Good Morning, 2010! The Princess' Diary Intarwebs Edition

[Lady Door]

So I don't know how many of you US-icans have passports or whatever, but a head's up: Consular Services is raising prices as of July 13th. They're raising them sharply, too. Sample fees:

New Passport: from $100 to $135 (plus $25 "service fee" in both cases)
Renewal Passport: $75 to $110
Additional Passport Pages: Free to $82 (WHAT THE EFFFFFF)

Also, amusingly, you now have to pay $450 for renouncing your citizenship, a right which used to be provided gratis.

There are a number of other hikes, so if ANYONE is planning on doing stuff with the U.S. consulate (including visas), do it before July 13.

http://www.travel.state.gov/news/news_5078.html

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

Searching for reliable, even remotely trustworthy info on South African airports = MOTHERFUCKER WHY

Man, this is one hell of a reality check.

[superaielman]

WC related?

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

Yup. Holy hell, there's essentially -nothing- on the relevant airports in SA.

[Idun]

I learned something today.

I'm not very sociable, unless I'm in very large groups of 10+, or in a group with people I already know. Doesn't make sense, because I'm insanely overt. Perhaps it's because I'm judgmental, or generally certain people's existences rub me the wrong way.

[Grefter]

This just in, Nerd is most comfortable around other nerd peers.

[Idun]

I'm actually more comfortable away from nerds. Too many awkward moments.

[DjinnAndTonic]

I learned something today.

I'm not very sociable, unless I'm in very large groups of 10+, or in a group with people I already know. Doesn't make sense, because I'm insanely overt. Perhaps it's because I'm judgmental, or generally certain people's existences rub me the wrong way.

Honestly, just from the way you phrased it, I get the impression that whatever event happened to cause you to think this is not really a reflection on who you are as person. More than likely, you met 'one of those people who you will hate irrationally'. This happens to everyone. There are just some people you're not going to be able to like from the moment you meet them.

I have a co-worker like this, and it actually bugs me from time to time that I hate him for no discernable reason. But goddamn, every time he opens his mouth, I have to fight the urge to punch him.

"Djinn, would you like some tea?"
*Mustn't punch co-workers, mustn't punch co-workers.* "No, thank you. douche."

[VySaika]

And my name is now officially in a published book. Sure it's just an RPG book and only in as a playtester, but it's still cool~

[Idun]

I want to know this book so I can see it. Will it be at Dragon Con?


Speaking of which, totally met a nerdgirl who is very tall and nerdy. She wanted tickets through Ticketmaster at my job, and I was geeking out showing her my pictures of my t-elos outfit. Needless to sayyyyyy. . . .  I NEED TO GET MY TICKETS FAST. Maybe. The price goes up. *sigh* I don't know anymore.

[Dhyerwolf]

I was geeking out showing her my pictures of my t-elos outfit.

Unbalanced~

[Bardiche]

I learned something today.

I'm not very sociable, unless I'm in very large groups of 10+, or in a group with people I already know. Doesn't make sense, because I'm insanely overt. Perhaps it's because I'm judgmental, or generally certain people's existences rub me the wrong way.

Honestly, just from the way you phrased it, I get the impression that whatever event happened to cause you to think this is not really a reflection on who you are as person. More than likely, you met 'one of those people who you will hate irrationally'. This happens to everyone. There are just some people you're not going to be able to like from the moment you meet them.

I have a co-worker like this, and it actually bugs me from time to time that I hate him for no discernable reason. But goddamn, every time he opens his mouth, I have to fight the urge to punch him.

"Djinn, would you like some tea?"
*Mustn't punch co-workers, mustn't punch co-workers.* "No, thank you. douche."

They say that of all people you meey, you'll utterly dislike about a third of them, and only get along well with another third. The last third is neutral, and no matter what you do these numbers'll stay about the same.

Some people just rub ya the wrong way.

[superaielman]

I want to know this book so I can see it. Will it be at Dragon Con?


Speaking of which, totally met a nerdgirl who is very tall and nerdy. She wanted tickets through Ticketmaster at my job, and I was geeking out showing her my pictures of my t-elos outfit. Needless to sayyyyyy. . . .  I NEED TO GET MY TICKETS FAST. Maybe. The price goes up. *sigh* I don't know anymore.

Oh right, you live right next to dragoncon. Hate you so much.

[DjinnAndTonic]

They say that of all people you meey, you'll utterly dislike about a third of them, and only get along well with another third. The last third is neutral, and no matter what you do these numbers'll stay about the same.

Some people just rub ya the wrong way.

A third is a really large portion to hate. Personal experience tells me it's closer to 10% for irrational hatred?

(Rational hatred would of course skew the numbers far in favor of hatred. People are stupid.)

[Bardiche]

Mhm, I don't think "hate" was the proper word... probably just "don't get along with".

[Lady Door]

I really dislike apartment hunting. 

This is sort of self-imposed torture, I guess, because our lease at our current place is good until December. But Andrew and I decided we don't much like Oakland. So... our current place is fine, but why not move somewhere better?

The answer is apparently because the combination of things we want at the price we can afford to pay doesn't exist.

But still I look.

[NotMiki]

I really dislike apartment hunting. 

This is sort of self-imposed torture, I guess, because our lease at our current place is good until December. But Andrew and I decided we don't much like Oakland. So... our current place is fine, but why not move somewhere better?

The answer is apparently because the combination of things we want at the price we can afford to pay doesn't exist.

But still I look.

[superaielman]

I really dislike apartment hunting. 

This is sort of self-imposed torture, I guess, because our lease at our current place is good until December. But Andrew and I decided we don't much like Oakland. So... our current place is fine, but why not move somewhere better?

The answer is apparently because the combination of things we want at the price we can afford to pay doesn't exist.

But still I look.

I really dislike apartment hunting. 

This is sort of self-imposed torture, I guess, because our lease at our current place is good until December. But Andrew and I decided we don't much like Oakland. So... our current place is fine, but why not move somewhere better?

The answer is apparently because the combination of things we want at the price we can afford to pay doesn't exist.

But still I look.

Are you trying to stay in San Fran itself?

[Cotigo]

I really dislike apartment job hunting. 

This is sort of self-imposed torture, I guess, because our lease at our current place my job is good until December August. But Andrew and I decided we I don't much like Oakland janitorial work anymore. So... ourmy current place is fine (for another couple months), but why not move somewhere get one that's better?

The answer is apparently because the combination of things we want I'm willing to do at the price we can afford to pay I need to get paid doesn't exist.

But still I look.

Less obtusely:  Everything ever nowadays is about being willing to compromise and put up with some bullshit.  Alas, I think this is what they call being ... "adult".

I dislike it.

[Lady Door]

I do hate being an adult.

And we're trying to stay in the general vicinity of Berkeley. SF is ridiculously far out of our price range for what we're willing to put up with, especially when you add in the commute costs since both of us work in Berkeley/Emeryville.

The hardest part about finding a place isn't that I can't find the amenities -- it's that I can't find the amenities and a place that's dog friendly. Stupid dog.

[Yoshiken]

So, on the one hand, I apparently don't have bipolar disorder, which is kinda comforting in a way, I guess. On the other hand, I still have depression and they're doing fuck-all about it.

What I was told pretty much came down to "You don't have bipolar disorder because you don't have a manic phase." So, y'know, instead of manic/depression in cycles, I just have average/depression in cycles.

Fucking helpful, health service. Thanks a fucking bunch.

[OblivionKnight]

Which is still a type of Bipolar Disorder. 

Bipolar comes in a few forms, the two most common being Bipolar I and Bipolar II.

Bipolar I is the one with the "Manic Phases", with or without depression.

Bipolar II is defined by depression with hypomanic phases (think manic sessions that don't interfere with your life, i.e., racing thoughts that don't make it impossible to think and do what you normally do during the day).

There's also Bipolar NOS (Not Otherwise Specified), where it seems like you have Bipolar Disorder, but you don't fit the above criteria. 

Bipolar II is commonly, heavily misdiagnosed as Depression.  One of the big issues with treating it like depression is that you run the risk of pushing someone into Bipolar I (i.e., instituting a manic cycling instead of hypomania) with antidepressants. 

There could be other reasons they're doing nothing - it's Great Britain you live in, correct?  The rest of the world outside of the United States (with the possible exception of Canadia) isn't big on doing drugs until later stages, though Britain is closer to the United States than other European countries are.  Have they recommended or done ANYTHING?

[Yoshiken]

Oh, he specifically mentioned both types of Bipolar Disorder and said he was 99% sure I didn't have either, because I have neither manic nor hypomanic phases - it's literally just the cycles of depression. He basically said "Try improving your living conditions and then come back if nothing changes." (The main things he suggested were more exercise and an improved diet.)

Funnily enough, when I saw the doctors a while back, they said they couldn't check for bipolar disorder, but still offered me antidepressants.

[Grefter]

Because an overreliance on drugs for fixing medical health does not help the patient a great deal in the long run.  A psychologist that sets up a dependency is doing it wrong and the more pills you fill someone up with the more trouble you have medicating them for other problems (as OK is aware). 

The advice you got is good.  If you are going through depressive cycles you aren't at such a point that you are almost incapable of doing anything to help yourself deal with it.  If you were straight up chronically depressed all the time then it is time to start medicating.  Exercise and eat healthier may sound like stock answers but they do in fact trend towards helping people.  Why do you think studies show that people who exercise and eat healthy are happier with their lives?  Pro tip:  It isn't just because they are the kinds of people to eat healthy and exercise.  Your body likes it when you look after it, you get rewarded with endorphins and whatnot.  When you are feeling a bit better you can try to work on general quality of life things that are bringing you down.

As long as you are capable of functioning some of the time you have plenty of options beyond medicating.  Medicating depression should be a last ditch temporary solution and not something that should be done after a couple of visits either.

[Yoshiken]

Mm, yeah, I know. I know I found it really fucking weird when the doc offered antidepressants without actually talking to me. I mean, hell, they have no clue what effect that would have, that is just plain fucking weird.
That said, one of the major problems I've had lately is a huge loss of motivation and energy, so saying "Do more exercise!" seems like one of those horrible trap responses - I have fuck-all energy right now, so there's no way I can keep up an exercise routine, so it's just "Oh, you didn't do what I said, that's why it's not working!"

Either that, or I'm just being too damn cynical about all this. >.<