Julie Gumm - Author

The Happy Pill Debate

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For those of you who have been around here for awhile, you’ve walked through some interesting times with me – the last of which was post-adoption depression that I wrote about here and here.

(If you’ve been around a REALLY long time you got to hear about my first episode of depression.)

Well, mostly because of my laziness in scheduling doctor’s appointments, I went off my anti-depressants about 3 months ago.

It’s this incredibly weird game I play called “Do I still need the pills? Maybe I’ll be fine without them.”

The problem is that the game sometimes takes a REALLY long time to play.

Because the signs are subtle, especially at first. Really it might seem like a really long case of PMS.

I’m irritable, I snap at the kids, I’m moody. Nothing sounds good to eat. And I lose all motivation to do ANYTHING.

But then it starts to effect my concentration and my creativity which in turn effects my job.

Then I get the whole “I don’t feel like me” thing going on.

And yet I still waffle back and forth. Is it bad enough to go back on the meds (and no, I don’t know what “bad enough” is – my definition might be entirely different than my husbands 🙂

I’m fortunate that I don’t have any side effects from the Wellbutrin but still, no one wants to put medicine in their body if it’s not needed.

But alas, it is needed and so I gave up the game.

And am back on what I lovingly refer to as “my happy pills”.

Sanity restored.

Do You See Possibilities?

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On the way to a friends house I pass this abandoned, burned out, graffiti’d house.

What do you see when you look at it?

Do you see destruction, despair, loneliness?

I see possibilities.

And I am fascinated.

Every time I drive by I have the urge to drive up the lot, get out and explore. My fear of snakes keeps me safely in my minivan.

I think it’s my love of home improvement projects and decorating that lets me see the possibilities in a house (trust me we’ve a couple gross looking houses over the years).

But I tend to be less about the possibilities and more about the current condition when it comes to other things – like my children. It’s so easy to focus on the negative behaviors (and I’m not saying that they don’t need addressing)  and it takes so much of our energy and time that I am left exhausted.

And quite frankly, sometimes I’m just not feelin’ the love, you know what I mean?

Recently I’ve been really convicted about how critical I can be with the kids. I don’t want to be the mom they remember as always nagging them.

I’m starting with making a point to say one super-encouraging thing to each child each day.

Anyone have some creative ideas on how to encourage children? I’m all ears!

Free Cars for Life

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Got your attention now didn’t I?

Did you know that the average American family owes approximately $900 a month in car payments?

Kind of crazy isn’t it. And it’s not $900/month toward an “investment”. That money will never be recaptured. Rather we pay $900 a month for the privilege of driving a newer car every month.

We’ve been programmed to think that it’s expected. A car payment is a fact of life.

Right?

That’s what Mark and I thought for years while we traded up and traded in cars over the first six years of marriage.

Want to know a better way? How about free cars for life? Watch this video, but then finish reading for a few final thoughts.

So what’d ya think? Totally makes sense doesn’t it.

But here’s what we found. In the midst of redoing our budget, cutting unnecessary expenses and driving debt-free cars we realized we don’t need a $26k car. We don’t even need an $11k car.

You can find good, reliable, low-mileage (60-8ok) cars for anywhere from $3,500 – 7,500.

And the difference?

Save it, invest it, give it away.

It’s up to you!

If you’re really dedicated, maybe you can join the Junky Car Club 🙂