Interview Someone You Love About Life

In my life I have had 3 family members die from Cancer.  My Grandmother, my Great Aunt, and my Mother.  I was able to spend time with all 3 of them before they died, and yes looking back there are things I wish I had asked them before they passed.   When you are going through this time you don't think to ask important questions, and you don't want to burden them with having to answer family "mysteries".  I was a typical kid, always asking questions, being nosy, etc. But I wish I had asked the important things.  My mom had a lot of secrets, some of them I have shared, some of them I am just now learning about and will share in the future.

I came across this list recently and I thought how wonderful it would have been to document these things, or at least just ask these questions to someone you love.

Someday it will be too late, and you will wish you knew more of these things.

1. What comes to mind when you think about growing up in [hometown]?

2. What did you love to do as a kid, before high school?

3. What did you love to do in high school?

4. What do remember most about your teenage years?

5. What do you remember most about your mom (grandma)?

6. What was most important to her?

7. What do you remember most about your dad (grandpa)?

8. What was most important to him?

9. If grandma and grandpa had a message to you and their grandchildren, what do you think it is?

10. How did you meet [spouse] and know (s)he was the one?

11. How did you choose your career and what was your favorite part about it?

12. What made you successful at work?

13. What did you believe about yourself that helped you become successful and deal with hard times?

14. What times in your life truly “tested your mettle,” and what did you learn about yourself by dealing (or not dealing) with them?

15. What three events most shaped your life?

16. What do you remember about when each of us was born?

17. Were you ever scared to be a parent?

18. What three words would you say represented your approach to parenting and why?

19. When you think about [sibling] how would you describe him?

20. What message do you have for [sibling] that you want him to always keep in mind?

[Do the last two questions above for each sibling in your family]

21. When you think about [spouse], how would you describe her/him?

22. What message do you have for [spouse] that you want her/him to always keep in mind?

23. What three words would you say best describe who you tried to be in life and how you want to be remembered?

24. When they think about their careers, what do you want your children to focus on?

25. What have you learned about other people in life? (Trustworthy, kind or not and mean)?

26. What do you think the world needs more of right now?

27. What do you believe people want the most in life?

28. What were the three best decisions you’ve ever made?

29. What are you most proud of in life?

30. What were five of the most positive moments of your life?

31. What message would you like to share with your family?

32. What are you most thankful for?

Questions from Brendon Burchard

Life Update

I've posted a couple of blogs but nothing serious since January of 2015.

That blog I was moaning about being sick, and how I had nothing to do, it was almost my birthday, and I had nothing to look forward to when I got over that damn flu.  I hadn't heard from that job that I wanted, and I decided I was just going to have to be one of the millions of Americans that go to work every day hating what they do.   Then 3 hours later the phone rang.  The organization I had been talking to for six months, the one I wanted to work for called to offer me the position.  They asked when I could come in to finalize things, and I chose January 12th, my birthday; 3 days later I began work.  Things have been AMAZING, I have met some wonderful people, I have people seeking me out to share my knowledge, and input.  I'm also learning a lot from others that I work with, both with my company and from all of the boards and committees I sit on.  At times, it's hectic and not perfect but it is beyond what I had even hoped for with this job.

So, many of you may know that I now work in the mental health field.  I am the LGBTQ outreach coordinator for Mental Health America of San Diego County.  It's a national organization with affiliates all over the United States.  It's the job I dreamed of for some years; I get to work in my community and work in a field that is very personal to me.   In June, my boss asked me to attend our national conference in Washington DC, which was a great honor considering I had only been with MHASD for less than six months.  It was a great experience, and I look forward to attending many more conferences in the future.  I LOVE to travel.

My job is to serve the un-served and underserved people within the LGBTQ community in all of San Diego County.  I do suicide prevention training, Introduction to Mental Health presentations.  I've worked with homeless youth, LGBT seniors, parents of Transgender children and so much more.  I also give an LGBTQ 101 presentation to groups and organizations that need a little bit of help learning about the specific needs of the LGBTQ community when it comes to mental health issues.  I go to resource fairs to have conversations with people and pass out information about our programs, as well as providing resources and referrals. I sit on a number of committees focusing on LGBTQ youth,  I attend monthly Suicide Prevention Council Meetings, and I was recently appointed to the Mayor's LGBT Advisory Board because of my work in the mental health field.  One of the things I enjoy doing most is advocating for my community, so often the LGBTQ community is not even mentioned, treatment facilities are not Trans* friendly or sensitive.  I speak up whenever I can, I'm trying not to be that annoying guy that's always raising his hand asking a question, but I care about people in my community, and I want to make sure we aren't forgotten.

Something I wasn't expecting was having so many friends looking to me for help and advice.  It truly blows me away that I went from a place of attempting to end my own life to now helping so many other people. I have Facebook friends I have never met reaching out, friends from junior high school asking me for advice for their adult children.  It's a great feeling, although it gets overwhelming at times, it is rare that I have a day that I am not discussing mental health issues with someone.
One thing that has been somewhat challenging is working in an office with so many different people and personalities.  Back when I was working in skin care, I worked alone in a quiet environment.  Office life isn't completely foreign to me; I've worked in corporate environments before; it's just been awhile.  OH and having a cubicle!!!  I NEVER thought I would be that guy nor did I want to be, but of course I decorated the heck out of it, filled it with gayness and, of course, some peacocks.  I'm not often in my cubicle.  I'm supposed to doing outreach and of course presentations, so that gets me out of the office.  I need to step my game up there; I do a lot of outreach via telephone and email though.  It is not so easy just walking into a business or organization and doing a "cold call" about mental health.


The past six months have flown by, I'm probably the happiest I have been in years, I find my work very fulfilling and I know that I am making a difference in people's lives.

That's not to say that I don't have my low moments.  I still LIVE WITH depression, but, for the most part, its manageable.  Sometimes I get overwhelmed when I have too many things on my plate, or if there are many issues of conflict going on around me.  But self-care is something that the people around me really understand, and if I need to leave the office early to go to the Chiropractor or even go home and curl up in bed and nap, I'm able to do so.  I work a lot of hours outside of my regular 9-5 schedule, so I have plenty of time "in the bank" to use when I need.

My close friends often tell me how proud they are of me and how far I have come.
I am always appreciative when I hear encouraging words from friends.  It's especially nice when people that are more than acquaintances but not quite "close" friends tell me how happy they are for me and acknowledge my journey.   Yeah, I know I share EVERYTHING on Facebook, but I don't always know who is paying attention.

Well, I don't know what else to say here except thank you to everyone that had faith and believed in me.  For those that never thought I could be in the position I am in now, I say SUCK IT!  Those people had nothing to do with me wanting to try harder to prove them wrong.  Someday they will be asking for my help, and I'm happy I am in now in a position where I can help them.

Ive Been on More Diets than Dates

Ok well, the title might not be ENTIRELY true, but it sure seems like it.

When I was very young I was always called a "skinny kid" we had a pool in our backyard, I was always out riding bikes and roller-skating with the neighborhood kids I was always an active little boy. Then we moved from South Gate to another city, Huntington Beach.

I didn't know anyone; I was teased and bullied for what seems like anything and everything...  I was the new kid, I was called "gay," I was the teacher's pet.  I wasn't very active, so I started gaining weight then I was teased because I was fat.  Kids can be awful creatures!

I was never obese, but I always had about an extra 20 pounds I needed to lose.  The summer after 4th grade I went to an all boys "fitness camp" or as I refer to it FAT CAMP.  It wasn't cheap; it was in La Jolla it was for seven weeks, basically the entire summer.  We lived in the dorms at UCSD; we ate our meals out of a cafeteria that was just ours with meals made specifically for us. Most of our activities were on campus, with occasional field trips to baseball games, or Sea World, etc.  Those days were especially difficult since we had to see everyone else eating all the stuff we couldn't.
I hated that place; I HATE exercise, but I also wanted to lose weight.  As I said, the camp was seven weeks, but I only made it four weeks before mom caved in and let me come home early.  Almost daily phone calls full of tears and begging and pleading to come home finally got to her.

I made it through the summer without gaining any weight back so when I went to school that year,  I was thinner, but the weight slowly came back.

Somehow the next summer I ended up back at fat camp…same story, same ending. This time mom and dad only paid for four weeks because we knew I wasn't going to make it the entire summer.  Plus I was already signed up for Golf Camp about a week after fat camp. UGH, I hated that even more.  Talk about feeling inadequate I was TERRIBLE at golf, and it was full of a bunch of "super rich kids" that were so snobby.  If I recall correctly, I left early from that camp as well.

Over the span of my youth mom was always "dieting" with me.  We would try different fad diets, we went to diet doctors for vitamin B shots and weekly weigh-ins.  We did the Richard Simmons Deal a Meal program, The Beverly Hills Diet (I don't even remember what it was) Slim Fast, Lean Cuisine meals; I had a food scale to weigh my portions.  I tried so many diets and different ways to lose weight I don't even remember them all.
The one thing that was never really part of my life was exercise.

I tried Little League, Judo, I took tennis and golf lessons, I went to other "regular" summer camps as a kid where there was physical activity but I either didn't participate or I just did it half-assed, I was always picked last for any PE activity at school.  Physical activity was like kryptonite to me.  In middle school, I stopped participating in PE so I would always get an F. Who cares?
In high school, I started off thinking hell yes, I'm going to do this.  We had to wear white shirts and black shorts.  Well, I wore a Ralph Lauren Polo Shirt and Calvin Klein shorts, so the teasing started up again, so I just started ditching PE, again I thought WHO CARES!

OK, this is probably the most extreme measure I have taken to lose weight.
I had my mouth wired shut!  I could drink liquids through a straw, so I tried just to drink healthy shakes, but many times those "healthy" shakes were just as fattening as regular shakes.  I would cut the wires off and then eat for a few days, and then wire them back up myself.

When I was about 20 years old I became the biggest I had ever been, I weighed 215 pounds.  My girlfriend Mynde discovered this diet called the Atkins diet, so we both started together.  When I was 16 years old I got a gym membership for Christmas, and I kept up on the yearly fee, so I started going to the gym regularly.  This diet and going to the gym was working!  I lost at least 20 pounds; it was also at that time I discovered I was gay.  That also meant I witnessed the pressure that gay men faced having to look a certain way physically.  As shallow as it sounds that did help me stay in decent shape for a while.  I managed for quite a while to stay at a decent weight.  It didn't seem to get in the way of, shall we say "intimate encounters" BUT there was this one guy that I liked; his name was Brad.  Eventually one night in bed he told me he "just didn't think he could date someone that wasn't interested in going to the gym" WOW. Hey, he's entitled to have his preference or whatever you want to call it, but all I heard was, You're good enough for sex, but not to date!  So yeah, that happened.  Years later I still see Brad on occasion, of course, he got what he wanted, a young, buff guy. They have been together a long time now.  Kudos to you Brad for knowing what you want and not settling for something less.

Fast forward just a few years and, unfortunately, I discovered drugs.  I certainly reached my goal weight then.  There was a period when my drug use was very manageable, and I looked great!  No muscle of course, but I sure looked good in that Hugo Boss suit, or that custom made gown, yes I said a gown.  I wasn't afraid to wear a bathing suit by the pool.  I would even go to the clothing optional resorts in Palm Springs and felt totally comfortable.   Well, my drug use got so bad that I became very sick, I was down to about 152 pounds.  I looked like walking death!

The great news is I kicked my drug habit and I started to gain weight, and more weight and more weight.  Soon I was a chubby guy again.  This time it didn't seem to bother me, because at least I was "healthy" I started dating, well two different guys for a very short time in a 6-year span barely counts as dating.

I started having some issues with depression, and then major depression, a couple of suicide attempts, a few hospital stays.  Depression made me eat all the time, whether it was comfort food or medication or a combination of both; my weight increased even more.  After my suicide attempt at the end of 2012, I was hospitalized for a while, and I came out of the hospital a few pounds lighter.  In the following couple of months, I gained the weight back, but then in 2013 I went through another major depression.  I stayed in bed a majority of the time; I stopped taking care of myself, and I stopped eating regularly.  I won't say I looked good because the sadness in my eyes overshadowed the fact that I had lost weight.

Why is it that the only time's I have been at my ideal weight were because I was ill?   It should be the opposite!   It's a mind fuck.

Well in 2014 I gained more and more weight.  I decided to try the Atkins diet again; I started walking around the neighborhood, and I started to lose some weight.  As usual about a month into it I lost interest.  So I gained all that weight back and then some.  I just gave up for awhile.  I didn't care.

2015 things turned around for me.  I got a new job that I love, I got a car again, and I was chosen for a weight loss challenge sponsored by LGBT Weekly Magazine.  

The challenge is with a program called Metabolic Direct, I have a "coach", I am provided with all the supplies I need from the program; pills, (LOTS of pills) high protein drinks that are actually like Kool-Aid and are super easy to drink, meal replacement shakes, high nutrition meal replacement bars that taste more like candy bars; I like those a lot!  But they don't want you to rely on those meal replacement products, they try and teach you healthier choices with foods, they give you sample menus, there are many items on the grocery list that are foods that are the same as you probably eat already.  I wish I were more creative when it came to cooking.  It seems like I've been eating the same meal every day for lunch for two months…. For the most part I have.  Baked chicken breast cut up into a bunch of lettuce, with some kidney beans and low fat, low carb dressing.

The first month of the program I KICKED ASS!!  I was going to the gym regularly; I stayed on my program, and I lost 19 pounds, then I went out of town for a work conference, which was difficult.  On June 2nd when I left home for the conference I was 218 pounds. I did OK the first couple of days, but social events and conference food I gained some weight.  It seems like I didn't recover from that trip for a few weeks, I played with the same 4-5 pounds for a while.   I got back on the program and lost a few pounds
As of June 30th, I was down to 213 pounds.  That's a 24-pound weight loss, as of yesterday July 3rd I weighed in at 218 pounds.  So basically for the last month I have essentially lost no weight.

It appears that if I don't stick to the diet 100% I gain weight.  That makes me nervous for the time that this challenge is over.  Will I just gain it all back again?  I don't want to give anyone the impression that this program doesn't work because it does.  By now you probably realize that it's ME that doesn't work.

I'm not "that guy" I'm not the guy that enjoys exercise; I don't enjoy hiking or bike riding or working out in a stuffy, smelly gym.  What I do love is food, and I have an enormous sweet tooth.  One thing that this program has taught me was that if I am going to cheat I'm not going to bother with some cheap ass piece of cake or a doughnut; the food I eat must be worth gaining a pound or two for.  It must be SCRUMPTIOUS!  I also have learned that the food I put in my body and the amount of physical activity I do greatly affects my mood.

My emotions the past months have been all over the place, sad, mad, impatient, angry and fearful that when I go off of this program I will probably gain the weight back again.

For the past few weeks, I have been on the verge of quitting this program a few times, it's typical for me..  I do well for awhile then I lose interest.  I wanted to write this blog because I thought it might help me decide what to do.  Should I just throw in the towel?  Do I keep trying?  The challenge only lasts a couple of more weeks, my coach Vincent has been extremely helpful, and an asshole at the same time. (He warned me I might not like him some days) Last night I wanted to tell him to F off!!  But the truth is, I'm scared to death to stop this program.  The past month I haven't made any big changes, but at least I'm not heavier than I was a month ago, I don't lose my breath walking up a flight of stairs.

It won't kill me to stick with this program another couple of weeks.  I will either fit into those new shorts I bought for pride (I'd need a miracle at this point) or at the worst, iI will stay at my current weight.  That certainly is better than where I was at the beginning of May when I started this program.

But, what about the future?  What will I look like this time next year?

Biding my Time

It's a difficult thing being sick before New Years and your 46th Birthday right around the corner.  All I can do is lay here and think.   I will be 50 soon and where am I?

I had a very bumpy road in 2012 and 2013.  The illness and death of my mother in 2012 caused me a great mental and physical breakdown in 2013.  Then 2014 came along and things started going my way, at least I was in a much better state of mind and my health has never been better.  I got back to volunteering, I found a new passion in the Mental Health field, friends were coming around again, and I had high hopes that I would be reentering the workforce in a job that I have great passion for.

Well 2014 is gone now and I'm still sick in bed just waiting for my birthday to come around...   That's about it.  I don't know what my next move is.  I took the winter months off from volunteering at the LGBT Center, its what I did last year, its just something I do for myself.  I still have some work to do with Auntie Helen's.   But no job yet, and no new prospects in sight if this opportunity Ive ben hoping for since July doesn't come through.

So many things have crossed my mind.  I have had a handful or more of friends leave San Diego and  have greater opportunities and better lives.  I think about relocating, I think about it a lot.  But how does someone that is closer to 50 than he is to 40 just pick up and move and start an entirely new life. Unless you are in the witness protection program or  in the FBI it's got to be extremely difficult.

Back at the end of 2009 I inadvertently started a new life.  Not the life I entirely wanted, but a change was needed.  The best thing that came out of that change was ending my drug use.  It was also the beginning of my Mental Health issues revealing itself to me.

My drive and ambition has wained a bit.  How do you explain a 5 year gap in your resume?
"oh after I closed my business my mommy paid all my bills and I have been on disability"

Im scared there I said it. Im scared, Im stuck, I don't see that light at the end of the tunnel.

  Most people my age are closer to retirement, not starting over completely.  I need to have a job.   Ive always been lucky and had jobs I either REALLY REALLY liked or that were my passion.  Now it looks like I may join the millions of people that go to work each day hating their job.

I got some soup yesterday from the Chinese restaurant and this morning I opened the fortune cookie, inside the fortune read;  "Keep a cool head and bide your time: a chance is bound to come."


I remember my mother, who in her sixties went back to school and got her real estate license and made buttloads of money right up into her 70's.  Mom was sort of like Madonna, she reinvented herself many times in her life.  Where did she get that self confidence? Why didn't I inherit it?

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road

Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go

So make the best of this test and don't ask why

It's not a question but a lesson learned in time.

 So this is normal?  Or not entirely unusual I guess?   I've seen some Facebook friends struggle finding jobs all over the country, and they don't seem to be nearly as particular as I am, Im sure they don't have a s many opportunities as I do.

So Im going back to bed for now, when this cold decides to leave my body I'll figure all this out I hope.   I think its just a continuation of my midlife crisis.

'Tis the Season

Anyone that knows me or is even familiar with my story knows that the holidays are difficult for me.

Historically its right around this time of year my depression grabs hold and takes over.  I have spent 2 or 3 Thanksgivings in a Psychiatric hospital.  Yes, I can't even remember the exact amount of times I have had Thanksgiving dinner in the hospital.

This time of the year my depression is triggered by being alone. Even before my mother died I had been hospitalized I always joked that it was her bad cooking on Thanksgiving that caused me to avoid being home for dinner.  I know many of you may be shaking your head wondering how in the hell can Kurt feel lonely?  I have dozens of people that I could count on to "rescue" me from spending a day alone at home.  But as I always say, I long to have that special someone with to share the holidays.  We could eat hamburgers and onion rings, and I would be just as happy.

I have a few invites for Thanksgiving dinner this year; I've also thought about volunteering to feed those less fortunate at my LGBT Community Center.  I haven't made a decision on what I will be doing that day, at this point I just think of it like any other day, no big deal to me...  I haven't cared about Thanksgiving for almost ten years.  It just isn't an important holiday to me, I always asked mom why with her Native American background we celebrated Thanksgiving.  The only problem is I LOVE to eat!  This year I imagine I'll be having 2 Thanksgiving dinners, one tomorrow; the week before Thanksgiving for my roommate's HIV support group, and one on Thanksgiving Day wherever I land.  One of the difficult things about having multiple invites is you have to turn down some of those invites.  I hate to do that to friends, so sometimes I just feel that staying home is the best way out of that situation.

Christmas..  That's a different story for me.  Over the last several years, I have gotten used to the fact that Christmas is not what it used to be for my family.  I wrote about it in this blog titled "Christmas Memories".  Still in my current financial situation gifts are not something I can even attempt to buy, not even for the people that are closest to me and do the most for me.  Luckily I have found some unused Christmas cards of my mothers and cards I never used that I can send to friends.  I think Ill write some personal letters or blog posts about some friends telling them what they mean to me as a gift.  My feelings and love are all I can share.

Recently I was asked to give a presentation to a group about "Holiday Blues" It's a difficult time of the year for many people.  If you have an extra few dollars this year, there are things you can do to help.  Send a friend a handwritten holiday card, or if you have an extra place at the dinner table, if there is anyway you can include a friend that may be feeling lonely, sometimes just being invited can change the way someone feels about the holidays.  But also keep in mind that there are times that people do just want to be alone on these days.  It never hurts to pick up the phone to check in with someone.

I have lost three friends this past year, and I think about their family members who will have an empty space at their table this holiday season.  I am truly fortunate to have such caring friends.  So wherever I decide to land this year, I will be thinking about David, Doug and Robert and each of their loved ones.

Holiday Blues aka Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional or a licensed mental health therapist!

While I have provided some of the best ways to treat the “Holiday Blues / SAD naturally, it must be understood that depression is a serious condition – if in doubt always seek professional medical advice.

Do the holidays get you down?  May gay men report feeling sad during this time of year, as the all-too-familiar pain of strained family relations and lack of an intimate relationship can come bubbling to the surface.  And with the shortened daylight, gloomy sky, and cold weather outside beckoning us to stay indoors, we can often become hermit-like, inviting feelings of loneliness and, ultimately, depression.  Even those of us who typically enjoy our alone time can feel that it’s just too much to handle at times, especially when we log onto Facebook and see others having great times at parties, gatherings, and other holiday celebrations.

What are the Symptoms?

There are several symptoms associated with SAD but here are the most common ones:

o Fatigue

o Unrealistic expectations

o Feeling bombarded by over-commercialization

o Strained relationship issues that surface when families get together

o Reminders of past losses of significant loved ones

o Sadness over the contrast between "now" and "then"

o Adapting to changes in family configurations and logistics for celebrating together caused by such new situations as divorce, marriage, blended families, adolescents who no longer celebrate the holidays as "children," and grown children establishing their own independent holiday traditions

o Financial constraints and demands

o The inability to be with friends and family

o Residue stress from unfortunate past experiences during previous holiday seasons

o Tension caused by the additional demands of shopping in holiday crowds, heavier-than-usual traffic, entertaining, holiday baking, long-distance travel, family reunions and/or houseguests

How to combat these feelings

Keep your expectations for the holiday season manageable:

Be realistic about what you can and cannot do-as well as what you want to do and don't want to do. Although the holidays often mean trying to fit a lot of activities into a short period of time, pace yourself and, to the degree it's possible, try not to place your entire focus on just one day (e.g., Thanksgiving Day, Christmas morning, New Year's Eve), instead, remember it's an entire season of holiday sentiment and that activities can be spread out (time-wise) to help increase enjoyment and lessen stress. Set realistic goals for yourself; make a list and prioritize

Limit predictable sources of stress: If you feel the annual trappings of shopping, decorating, cooking and attending social events risk becoming overwhelming and stressful, use discretion and limit the activities you commit to.

Remember the holiday season does not banish reasons for feeling sad or lonely: During the holiday season, there's room for feelings such as sadness and/or loneliness to be present along with other more joyful emotions. You may be feeling out of sorts and periodically out of sync with the season's "jollier" aspects. When you feel down, avoid critical self-perceptions, such as thinking of yourself as Scrooge and, instead, try to articulate the understanding you need from those around you. You might also consider seeking the help of a therapist to help you sort out your feelings and deal with the troubling issues.

Don't fall prey to commercial hype: Advertisers would like to have you believe that "if you really loved someone " you'd give him or her that expensive new gadget or piece of jewelry.  Recognize the ads and commercials as hype that manufacturers and stores have to do to benefit optimally from the season. You can show love and caring in lots of thoughtful ways which don't cost a lot and that make the holidays all the more meaningful and personal.

Get together with friends in any way possible:  As much as possible, share the holidays with friends and family members by phone, e-mail, and mail, as well as in person. The holiday season can also be a good time to contact someone you have not heard from for awhile.   Spend time with special friends and family members with whom you can reminisce and share stories and warm memories about your loved one.

Don't abandon healthful habits: Don't feel pressured to eat more than you're accustomed to just because it's the holiday season. And, since many of the season's parties and social gatherings include alcohol, be aware that excessive drinking will only contribute to or increase feelings of overwhelm or depression. Alcohol is NOT an antidepressant and, in fact, often worsens mood.

Make the time to get physical exercise: Exercising, for example, aerobics, walking, skiing, hiking, yoga, or swimming, can help burn away a lot of stress as well as the extra calories of holiday meals.

Remember that life brings changes: As families change and grow, traditions often need to adapt to the new configurations. While you can hold onto certain family rituals, for instance, a certain holiday activity or preparing a long-cherished family recipe, some traditions, such as everyone gathering at your house, may not be possible this year. Each holiday season is different and can be enjoyed in its own way. Don't set yourself up for disappointment by comparing this year's holiday season with the nostalgia of past holidays.

Engage in volunteer activity: Helping others is a pretty foolproof method of making the holidays feel more meaningful. There are many volunteer organizations that need extra help during this time of year.

Attend holiday community events: Most communities offer special events during the holidays, such as theatrical and orchestral performances, that can be enjoyable to look forward to and to attend.

Enjoy activities that are free: Financial strain can be the cause of considerable added stress during the holidays; however, there are many ways of enjoying the season that are free

Nightmare on Normal Street

Hillcrest’s one and only Halloween street party is taking place on October 25, 2014. Join us if you dare for a scare! This spooky celebration will take place on Normal Street between University Ave. and Harvey Milk Street. The events of the evening will include ‘fang-tastic’ live entertainment and spine chilling décor! New this year, Nightmare on Normal Street will feature an all ages fright zone and soda bar.

The evening’s chills and thrills include:

• Rich’s Night Club, Grand Stage with headliner Dj Nikno

• A costume competition

• Multiple fright zones brought to you by different local Hillcrest businesses

• Food trucks

• An over 21 area on the street and an all ages area

Tickets are on sale now and just $10 for general admission. Eat, drink and be scary with all you can drink “witch’s brew” and complimentary food with purchase of a $50 VIP ticket (must be over 21 to purchase). Proceeds for the evening will support the San Diego LGBT Community Center and the Hillcrest Business Improvement Association. Get your tickets at: http://fabuloushillcrest.com/events/nightmare-on-normal-street.

Or on Facebook search for Nightmare on Normal Street

Scott Carlson Thanksgiving Dinner

Thursday, November 27at 11:30am - 3:00pm

The San Diego LGBT Community Center

3909 Centre St, San Diego, California 92103

The Thanksgiving Community Dinner was started by HIV/AIDS activist Scott Carlson back in the early ‘80s to provide a communal gathering for people living with HIV/AIDS during Thanksgiving to share a meal and spend time with people who cared.  When Carlson passed away, the community banded together and continued this tradition.  In 2004, the Imperial Court, along with the First Unitarian Universalist Church, took over the lead role of securing the continuation of this wonderful tradition and named the event as the Scott Carlson Thanksgiving Community Dinner in his Carlson’s honor.

Balboa Park December Nights: Dec. 5 & 6 2014

Balboa Park December Nights, the nation’s premier holiday festival, will take place for the 36th consecutive year on Friday, Dec. 5, 3-11pm, and Saturday, Dec. 6, noon-11pm. As always, the event brings families and friends together to spread holiday joy, learn more about the cultural value of Balboa Park and kick-off the “most wonderful time of the year.”

Participating Balboa Park museums open their doors free of charge from 5-9 pm both evenings and more than 350,000 visitors are expected to experience the joy of San Diego’s largest free community festival. Those who attend will participate in a truly multicultural experience, enjoying food, music and entertainment from around the world.

Home For the Holidays   December 6^th  5-8 PM

'Home for the Holidays' brings our community together to dance, eat and celebrate our diverse holiday traditions with 'family' away from home. More than 20 community organizations will come together to put on a holiday celebration for the entire San Diego LGBT community and our allies. All are welcome. The event is free, but guests are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to support the Imperial Court de San Diego's annual toy drive. For more information, contact Carolina Ramos at cramos@thecentersd.org or 619.692.2077 x116.

“Alternative but sometimes useful therapies”

SEEING THE LIGHT!

The #1 recommended therapy to combat the holiday blues and SAD is light therapy.

That means different things to people in different parts of our country.

Here in San Diego we are fortunate to have some sunny fall and even winter days. 

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM!

Light plays an important role in our health and the amount of time exposed to it affects our performance. As the sun begins to rise in the morning the light that makes its way through our eyelids is recognized by the pineal in our brain. This gland secretes a chemical called serotonin and reduces the production of a chemical called melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that our body produces to help us sleep, while serotonin regulates our mood and energy. Serotonin and melatonin work together in managing important aspects of our physiology. Immunity, pain, digestion, sleep/wake cycle, body temperature, blood pressure, blood clotting, and daily body rhythms are all affected by serotonin and melatonin. The shortage of light in the winter is what affects our hormonal balance causing the wintertime blues. That is why it is important to expose ourselves to a good amount of bright light.

THE FOLLOWING SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING WITH YOUR DOCTOR!!!!!!!

St John's Wort (Hypericum) Tincture

St John's wort is now commonly known as the alternative anti-depressant and is highly effective in combating some of the symptoms associated with SAD. The one you are most likely to come across is A.Vogel's Hypericum Tincture, of which it is recommended you take 20 drops twice a day with water. 

St John's wort contains hypericin, which "interferes with monoamine oxidase (MAO), which contributes to depression. Pharmaceutical products also act as MAO inhibitors, but St John's wort is a slow treatment, and, crucially, has few side effects."

It is also used to treat nervous depression and can help with sleep and your body's absorption of nutrients, helping to restore vitality and wellbeing. While it provides a generally safe alternative to drugs such as Prozac, side-effects may a affect a very small proportion of people including diarrhea and skin sensitivity to the sun.

Try SAM-e (S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine). This naturally occurring bodily compound helps produce and regulate hormones, including the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine; low levels of these are associated with depression. Dr. Howard recommends taking 400 to 800 milligrams daily. Brands that passed independent tests for potency, conducted by ConsumerLab.com, include GNC, Natrol, and NutraLife. St. John's wort, which has been touted as a SAD remedy, doesn't seem to be effective for relieving seasonal affective disorder, Dr. Howard notes.

Take a fish oil supplement with at least 600 milligrams of combined EPA/DHA daily.

Take 500 milligrams of vitamin C three to four times a day with plenty of water, and a B-complex vitamin.