journoblogging PPD

I don’t think I’m up to it, even though journoblogs are my favorite types of blogs.

Reading about the lives of certain bloggers while discovering arcane facts about the sugar content of a five course meal at a four-star restaurant: that’s a fun day for me. The high concentration of environmental hazards in low-income neighborhoods and how that affects a generation of school children—stuff like that.

Instead, as I freefringe, the only school children you’ll probably learn about will be my own. I am neither myopic nor self-centered. It’s a combination of laziness and an unwillingness to rub up against first-hand research. I wonder if I’m like the porn guru who doesn’t like actually having sex. I wonder if such a person exists? I’d do some calling around to find out, but there again is that whole who-cares-enough-to-find-out-on-my-own issue flaring up again.

I’m bringing all that up to say: while working my way out of post-partum depression, I thought you’d be interested to know that according to exactly one Web article, 13 percent of pregnant women and recently unpregnant women suffer from depression. That doesn’t sound like a whole lot, but the article claims that’s “common”.

It goes on to talk about treament and medical remedies, but here is what I am thinking: all I need is a good night’s sleep for about one month. And that will not happen until much later in my 4-week-old’s life. And, generally, if the mom has a strong support group, that will help. If the mom is not antagonized by added stress and trips to the store for things that maybe other people can pick up for her, the 13 percent might decrease. Phone calls to her just to say hi? Totally welcome.

I also tend to spend money on things that make me feel better for a few minutes. In honor of being part of this 13 percent, I present 13 purchases since becoming pregnant up until this very moment:

1. brand spanking new Toyota Highlander
2. Jennifer Hudson concert tickets; she may be worth $155, but is Robin Thicke, the headliner? Argh…
3. LG Vu for my teenage daughter who loses phones weekly; she’s kept up with this one since January
4. Xbox 360 to replace a misused, red-ringed Xbox 360 for the 7-year-old
5. lots of really expensive baby gear
6. misc Internet purchases delivered by the UPS fairy
7. adding another iPhone to my already ridiculous AT&T bill
8. preparation paperwork for a certain legal filing that probably could have waited until my head was clearer, but when your thinking is cloudy, the funniest things get charged to your credit card
9. four tickets to a World Cup soccer event; luckily the Ticketmaster lady came to my rescue and let me cancel the $150 purchase during a oh shit what I have I done? moment of clarity. I should carry her around in my pocket.
10. two blog templates that I was planning to buy two years ago before my tech guy came along
11. soccer registration for a season that doesn’t begin until the fall; hey, they sent me an email and I responded!
12. two European classical playlists from iTunes to help the baby sleep.
13. athletic strength and conditioning sessions for a 7-year-old, trying to improve his focus and concentration. When I was 7, that was called a spanking, and it was free.

Your most mindless purchase in comments…