One of the many annoying things about depression is that the directions don’t work. I have a new indicator for times when The Man doesn’t have a clue: the list of things to do includes “Drink plenty of water.” It is the sort of placebo direction that is given to make a person think that Something Can Be Done; it won’t hurt and it might possibly make someone feel slightly better.

I needed an adjustment to my medications. Eventually, I battled my way through the labyrinth of Kaiser and got it. Now I am waiting for the adjustment to work.

In the meantime, I have been doing all the things that sometimes work. I have cleaned. I have shopped. I got a haircut. I colored in my circus coloring book. I read. I napped. I worked out. I sat in the sun. I cooked. I knitted. I walked my dog. I even downloaded and listened to some relaxation guided imagery; fortunately, it put me to sleep before I had to listen to the affirmations section.

And, yes, I even drank water. It won’t hurt.