I'm not a feeling type of guy but the last 6 weeks i haven't been feeling well, I've tried to determine whats wrong. I'm 37, good career, have a great daughter, freshman, straight As, varsity athlete, i have a GF that i get along with (she doesn't talk..alllll the time), bills are bills but not stressful at this point in my life. But every day i wake up just a little sad, a little empty. yesterday i received a letter from allstate and my heart sunk. I thought, why am i feeling bad now? then i realized, six weeks ago i took off my VFR insurance and winterized my bike. I didn't realize when i bought my silver (fastest) VFR last spring it would be this hard to say good bye in the fall. I just never thought this would happen to me, I'm a mans man, i like UFC, I was in the military, i laugh when i see somebody fall down, i like guns!!. I just wanted to post and tell anyone feeling this way, you are not alone. we will get through this. Postpartum depression (PPD), also called postnatal depression, is a type of clinical depression which can affect women, and less frequently men, typically after childbirth. Symptoms include sadness, fatigue, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, reduced libido, crying episodes, anxiety, and irritability. Although a number of risk factors have been identified, the causes of PPD are not well understood. Many women recover with a treatment consisting of a support group or counseling. don't look below if you have a weak stomach.
First off, you need to get your medical terms right. What you have is an illness some -if not all of us have been through: PMS Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual syndrome is a collection of emotional symptoms, with or without physical symptoms, related to a woman's menstrual cycle. While most women of child-bearing age (up to 85%) report having experienced physical symptoms related to normal ovulatory function, such as bloating or breast tenderness, medical definitions of PMS are limited to a consistent pattern of emotional and physical symptoms occurring only during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle that are of "sufficient severity to interfere with some aspects of life".[1] In particular, emotional symptoms must be present consistently to diagnose PMS. The specific emotional and physical symptoms attributable to PMS vary from woman to woman, but each individual woman's pattern of symptoms is predictable, occurs consistently during the ten days prior to menses, and vanishes either shortly before or shortly after the start of menstrual flow. Just like you, I'm a man's man. I chew tobacco, play cards, shoot guns, drink tequila, go hunting and fishing just to name a few. But I when I get that illness, I just feel like a little girl. Most men get that illness in winter. 100's are joining you as I type this and the correct term for riders is PMS: Parked Motorcycle Syndrome.
Well......guess your going to have to do something to bring any kind of relief to your symptoms. Out here in LA LA land we have inside go cart tracks that will help.....no meds...just get some buds and race. I always have one beer before...helps me focus...
The only time I get this feeling is when one of my vehicles is in the shop, like after an accident, happened when my car was in the shop for a few weeks (before the VFRs were in the picture). This is mostly because like Long is eluding to, we don't have an off season here in So. Cal. Ironically as I'm typing this, the rain is starting to fall pretty good, but in the OC basin, it never turns to snow...well at least that I can recall. So we can still ride, just not as dry and fun as when the sun is shining, which should be tomorrow, if not in a few hours. IMO though, you can't really say you're a man's man unless you have a favorite motor sound and a favorite weapon. Mine would be be my Duc and the VFRs and good ole Ma Deuce. :chaingun:
don't worry. we will start our winter time ride reports soon. we ride year round out here and we do what we can to keep you guys spirits up because that's just how we are...
DO NOT despair. All we northerners suffer from Parked Motorcycle Syndrome. What you NEED is a project that keeps you busy working ON your motorcycle through the winter. Perhaps some HID headlights, or a new thermostat (OK this one is a PIA but it would keep you occupied for a while), or like me taking the bike apart in the garage and cleaning it from top to bottom with a toothbrush (frame, engine, hoses, everything) and then waxing everything that you can that would require such necessity. Another suggestion might be to polish the rear sets and make them really nice and shiny. Takes a LONG time if you use the wet sanding and hand polishing method (ask me how I know this, GO AHEAD, Ask LOL) to bring out the luster. Be forewarned though, polishing is a gift that keeps on giving (or taking depending how you look at it) as once the parts are shiny they have to be polished more frequently to keep them looking shiny. In my home town of Kelowna, BC there are quite a few people who suffer from S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) because when winter comes around Kelowna is located in a valley between two mountainous regions and once November hits the clouds sink in and get stuck in the valley and we can sometimes not see the sun again until March. I can say from personal experience that it takes a toll on you when you can't see the sun for 5 months a year. We do have a local ski hill here called Big White and the sun almost always is shining up there so if the need strikes me, I head up there for the day. I usually put my bike away for the winter in late November and usually bring it out in early March, but our weather is usually nice enough during the winter that I could ride almost year round. Early morning and after sunset get a bit treacherous because of icing road conditions but riding during the day can be quite pleasant (chilly but pleasant). Since I have a 4 and 6 year old though, there is rarely time to become bored and feeling down, and if it comes down to that, we all pile in the wife's 98 Tahoe and head for the nearest deep snow and do our damnest to get the truck stuck. That way if we get to dig it out again WHILST having snow ball fights. Who could ask for anything better than a snow ball fight with your kids. Just their smiles and laughter are enough to light up my worst days. Grab your daughter (not sure how old she is so this idea may not work too well, if so my apologies) by the hand, go buy some bike stuff and "Let the Farkling Begin"
My approach is slanted more towards "out of sight, out of mind". I'm able to park mine at work and hook it up to a charger. I try not to look at her too much, just make sure the green light is on every month or so. The memories are to hard to deal with. Every time Long otstir: it brings tiers to my eyes, not sure if I'll be able to make it.
We have skidoos. You shits down in LA are known to have a bitch of a time masterig use of those machines. BTW. I have ridden mine here, north of the 49th fouf days running now.
I with you Randy. Just put the VFR on life support about two weeks ago. The snowmobiles were put to bed in May and are sitting on life support as we speak. Five sleds sitting in a garage about 300 miles north of Chicago. Right on the edge of the Chequamagon National Forrest. So many turns in the woods it makes the Dragon look like a drag strip! Trails due to open about Dec. 15th. Seven inches of snow on the ground right now. Time to forget everything you ever learned about counter steering. Turn left to go left! It was hard to put the VFR away but the snowmobiles will take my mind right off it. That and 20 below zero!
Now I understand the term "California dreaming". This is my vantage point at this particular point in time.
