Brenda took me out to dinner last night to talk about how I was handling everything. I haven't been home much at all, and naturally she reads lauralore.com daily...and I occasionally key a heavy post here...

Hi, Brenda!

I told her that I am best on the days that I double my mood-enhancing supplement. It's an amino acid called L-Tyrosine that I originally started taking in September to help me through the winter slump....little did I know then how slumpy my winter would get! My working knowledge of supplements is staggering, and completely useless in any facet of my daily life.

I offered this piece of information shyly, not wanting my aunt to worry that I was doubling a recommended dose. I needn't have worried. This from the aunt who, whenever she goes to the doctor and they find something off, asks, "Is there a pill I can take?" When detailing what my stress has manifested physically, Brenda generously offers, "We've got lots of pills here. Feel free." Silly me. We have a pill drawer. An entire drawer in the kitchen dedicated to pills. And a cupboard that contains the pill overflow, and your run-of-the-mill OTC drugs.

So, it should have come as little surprise for Brenda to offer, in response to me taking extra amino acids, "They usually list low-end doses anyway." Do you think this applies at all to the tolerated upper limit of sugar? Hmm.