h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

And a lot has happened.

I have started my new job at Panera Bread. I enjoy it much more than working at the Deli. The people are much nicer overall, and hard work is appreciated. The job itself is still what I would call "ass," but I can probably stand a few months there, as long as I'm not in the dish room and walking home soaked after work.

Speaking of the dish room, my hands are finally showing visible improvement. During my stint at the Deli, my hands were ravaged. Mfy fingertips felt like plastic and lost their fingerprints. They cracked and peeled from time to time, and now that I haven't done any ten hour shifts with my hands continuously in a sink for a couple of weeks, that appears to be the way it heals. They still have a long way to go, but I'm glad the damage was nothing serious.

Last night, I was saddled with a nasty headache. My sinuses hurt so bad that my teeth ached, so I decided that it was prescription strength Ibuprophen time. You may know ibuprophen as Advil or Motrin. A prescription dose is 600-1000 mg (3-5 non-prescription pills). I took four and shut my eyes; it hurt to look at light.

I've been battling clinical depression for some time now, and yesterday was a particularly bad day. I felt like I was going to cry continuously with no reason, and by the time I got the headache I was seroiusly considering taking anti-depressants again. My mood has been deteriorating for some time, and the last thing I want is to become suicidal again.

When the Advil kicked in, I felt better. Sure the headache was gone, but that wasn't all. I was in good spirits. Really good spirits. This got me thinking. Maybe ibuprophen is an anti-depressant in and of itself. The idea isn't so far fetched. Anyone who has had real clinical depression will tell you that it hurts physically. You ache.

I have become a big advocate of taking Advil whenever you have a cold. Everyone aches a little when they are sick, and most of the time they don't realize it. A little advil will clear the pain and, in doing so, clear your mind as well. I never made the connection with depression until last night.

Maybe it is a placebo, but day 1 of my personal anti-depressant trial is going very well. I take 1 pill every 4 hours (200mg), and I'm feeling pretty good. I might be wrong, but at 5 cents a pill and little to no side effects, I suggest you put down your St. John's Wort and try it.

Well that's all for today. Hopefully more tomorrow.