The darkening
Oct. 25th, 2004 09:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
parasitegirlWinter is coming. I know it is not yet Halloween but I can feel it. Now I wake up early every morning as to eat my breakfast and read my e-mail in front of my full spectrum light box to get my regular 30 minutes. In prior years I put my light box on my desk at work. It was nice. I explained to my office mates, didn't explain to other people (I just acted like I needed a really bright reading light) and drank my coffee in front of it before my first class.
But now I have a new job and new Japanese co-workers. I don't want to explain the whole SAD thing. It's not really a country to be talking about such things with new people and I don't expect that they'll notice any difference. The giant light box would make an issue out of what is now routine for me. People who are close to me deserve a heads up, I write about it here (this lj exists in part to help my winter go smoothly) but I don't feel the need to tell everyone. When it comes to co-workers there is no need to say: "Hi! Don't mind the bright light. If I don't excercize and use this box then winter makes my emotional reactions go haywire, my body aches, I get sleepy at 4pm and I crave starchy food." I might as well just add, "And I can't join you for drinking parties when the moon is full because I grow hair all over my body and transform into a Werebeast... it's not that unusual where I come from. My mom does it as well but my father prefers to eat human brains."
There is only so much of your life that needs to be on display as a cultural ambassador.
But now I have a new job and new Japanese co-workers. I don't want to explain the whole SAD thing. It's not really a country to be talking about such things with new people and I don't expect that they'll notice any difference. The giant light box would make an issue out of what is now routine for me. People who are close to me deserve a heads up, I write about it here (this lj exists in part to help my winter go smoothly) but I don't feel the need to tell everyone. When it comes to co-workers there is no need to say: "Hi! Don't mind the bright light. If I don't excercize and use this box then winter makes my emotional reactions go haywire, my body aches, I get sleepy at 4pm and I crave starchy food." I might as well just add, "And I can't join you for drinking parties when the moon is full because I grow hair all over my body and transform into a Werebeast... it's not that unusual where I come from. My mom does it as well but my father prefers to eat human brains."
There is only so much of your life that needs to be on display as a cultural ambassador.
