have quite the same appeal, nor the same potential for adventure and mishaps¹, and it looks like that's our only option at the moment.

Isn't it funny that you only realise how much you need a holiday when you start planning one? All of a sudden, our annual late-January holiday feels like a lifetime away.

So I'm going to need you lot to cheer me up instead. This issue is pretty damn good, sure, but the next one is our ninth birthday, and we want to make it a really special issue. It would be fantastic if all our regular and occasional writers, poets, artists and storytellers could come up with something to help us celebrate in style. We've already got a few ideas that we're working on, and I think the next issue is going to be one of our best ever.

If you're feeling festive, though, why not submit something to our Christmas competitions, which we're proud to launch today? We have the usual Poetry, Vogon Poetry and Prose categories, and the Christmas issue on 18^th December will given over solely to festive pieces.

Lots for you to think about, then. Finally, congratulations to dmitrigheorgheni, who has been awarded his Post Reporter badge for his sterling work on Anarchy Gordon. I'm off to mope for a few more days on the sofa in front of Sky Sports News; we'll see you in the next issue, deadline 30^th November!

Skankyrich

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  The h2g2 Poem
  


'Deadlines' by minichessemouse

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  The h2g2 Poem
  


'Shhh, Don't Say A Word' by TB Falsename

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  The h2g2 Poem
  


'Sunset Song', by Shagbark

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  The h2g2 Poem
  


'You're Beautiful', by Galigan

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  The Acrostic Poem
  


'Guides' by PedanticBarSteward

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  The Acrostic Poem
  


'Guides' by B'Elana

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  Bertie and the Beast
  


Northward Ho! Episode One

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  'Pulses'
  


A tremendous story from Ianhimself

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  The Post's Christmas Competitions 2008
  


Feeling seasonal yet? It's time to submit your best
writing to our annual competitions!

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  Platypus Dancing
  


Meanwhile, in a small shoppe somewhere down the road...

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  Anarchy Gordon
  


Part Four

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  Murder on the Dancefloor
  


On the Box, with Beatrice

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  Escape Pod Dreams
  


The Clever Stupid People Issue

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  Notes from Around the Sundial
  


Gnomon explains how to play the recorder in a consort

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  Babe Among the Stars
  


The Remarkable Remodelling Moon

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  Witters from Down Under
  


'I em Frinchbean'

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  Smudger Snippets
  


Cops on the Box

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  Our Man in Milliways
  


Skankyrich visits Bar Cava in Torquay

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  Random Ramblings
  


B'Elana gets all techy on us

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  The Post Recipe
  


Frenchbean's Pumpkin Lasagne

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  Websailor's Wacky Wildlife World
  


Genetically Modified – Secrets and Lies

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  In Defence of the F Word
  


Benjaminpmoore gets all Jamie Oliver on us

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  Biodiversity Impoverishment
  


Some thoughts from The Unmentionable Marauding Pillowcase

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  North Namibian Safari
  


Coffee in Kaokaland - the final part of Paris's travelogue

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  A North African Rant: Financial Meltdown
  


PedanticBarSteward turns his attention to the world economic crisis

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  Ads: US and UK
  


hmorgans's reflections on UK and US TV ads

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