I’ll try to explain that title. In early March I was diagnosed by with depression by my GP. Since being diagnosed I’ve found out that far more people have been through this themselves than you’d ever believe. If you’ve ever been through it, then you don’t need me to describe it, and if you haven’t, well, I’m not sure that I can adequately do so. But I think the worst symptoms for me were terrible insomnia, and all of its consequences, and for most of my waking hours it was as if there was a little invisible devil sitting on my shoulder, continually whispering all the worst things I think about myself. . . in my own voice. I’m lucky. I have great family and friends, who practically forced me to go to my GP, and he knew how to treat me. A combination of the right medication, rest and great advice has seen off the devil, and I sleep better than I have for a long time. One of the things which I’m sure has helped me has been my sketching. In my 4th week of treatment I took a long planned trip to Prague. By this time the medication was working enough that the darkest thoughts were gone, but this was replaced with a lethargy and apathy. I couldn’t see much point in anything. But each day I was in Prague I forced myself to go out with my pens and my sketchbook and make half a dozen sketches each day. This wasn’t always easy, since it was nobbling cold in Prague in April. But at least it got me out of my hotel room, and gave me some kind of purpose for the trip. Since coming back I’ve continued making the sketches, and since returning I’ve averaged slightly more than one sketch everyday. Two weeks after my return from Prague I noticed people starting to say I was more like myself, and two weeks after that, I returned to work. I don’t kid myself that the little devil from my shoulder has gone forever, and I’m not saying for one minute that my improvement is due in any but a small part to my sketching. I’ve no doubt that I owe a huge amount to my medication. But I’m equally sure that the sketching has helped. And since just before returning to work I’ve begun posting tutorial videos on Youtube, and that too has helped. It’s just so good to feel enthusiastic about something – anything – again. This post was originally supposed to be about posting on Youtube, but we’ll leave that for the next instalment. Meanwhile, here’s one of my favourite sketches from Prague – a number 23 tram.