It's interesting how often I see Canada and Scandinavia compared, from a philosophical standpoint... long winters and lots of introspection on the menus of life.

In some ways, there is a certain beauty in the bleakness and sadness... but they trouble some people more than others. Maybe it's the difference between feeling sad and simple recognizing "I feel sad" and feeling sad and going "OMG! Something is WRONG with me!" because that person lacks the coping skills to feel a full spectrum of — essentially natural — emotions.