Depressed
 

What do you do when you're depressed? Today got some potentially bad news (not going to panic until it is in stone). I quit smoking cold turkey back in 2004 without the patch. Today I bought a pack of ultra lights and smoked a couple. I'm also thinking about spending a lot of money this weekend (4 day weekend yay) on a mini-vacation.

What does everyone else do when they're depressed?

spend the cash only if you can afford it, but if you can that's certainly something that I find helps.

doesn't even have to be a ton. Just something like...buying a new game or something. Treating yourself.

I also tend to eat things that I know are bad for me when I don't feel well.

I drink, but that's not wise. Definitely physical activity. Go hit a tennis ball...shoot some hoops...It's hot around here today..go swimming. Rent some tv show dvd's..that makes the time go by.

really depends what's got me down though. Sometimes I like to go out and walk through a crowded public place like a mall and just...sulk. Focus on scowling at everyone, that kind of thing.

I eat, and eat and eat...and every once in a while I drink....

But for me, I love to spend the money when I have the extra....

I used to drink. Oh those were the days

I find vehicles with Cowboys stickers on them and key the bastards!

I like to tie green aliens up and have my way with them as well.....

Oh la la!

I also used to have a set of mek'leths and I'd take them out in the backyard and attack the trees and sort of...develop a fighting style.

dunno where those things went. hmm

http://www.by-the-sword.com/acatalog/images/CD-1703.jpg

I take long walks at night.

And drinking.

I'm looking at making an extra $12k next year because of this crap, so I'm going for more than a new game.

I also eat things that are bad for me like Chinese or something.

Beer? Check.

12k hmm? niiice. Yeah...spend some dough. Hdtv or something? pimped out stereo for your car?

Anytime you wanna donate to my beer fund you are more than welcome to. ;)

drink and gamble

Work Out.

Work out hard. Swim in the ocean. Get a massage. Laughter (good belly laughs kind) Call up that friend who makes you laugh and spend time with them. Watch something funny.

$12k can buy you an impressive hooker.

Already have the HDTV and the stereo doesn't turn me on. Maybe a nice ghetto blaster...

Speaking of which, my kids have no idea what a boombox or ghetto blaster is. That's a shame.

And I'll be working out quite a bit running up until April.

or just read this over and over

Definitely go with something that makes you laugh. Or watch your favorite movies... that always does it for me.

That and sleep... boy I love my sleep.

I don't know about anyone else, but that cheers me up.

dola,

Whatever is troubling you, hope it turns for the better... hang in there my friend.

I'm with you, I love sleeping.

not sleeping with you, err....

I think about the 1 or 2 billion other people in the world less fortunate than I am, and kick myself out of that depression.

Hope all is well. Play some NCAA 2008. Use the cheat cards to really give it to the team you hate the most.

Is that you, Owen?

Thanks for the thoughts.

Hopefully I should find out today if I'm going to Iraq on a MTT (Mobile Transition Team). My first concern is being away from my kids for over a year. My younger two would take it extremely hard. My second concern is the unknown. The MTTs train Iraqis and the ratio of US to Iraqis is about 1:30 or 1:40. So...it would mean that on my team of 10-11, we'd be training 300-400 Iraqi soldiers and have to live with them and trust them. We'd also be hundreds of miles away from the green zone and any other soldiers. It's not exactly my most desirable course of action to get deployed like that. I'd much rather go with a real unit and at least know that there are hundreds of us in one location.

The only thing playing in this is that I go for promotion in 2011. If I go on this (which would begin in January at Fort Riley for training and the deployment would begin in April), then I wouldn't have enough time to get through my requirements for promotion for my first board in 2011. Well, that and I'm pretty much indispensible in my current job. Anyhow I'll find out today hopefully.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

Wow RA, I hope you can stay where you are at, this place just wouldn't be the same without you. Good luck and thoughts for you and your family.

That really is a tough situation RA. I sincerely hope your allowed to stay where you are because it benefits you and your family the most, especially in the long run. Keep hoping for a positive outcome.

Thanks. There's not much I can do at this point. It's not in stone, so there's always the chance that it could get cancelled. I have my fingers crossed.

thats all you do when you arent depressed....how the hell is that therapeutic?

RA, i thought your hitch was up...or was that just your deployment that ended a couple months ago?

Grap some CDs, a pack of smokes and go for a nice, long drive.

My hitch is indefinite...it's been that way for about 7 years now. I owe the Army nothing and can submit my resignation paperwork at any time. Unfortunately, I don't think that I can submit it now. I have 12 years in and only 8 more to go until retirement ($50k a year for the rest of my life doing nothing). More importantly, there's a chance that the Army wouldn't accept my resignation. Because of that, I would burn a bunch a bridges if I tried to get out and if it didn't happen I would be seriously screwed. I'd end up like Ardent and go to Africa after Iraq or something (no offense there!).

There's also the side of me that wants to go. Where else do you get to kill other people without going to jail? Also, it's like sports. You go to practice every day and work your ass off, but you never get in the game. You never get to see how you'd do against your enemy. Why'd I join the Army if I didn't want to go out and test myself? Sure, I've already been there, but not in a few years. It's my turn.

The family side of me is winning though. I don't want to be away from my kids and wife. My wife has no one in El Paso and all of my friends have gotten out of the Army. Moving to our hometown is not an option since my son is in high school (the Chapin Engineering Magnet program) and our younger two are still complaining about the friends they left behind at West Point. In a way, it's going to be tougher on my wife than me. She's broken down quite a few times in the past 24 hours and there isn't a damn thing I can do about it except spend what time I (may) have left with her and the kids.

It's pretty soul-searching. I'm torn in two directions and there is no easy answer. The other thing is that if I don't go now, there's a good chance I could be gone during my oldest son's senior year. Which is better? Which is the lesser of two evils? Any way you hack it, it's a tough choice. Is retirement in 8 years worth it? This isn't even considering whether I think this is a "just" war or not. Or whether my actions in training Iraqis will make a difference.

I told my wife that if I didn't go, some other guy with a family would go. It's just how we roll. That doesn't make it any better, but at the same time it doesn't make it any worse. I'm just rambling now. Oh well.

Mebbe I should change my signature. LOL.

Heck if its any consolation there'a good chance I'll be in Iraq come January

Maybe we can start a two man MP league. It would be cool to have another FOFCer there.

Wow Aaron, I don't know what to say. I'm crossing my fingers in both my hands and feet, hoping it gets cancelled. I agree with Lathum that this place won't be the same without you... and you too roofoo.

Keeping you and your family in my thoughts, hoping for the best.

What decision is made for you or you happen to make, I hope all goes well for you in whatever circumstance you end up with. And please change your name back to Raiders Army. And remember to use more "Heh heh" and less "hee hees". :D

Seriously though, you will do well no matter where you go.

when I'm depressed all I gotta do is listen to "we are the fofc" and I feel better immediatly

When I'm depressed I watch this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGzrzGbG3M8

Thanks Lorena. For some reason I can't log back in with Raiders Army. Heh heh.

Go to the UTEP game this weekend, tailgate like there's no tomorrow, and then revel in the glory that is Trevor Vittatoe.

Wish I could be there with the rest of my family so we could hook up.

Hopefully everything works out for you and your family, bud...

if it's any consolation, my cousin has graduated from west point and he'll be in iraq (although the unit he is joining is over there right now from what i gather, so he won't be going right away, as they'll be rotating home first...allegedly)

and i guess he's down in GA right now too

I had no idea that Richard Weed was Raiders Army. Welp.

Jeeber, you are a mod. So help the guy out and renew his password for Raiders Army.

yes. do something useful with your mod-powers.

and maybe while you're at it...tell us wtf is up with jbmagic?

I think I offered before, but he declined. Or maybe that's just my imagination. But if he wants me to, I'll be more than happy to...