Blue Monday

As if Mondays needed anymore bad press.

Like most folks who feel fortunate enough to see anyday, I don't particularly like Mondays, never have. I have chosen my work schedule for the past three years based on having Mondays off , so I consider all Mondays blue. But today's Monday is apparently bluer than most.

Blue Monday is not quite like Black Friday, but oddly enough, there is a Blue Monday partly because there is a Black Friday. Black Friday you get to hit the malls and rack up on steals and deals and Blue Monday you get to fret about paying those bills, among a few other things that depress you on this day.

Today's Blue Monday, January 24, 2011 is most depressive day of the year according to British psychologist, Cliff Arnall, who first coined the day in 2005. I'm guessing Cliff is probably not the fun guy people like to invite to their parties.

This particular Monday, which has a different date every year, marks the Monday that begets the last week of January and it's makes you blue based on certain circumstances: The Christmas spirit is officially gone, you've broken many if not all of your new year’s resolutions, the really cold winter weather has arrived along with all the Christmas bills, and the last paycheck of January is still a week away, but for some reason it's deemed your going to be more depressed about those things on today verses um, yesterday?

Here is the formula that has been devised:

W + (D-d) x Tq
______________
M x Na

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 (Na)

So there you have it, but don't worry you won't stay depressed for too long. Apparently in six months you'll be happier than you will ever be for the year, as Mr. Arnall was at it again and discovered another formula that will give you the Happiest Day of the Year, June 17. And here’s the formula for that:

O + (N xS) + Cpm/T + He

(O) for being outdoors and outdoor activity, (N) is communing with nature,( S) social activities with family and friends( Cpm) for childhood positive memories,( T) is the mean temperature which is warm, and (He) is holiday expected.

Interesting..