Featured Articles
A Traveler’s Guide to the Land of Depression
by Pam Mandel
Liv Fun: Vol 7 – Issue 2
Permanent January. A gray blanket fort. Fog. 19th century Russian literature. If these things have limited appeal for you, you are not alone. Yet in spite of the dull edges, lack of color, and very little else to recommend it as a destination, nearly 16 million Americans make an annual journey to the Land of Depression, some taking up residence for months, even years at a time.
The country is as multifaceted as it is dully tedious, offering everything from a week or two of feeling glum, a season of light-deprived blues, or a complete metaphorical drowning in a black lake of murky water that is just above body temperature, making it hard to realize that your lungs are slowly filling with despair.
It’s popular wisdom that the best travel changes you, and a journey to this territory is guaranteed to have you feeling like you’re someone else in no time. The worst new you awaits! For long-lasting, effective transformation, you can’t beat depression as a destination. This guide will help you know what to expect from your journey.
Disclaimer: For a monochromatic country, depression offers a staggering array of nuance. This guide was accurate as of May 2018, but please be aware that while things seem to take for-flippin’-ever in depression, they also change frequently and without notice. We strongly recommend you do your own research in addition to reading this guide.
The route to Depressionville is varied. In fact, most travelers don’t know they’ve arrived until they’re informed by a medical professional or, in some cases, an insightful friend. “You need to see a doctor,” your friend may tell you. Upon completing the required entry form, the PHQ-9 (a questionnaire health practitioners use to diagnose depression), you will be informed if you’re in-country.
You might find you’ve been in-country for quite some time already, without being fully aware of your presence therein. Consider the PHQ-9 a sort of “You Are Here” designation, one you will need to fill out nearly every time you encounter an authority figure of any kind. “Yes,” they will say, “I know you filled this out yesterday. Today is a different day.”
Liv Fun
by Leisure Care
Summer 2018
View Table of Contents
Our Brains
by Tammy Kennon
In what’s been called the most “extraordinary discovery of the 20th century” and the “biggest discovery in 400 years,” neurologists have found that the adult brain is not only malleable, but it is also capable of forming new neurons and pathways throughout life. This fundamental shift in brain science means we are not the hapless victims of an immutable and deteriorating brain.
A Traveler’s Guide to the Land of Depression
by Pam MandelPermanent January. A gray blanket fort. Fog. 19th century Russian literature. If these things have limited appeal for you, you are not alone. Yet in spite of the dull edges, lack of color, and very little else to recommend it as a destination, nearly 16 million Americans make an annual journey to the Land of Depression, some taking up residence for months, even years at a time.
Hunting Awe
by Nancy Gertz
My inbox is ravenous. Like a hungry tiger, it is continually opening its mouth and getting fed, no matter how full it is already. It scans the virtual terrain all night and day, never stopping. Even when the power is turned off, it keeps hunting and gorging itself. It’s overwhelming to be its trainer and partner, and some days I’m not sure who is in control anymore, the tiger or me.