Rate your current mental health level out of 10

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Drinking at the bar was always expensive if you didn't have money. I would sneak in flasks and just order non-stop pop.

I would go out for student nights. We'd get drinks for $1-2 each. I would pre-drink a bit, then have a few drinks at the bar. After leaving with $20, I'd have enough for cover, drinks, splitting a cab home, and sometimes a hot dog.

The cities all cracked down on the student nights imposing minimum drink prices. Plus there's the issue of volume and other costs (labour, food/alcohol inputs and rent). I doubt many bars these days could afford to operate with student pricing. The cost of chicken wings is probably a good indicator. 25 cents used to be the norm on wing night, now the cheapest around here is about $1.

The economy really hasn't left much room for cheap outings involving food and alcohol for young people.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by blankall

I would go out for student nights. We'd get drinks for $1-2 each. I would pre-drink a bit, then have a few drinks at the bar. After leaving with $20, I'd have enough for cover, drinks, splitting a cab home, and sometimes a hot dog.

The cities all cracked down on the student nights imposing minimum drink prices. Plus there's the issue of volume and other costs (labour, food/alcohol inputs and rent). I doubt many bars these days could afford to operate with student pricing. The cost of chicken wings is probably a good indicator. 25 cents used to be the norm on wing night, now the cheapest around here is about $1.

The economy really hasn't left much room for cheap outings involving food and alcohol for young people.

Two things.

1. If you havent had 'Beerios' you havent lived.

2. "Drink a Small Town Dry" was some of the most fun. Man those were a real trip.

Granted...I am not advocating alcohol as a solution to mental health, I'm just saying that it helps people connect, which usually does.

[looooob]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Thursday was 3 for 1 at the Republic - $4 got you three cans of Pil. The benefits of graduating into a ####ty economy.

and I've almost fully recovered

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Locke

Two things.

1. If you havent had 'Beerios' you havent lived.

2. "Drink a Small Town Dry" was some of the most fun. Man those were a real trip.

Granted...I am not advocating alcohol as a solution to mental health, I'm just saying that it helps people connect, which usually does.

Beerios for breakfast is great on camping trips when you don't have milk

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Locke

Even from a Training perspective...I give my intern work to do. But I do not tell him how to do it. He has to learn.

But when he's done I pour myself a coffee and we sit down together and go through it.

Long ago someone in the Armed Forces told me:

"Tell someone to do something. Accomplish a task. But don't tell them how. They might surprise you and maybe you'll learn something too."

I believe that.

I tell all of my employees:

"Just because I've been doing this a long time, and it seems as though I know everything, do not be afraid to innovate. I may not always take your suggestions, but I can promise that I'll always listen."

You may not be right, but if you're not I'll explain why. And you may well be right, you're just coming out of school and other jobs, I've been out of school a really long time and can be considered 'set in my ways' which I don't believe to necessarily be a good thing.

But you typically dont get this kind of mentorship over Zoom.

I like to get out of my house as much as the next guy...probably more. But for young people trying to learn? I'm there.

Not on the other side of a phone or webcam or email. I'm right there.

And I think its as good for me as it is for him.

Actually for certain things, mostly computer related I much prefer the share screen tool over teams.

Absolutely hate someone hovering over my head, or vice versa.

You can obviously do that at the office, but it would seem a bit weird when you are both there lol.

[Johnny Makarov]

Still around an 8/10. I can retire with a full pension in 3 years but I'll prob work for another 6-7. Also we can still work from home 2 days a week. Side business is still doing great.

Didn't expect my Canmore condo to be worth so much that we just sold. I was really pissed at my brother, who I split it with, that we didn't sell in 2008 and buy a place in the US during the housing crisis. So this bump made up for it.

My major stress right now is that my son is in high school and I can't pull him out for 7-10 days during the school year for vacation.

Oh and I guess that Gaudreau thing. I still get teary eyed every time I think about it. My daughter was asking me why I was crying at the Canucks game a few days back. There wasn't even a tribute that night.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Locke

But you typically dont get this kind of mentorship over Zoom.

In a lot of more progressive industries and organizations where WFH was implemented before COVID and taken really seriously, you absolutely do.

In-person and WFH can both have the exact same benefits, they just require totally different approaches.

A lot of people think implementing WFH is just, “we work from home now” and that’s why they struggle with measuring productivity, building social and unified teams, and great communication. I find older generations have the biggest struggle, because they just don’t know how to translate what they’ve always done to have the same outcome online.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Sure, learn to be okay doing stuff alone. Like going on a trip. Or to a movie or dinner.

But that’s different from being alone, which is what a lot of people in his thread are talking about.

Most people become very unhappy when they’re socially isolated. They get sick, mentally and physically. Even during the peak of the pandemic, public health experts implored people to stay connected to their loved ones. They never banned visits to care homes. That’s how deadly isolation is.

Social circles are shrinking. Bonds are weakening. More and more people have no close friends - especially men as they approach middle age. It’s a social catastrophe - the U.S. surgeon general says loneliness has become a worse public health problem than obesity. The comments in this thread are a symptom of that problem.

I listened to a podcast today that spoke to this.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5CB...7dc5f1b7814eea

Some good points in the pod IMO, might be a good listen for some here.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by troutman

I have felt SAD (seasonal affective disorder) before. Now I remind myself to look at the stars every night.

I got myself a bright light lamp a few years ago and it did wonders for my mood

https://www.amazon.ca/Verilux-HappyL...5&gad_source=1

[Puppet Guy]

^^ Just came in to hype the benefits of the SAD lamp. 30-60 minutes of that on a winter morning makes a huge difference.

[undercoverbrother]

Today is a good day.

Working away and picking off items that have needed doing.

Listening to music from my youth that makes me happy.

Have a great day all.

[fotze2]

Was told I would need the surgery sometime in October but still haven't been told anything, need some pre-testing angio crap too but have heard nothing. My wife says I should phone them. FATA that, I'm not phoning to possibly accelerate my demise, this might be it, should be living it up but I really have no mental capacity to do so. Crisis at work has been horrible for everyone at work but I don't mind it because it takes my mind off it.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

In a lot of more progressive industries and organizations where WFH was implemented before COVID and taken really seriously, you absolutely do.

In-person and WFH can both have the exact same benefits, they just require totally different approaches.

A lot of people think implementing WFH is just, “we work from home now” and that’s why they struggle with measuring productivity, building social and unified teams, and great communication. I find older generations have the biggest struggle, because they just don’t know how to translate what they’ve always done to have the same outcome online.

I think that is important, keeping everyone involved and touching base. I was part of a team that was busy, in constant communication over calls a bit much at times, but what happened was the leader kept a team member in the dark all the time and she wouldn't know whats happening. I always made it a point to reach everyday and make sure she knew what was happening, if they needed anything etc.

Now we have had changes in our team, its smaller, and a lot less communication, and the reverse has happened to the others. That's why being the office sometimes is better too, you get that human connection and not just texting people.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Dion

I got myself a bright light lamp a few years ago and it did wonders for my mood

https://www.amazon.ca/Verilux-HappyL...5&gad_source=1

How does this work? It just turns on at a certain time? Or you turn it on when the winter blues hit and its -35 outside.

[Winsor_Pilates]

^ Also regarding SAD Lamps; do you just sit by them for 30 minutes or do they light up a whole room so you can do things?
I love the idea, but no way I have an extra 30 minutes each morning to just sit by a lamp.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

^ Also regarding SAD Lamps; do you just sit by them for 30 minutes or do they light up a whole room so you can do things?
I love the idea, but no way I have an extra 30 minutes each morning to just sit by a lamp.

We got my son one, he took it to UVic, he used it like a desk lamp.

When doing homework or reading in bed.

I don't know if that is totally the correct way but my thoughts were it was better than nothing.

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

How does this work? It just turns on at a certain time? Or you turn it on when the winter blues hit and its -35 outside.

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

^ Also regarding SAD Lamps; do you just sit by them for 30 minutes or do they light up a whole room so you can do things?
I love the idea, but no way I have an extra 30 minutes each morning to just sit by a lamp.

They won't light up the whole room, so you'll need to sit close to the lamp. But there's no right or wrong time to use it (morning worked best for me). At your desk or when eating breakfast or whenever you can sit down during the day will do the trick, and regular (daily) use makes a big difference.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

They won't light up the whole room, so you'll need to sit close to the lamp. But there's no right or wrong time to use it (morning worked best for me). At your desk or when eating breakfast or whenever you can sit down during the day will do the trick, and regular (daily) use makes a big difference.

Are we looking for something called a SAD lamp? The one Dion posted doesn't say SAD but light therapy.

How does it differ from like a regular night lamp? Gives off different type of energy?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Are we looking for something called a SAD lamp? The one Dion posted doesn't say SAD but light therapy.

How does it differ from like a regular night lamp? Gives off different type of energy?

We got my boy this one:

https://www.costco.ca/happylight-hal...000101037.html

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Are we looking for something called a SAD lamp? The one Dion posted doesn't say SAD but light therapy.

How does it differ from like a regular night lamp? Gives off different type of energy?

Light therapy is used for SAD. Happy lights, also known as light therapy lamps, happy lamps, and SAD lights, give you additional exposure to light when there's less sun in the fall and winter months.