Today is the most depressing day of the year.

January 22nd is Blue Monday. At least according to "happiness and motivation expert," Dr. Cliff Arnall. Today is the beginning of the final week of January when, supposedly, a series of combined depressive effects is lined up to knock us right off the wagon.

Arnall even developed a mathematical equation to prove that this is the most wrist-slittingest day of the year. It looks like this:

The model was broken down using 6 immediately identifiable factors; weather (W), debt (d), time since Christmas (T), time since failing our new year’s resolutions (Q), low motivational levels (M) and the feeling of a need to take action (Na).The equation calculates that Monday 22nd January 2007 is officially the worst day of the year, when the Christmas glow has faded away, New Year’s resolutions have been broken, cold Winter weather has set in and credit card bills will be landing on doormats across the land - whilst the January pay-check is still one week away.

So if you were thinking about shuffling off this mortal coil, the math proves it. This is the day to do it.

I think one of the factors he's missing is the relative sunlessness of January. If you work in a windowless office like me, you're a prime target for Seasonal Affective Disorder, so appropriately abbreviated "SAD," I can't help but wonder which came first: the diagnosis or the acronym. (I'm betting on the latter.)

Here's my cure: Seed Catalogs.

Yep, just order up some seed catalogs and start planning for the garden. And hurry! Spring is only 4 months away!

Okay, . . . I think I just depressed myself.