I’m always amazed by how quickly spring break comes and goes. Wish winter would follow suit. It’s March and I’m still getting over the chill from January.

With the end of spring break comes the realization that I’m almost done with Bucknell. This realization would be frightening under normal circumstances, but I’m pretty sure that writing this honors thesis has prevented Bucknell nogstalgia from settling in just yet. I have about three weeks until d-day, and, despite working most of my break, I feel as if I am so far behind.

In other news, I took a lovely stroll with a dear old friend of mine around Ridgewood today and felt, for the first time in months, stress-free. I’d like to feel this way more often.

It snowed again this morning, and has since turned into a cold, steady rain that’s set to completely wash out what was supposed to be a fun-filled weekend.

Tonight’s agenda involves some post-work barhopping in Shockoe Bottom and up through the Slip. Cary and I had planned to start at Tiki Bob’s for happy hour, move up to Sine for a bit and then meet Rob for his birthday gathering at either Tobacco Company or Richbrau. Tonight kicks off the pre-St. Patty’s festivities, but stupid me forgot all about it and wore black instead of green. Guess it’s been that kind of week. And damned if I wanna be running around downtown Richmond all night in this weather!

Speaking of which, Shockoe Bottom is having their big St. Patty’s street party, Shamrock the Block, tomorrow afternoon but that’s shaping up to be yet another washout. I did the 2006 Chili Cookoff in the rain; I did a Jimmy Buffett concert in the rain – both times were a blast. But tomorrow is only supposed to be in the 40’s and I don’t forsee the mix of cold weather and the rain as being too much fun, no matter how drunk I manage to get.

But whether or not I go through with any of these plans is still to be determined. If anything, it’ll get me away from any drama. Jordan and I actually did manage to hide out last night. Bryce came over and we all hung out like, you know, the good old times of two weeks ago.

So my mood has improved a little, despite it being a rainy Friday the 13th. I’m trying to look on the bright side. Besides, rain is good for some things…like trees and flowers…and four leaf clovers…and rainbows with pots of gold at the end…

Still, I’m ready for some Arizona sunshine!!

Well the Groundhog saw his shadow last month and we know that means several more weeks of winter for us. This made me so unhappy because I tend to get the winter blahs right around February. So the thought of having to endure another month of freezing temps, made me want to climb under the covers with the remote control. I told one of my girlfriends that I just want to lay in my bed, with dark shades or curtains, my favorite movies and some snacks (of course) for like two days to rejuvenate my mind and body. Being the great friend that she is, she wasn’t concerned that I was going into a deep depression, rather she responded, ” Me too!! I totally understand!”

We decided that we all just need a little “down time” now and again. And for some reason during the winter, you need it more than ever. Less sunlight, shorter days and colder temps. These things can really give you the winter blues or blahs. We often ignore our body when its sluggish and as a result we have less energy and are more apt to colds and the flu since our immune systems are low. Ladies, take care of your bodies! Listen to it when it’s screaming “I NEED REST!” Try these tips to rejuvenate your body and conquer the winter blahs at the same time:

• Find something that you like to do that will get you up and moving, or just take your mind off of feeling blah. Try a new recipe or give your bedroom a new look. A new activity may improve your mood.
• Open the blinds or curtains for some sunshine and crack the windows for a bit of fresh air. Release the stale and dry air that is lingering in your house that may be making you feel cooped up and sluggish. 
• Go outside, take a walk on the weekend to get the blood pumping and get some Vitamin D. Sun has positive effects on your body and soul.
• Exercise or do some form of physical activity. Try a new exercise class like Tae Bo or Cardio Funk. I just went Salsa dancing this weekend! 
• Take your vitamins. We need our vitamins even more in the winter months to help fight off viruses and colds, as well as maintain our energy. We are definitely more sluggish in the winter and vitamins help a lot.
• Meditate and massage. Do both! Clearing your mind and releasing tension from your body can help increase your positivity. The blahs can often lead us into negative thinking. So staying positive is important.

Hold on just a little longer. . . Spring is on its way! If last week’s temps of 70 degrees is any testament to what’s to come, then we are in good shape.

Dear Winter Blahs,

Please go the hell away!!! It’s going to be 80 degrees here today, so why are you still hanging around? You are hindering my progress and happiness, and I’m not okay with that so if you know what’s good for you, you’ll hightail it outta here, PRONTO!!

Sincerely,

Jill

PS. Leave all my blog buddies alone too! I mean it!

In case the pictures below don’t give it away, this past Monday, Richmond had it’s first “real” snow in over three years. Ok, so I guess by the first of March, I’m really just ready for it to be spring, but still, five inches of snow was a pleasant little surprise for everyone.

The snowstorm began on Sunday afternoon, blanketing the entire ground within 30 minutes. From there, it was pretty much a light but steady snowfall throughout the evening and into the next morning. Not being one to hunker down, I had to take my Rav-4 out for a snowy spin. In the two years I’ve had the car, it’s the first snow I’ve ever driven it in! It handled like a charm, so Jordan and I braved the slippery streets and went over to John’s house to watch the race. I don’t think I mentioned it, but John is laid up for two months in a cast after having foot surgery.

On Monday morning, my office didn’t open til noon, so I woke up early to enjoy my half snow day.  He shoveled, scraped the vehicles and then rode around the neighborhood on his 4-wheeler while I cleaned up some from Saturday’s party and made coffee and eggs. I did a few laps up and down the street on the makeshift snowmobile too.

Well, on the subject of Jordan’s dad’s surprise birthday party, things went off quite well. Despite the setbacks of the past couple weeks, most everyone who was invited came and he was genuinely suprised and touched by everyone’s efforts. His mom decorated the house in a tropical theme, Jordan grilled chicken wings and slow-cooked a pork shoulder for barbeque. There were all kinds of side dishes, fruits, veggies, etc. We had Coronas, Bud Lights, rum punch and I even made jello shooters (though most of the older people there didn’t exactly get the concept!). Towards the end of the party, we gathered everyone in the living room to watch the slideshow. Jordan had helped me put the final touches on it that afternoon (whew!) and it came out great. There were definitely some misty eyes in the house by the end of the show!

And come to find out, we’ll be entertaining again this upcoming weekend when one of Jordan’s old Marine buddies – along with his wife and kids – come up to visit from Jacksonville. And speaking of visitors, a pretty significant one randomly blew into town along with Monday’s snowstorm. And by significant, I mean it warrants its own separate entry…so stay tuned…

…to bring you the following snow day:

Backyard

Feet in the snow

Pull up a seat

The outhouse...haha, J/K!

Getting the "snowmobile" ready

Off he goes...(don't mind the downed phone line)

The other snow toy...

Winter’s not over yet for us in Canada and New York so to keep people on the street smiling during the greyer months, I would pick up a pair of these Jack Spade moustache gloves.

This will be surefire way to cure people’s winter blues and you’ll probably receive constant giggles.

But at $95 a pair, you’ll cry when you get your credit card bill.

Hard to believe that Spring will be here before we know it. And with Spring comes Easter and Mother’s Day and First Communions and Graduations. What a busy time for all ages. It’s also one of the prettiest times of year to think of family portraits. We all have had the winter blahs and now it’s time to inject some warmth and sun into our lives.

Second to Fall, Spring is the next most popular portrait time of year. The soft pastel colors and the new greens, just open up the world to all possibility. Think about why they call it “Spring Cleaning” it’s the time to clear away the winter cobwebs and put Winter behind. It’s right around the corner. 

Last night the weatherman said, and I quote, “If you’re anticipating snow tomorrow, forget it.” So naturally it snowed for a couple hours this morning – the big fluffy kind of snow that sticks immediately. It made for a fun commute – kinda felt like driving through a Windows 95-era screen saver. But then the rain came and the day was no longer fun.

By the way, it was 70 degrees a couple weeks ago. Welcome to February in Virginia…blah!

I found out yesterday, though, that I get to go back to Arizona this April for the editor’s summit (after being told for the past couple months not to get my hopes up about the trip this year). So looks like my travel wishes are coming true after all. The conference runs from Wed to Fri, so I might try to see if Jordan (or anyone for that matter) wants to meet me in Las Vegas for a long weekend. I told myself last year that if I made it back west I would spend some personal time out there. My original thought was to go to the Grand Canyon, but Vegas is cheaper and an easier sell. I could get very excited about the opportunity, but I’m not getting my hopes up too high until I have something concrete. At the very least, I’ll get a little escape from Richmond and get to enjoy the beautiful climate of Arizona in April.

But back to the reality of a drizzly mid-Atlantic winter day for now. At least I’ve accomplished some of what I’ve set out to do. Groceries – check! Clean room – check! Working TV – check! Still to do: Taxes!!! Finish organizing stuff! Make Jordan’s slideshow DVD! Well, at least the ball is in his brother’s court on that last one. Kinda all depends on when he’ll be able to sneak the photo albums out of his parents’ house.

Well, on a final note – and because I just can’t ignore my “favorite” holiday, I’ll have to say that Valentine’s day went well. We ordered a pizza for lunch and watched the Nationwide race. For dinner we went out to eat at O’Charleys and he gave me a card, a stuffed teddy bear and the obligatory box of chocolates I’ve been subsisting on since Saturday.

Yeah…what diet?

Here it is: This morning’s “dusting” of snow was probably the most we’ve had in three years/most we’ll get all winter. It needed to be documented!

Meanwhile, I’m slowly getting back on the diet and exercise wagon after a very fun but overindulgent weekend down in Charlotte. I’m glad I made the last-minute decision to go, even if I was sick with a cold. John and I got to Jordan’s hotel around 8:30 on Friday night and made our way to downtown Charlotte. I hadn’t really done my research on the city, so I was a little surprised at how much bigger and flashier it was than Richmond. Kind of reminded me of Baltimore a little bit.

So Jordan had really wanted to go to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s bar Whiskey River, which ended up being in this crazy multi-level open air mall in the middle of downtown. It was a pretty cool place – more of a nightclub than a sports bar. It had a dancefloor/stage on one end, a big bar in the middle and a freakin’ mechanical bull at the other end. We park ourselves at the bar, kind of near the door which gave us a great vantage point of the incoming crowd, the people dancing and the crazy bullriding drunk girls getting jolted around and thrown on their asses.

Jordan and John were pretty jazzed just to be drinking at Dale Jr.’s bar, so you can imagine their shock and excitement when Mr. Earnhardt himself strolled in with his entourage. He and his posse immediately rolled into the VIP area overlooking the dancefloor, we got glimpses from time to time. So yeah, we can definitely say we threw ‘em back on a Friday night with a famous Nascar driver! And the best part is, when it was time to leave the bar, Dale Jr. made his way to the front door and Jordan and John were brave enough to stop him for autographs. He must have been feeling as good as us, because he actually stopped and obliged. I didn’t get a piece of paper with his signature…but I did kinda throw my arm across his back when he was signing, so at least I can say I touched him!! LOL!!

Anyway, we slept in Saturday morning then spent the afternoon driving around looking at the Nascar headquarters and garages and the Lowe’s Motor Speedway. We played it more low key that night and went to this bar called “Bikini’s” to watch the UFC fight – just picture Hooters, except the girls are all in, yep, bikini tops! Even though the food and service was sub-par, i’m sure the guys loved the view…to me, it was just kind of amusing in a sad way.

So we left around noon on Sunday and made it back to Richmond in enough time to have a quick dinner at Jordan’s parent’s house and make it over to Donnie and Miranda’s house to watch the Superbowl – not the most exciting game in the history of Superbowls, but it’s kind of become a tradition to watch the game over at their place.

The out of town excursion was a nice change-of-scenery getaway, and I feel plenty refreshed and ready to get through the month of February. Come to find out, though, Jordan may be spending the second half of the month down in Tallahassee for work…so my little routine will get thrown all out of whack again. He supposedly leaves the day before Valentine’s Day, which sucks because that’s two years in a row he’s out of town for work on the 14th! I might just end up going to the Sharky’s V-day party with still-single Cary and throwing darts at pictures of exes!! Haha!

But anyway, for now I just need to make it through the normalcy of the week. They are calling for more snow tonight, though – I’ll believe that when I see it!!

That’s been me lately. This post doesn;t even have any pictures! I just haven’t been able to get myself going to much more than half finished doodles for the past month or so… Maybe it’s just winter. I haven’t look for any stats to see how much snow we’ve had this year, but it’s  a lot. Is hell a flaming pit of doom, or a frozen wasteland? I’d choose the latter.

I’ve even had trouble drawing monstahs, to the point where I considered ending the run a few times, but I’ll keep going. Hopefully I’ll get started on one for tomorrow soon, If this headache ever goes away. It’s one of those really good ones, like using a screwdriver to dig out my brain, through my eye. I had some tea thinking maybe it was caffiene withdrawal but it just made it worse.

My self set deadline for monstahs.com came and went. That was mostly because i was still unsure whether or not To have a separate blog for them. I think it will be better to keep them here, and make the site more of an archive gallery kinda thing. I’ve already started work on that, and it’s going ok so far. Lets see if I can get it finished before I change my mind again.

In other news, I’ve added a couple of new links recently. One in particular is Josh Keyes. I saw his site the first time a year or so ago, and recently came across it again. I’ve never been good at classifying art, so I won’t. I do like his work though. Check it out and judge for yourself.

-13 celcius without the windchill and it feels almost warm outside…

It is snowing again.  Another 3″ expected today and highs in the 20ºs and we are still in January.  The weatherman said last night that this has been the coldest January in I don’t know how many years and was teasing us with February.  Comparing those coldest first months to what we might have in store next month – some were 10ºs warmer (please God, yes!) but a bunch were 10ºs colder than normal (please God, no!) and on the tease went.

These little crocus candles, tucked under a shelf at the boutique Shop Girl is babysitting while her boss is in India for two weeks, caught my eye yesterday. I know there is something going on beneath the piles of snow in the yard. There are things happening – all is not dead.  It just feels that way about now.  We just have to hang on.  I know we don’t live in Alaska.  I know I complain alot but there is a certain reality to dealing with this day after day with just hints of sunshine (like two days ago – even if it was a high of 18º.)

There is life happening all around me and I can be encouraged.  A good friend is starting a huge new chapter in life leaving the likes of Washington, D.C. for a small farming town in southern Ohio.  A new house, a new job…a new start.

We are still waiting to hear whether or not the filming permits get in on time from Lansing that will determine if the adventure for Shop Girl will or won’t be a reality. Waiting…poised, ready to spring into “shopping” mode when the light turns green.

And I got a new lease on life with a new toy…it holds a power all its own.  It makes the pictures but I have to see them first.  I’ve got to look close and see things differently.  Find the special in the ordinary – the joy in the mundane.

On the brink of February, I choose to remember that in Spain all the almond trees will blossom.  It was one of my favorite things to see. Maybe I will see something just as spectacular right outside my window in a few weeks.

Well, it’s around 70 degrees in my neck of the woods, but overall it’s been a C O L D January!!! Last week’s snow was fun, but grey cold days can be dreary, and research show this kind of weather affects people’s moods.

On top of dreariness, we’ve got the stock market in the dumps, and a lot of jobs lost. But….gasoline is still pretty cheap and that’s $$ in your pocket while it lasts.

Here are some quick tips for getting through wintery blues:

1. Realize that feeling bad about it is optional. Some people actually enjoy winter! So, no matter how icky you feel, you can choose to feel, just a tad better.

2. You know this is coming….get out and exercise. Or go to the gym. Get those endorphins flowing.

3. Call someone you haven’t talked to in a while.

4. Light some candles and write in your journal, or paste magazine pictures in it.

5. Make soup. It’s healthy, warm, and helps control winter weight gain.

6. Invite people over for coffee or a glass of wine.

7. Visit your local library. Snuggle with a good book!

8. Take a long bubble bath.

9. Get out your art supplies and doodle or draw.

10. Find a cleaning project — a small one that you can finish. Getting one drawer cleaned is a phenomenal mood booster.

11. Make your own list of Ways to Beat Winter Blahs….and distribute it.

Remember, Groundhog Day is Monday.

Photo from here.

It hasn’t even been a month into 2009 yet and I’ve already written more than half as many entries as did in 2008 alone. A good start to what will hopefully be a good year.

Of course, I say that at the beginning of every year. I don’t think I’ve ever had the attitude of “I expect this year to be mediocre at best.” So when they turn out mediocre, it always leaves me diasppointed. Maybe if I go into a new year with low expectations, I’d at least have the chace to be pleasantly surprised. But luckily I’m more optimistic than that.

We finally got our first snow this morning…which quickly turned into some unidentifiable mixture…sleezing rain, perhaps? We just never luck out here, do we? Just another drab winter day…

Yesterday, while waiting for Bodyshape class to begin, Miranda and I were brainstorming some activities to get us through the rest of the winter. Because right now, there’s not much on the agenda in the coming months. The best we could come up with was getting maybe 8 people or so and renting a condo for the weekend up at Wintergreen or Massanutten. I don’t think I’d attempt skiing again (too expensive, anyway) but snowtubing could be fun. And ice-skating would be something fun to do in town. We also thought about the wineries, but she and I are really the only wine drinkers among our friends. Other than that, I’m at a loss. What else is there to do in the winter that’s relatively cheap and within driving distance?

People around me have been dropping like flies for the past week. The flu bug has been running rampant among my friends in the West End. First Cary, then Donnie and now Jordan. Who’s next, is all I ask? Miranda? John? Me?? I’m going to be optimistic though…because I even drank after Cary the first night she got violently ill and so far so good (knock on wood!). And they all laughed at me when I went to get a flu shot this past November!

Before Jordan got sick, we had tossed around the idea of me coming down to Charlotte on Friday night and hanging out down there for the weekend. But that’s looking more and more unlikely. Disappointing, because a change of scenery would’ve been nice. It hasn’t been a bad month overall, though. I seem to be keeping in good spirits, which really has been a lifesaver. For the past few months, I’d felt so detached and withdrawn when I was out with friends and more and more I’ve found myself actually socializing, letting loose and having fun. I’ve been ending up at Sharky’s a lot lately – my favorite West End watering hole. Live classic rock music, dancing, great people watching…it beats the prententious atmosphere of Bar Louis, the frat house dirtiness of the Pour House, or the sketchiness that the Lakeside crowd brings to Baileys.

So Jordan and I met up with a bunch of his friends at Sharky’s on Friday night and it was the typical craziness of a Friday night at Sharky’s. When we got there, there was a party bus parked right outside, and come to find out, it was members of the Richmond Renegades hockey team. They must’ve partied a bit too hard, because when we went to see their game the next night, they didn’t play too well in the rink and lost to the visiting team. But the game itself was fun…and something different. I went with Jordan, John, Donnie and Miranda. We ended the night with a few drinks at O’Charleys, then I ended up going to bed relatively early for a Saturday night.

But hopefully I’ll use this last week of January to get a little more organized. I think if I’m able to remove some of the clutter and chaos out of my living area it will help to keep things sailing smoothly through the rest of the winter.

It’s been so bitterly cold these past couple weeks. You’d think as a consolation, it would at least snow. We’ve certainly had several close calls, but I’ve seen nary a flurry so far this year. Take yesterday for example – several snow storm systems to the west, the north and even the south! Eastern North Carolina got three inches! Virginia? Nada! It’s like we have a no-snow buffer zone surrounding the entire state. It’s now been nearly four years here in Richmond since we’ve had any kind of accumulation that stuck around. C’mon, I gotta have something to keep me sane in this freezing weather! Or like that Jimmy Buffett song says, “I gotta fly to St. Somewhere.” What a shame that jet-setting to a tropical island isn’t exactly affordable these days…

But at least I’ll somewhat get my tropical island fix when LOST returns tonight!!! I got the Season 4 DVD for Christmas so I’m all caught up…and I feel like I’ve been holding out for the new season forevvvver. I’m so happy American Idol is back on too. It’s been keeping me entertained for the past couple weeks. So there is an upside to January, I suppose.

And keeping up with my New Years resolutions (which btw are still rattling around in my head and haven’t yet made it to paper), I’ve been going to the gym several times a week and actually keeping up with it. I got a great workout on the bike, eliptical and weight machines with Miranda yesterday evening and tonight we’re taking Bodyshape, which is an excellent class. Tonight’s class is taught by the same instructor who’s Zumba class we ditched halfway through last Thursday – hopefully she won’t recognize us!! LOL!!

I know it’s only halfway into January, but I’m already declaring today the COLDEST DAY EVER!! When I arrived to work, if the temps weren’t in the single digits, they were damn near close! Last night I even crawled into bed at nine, not because I was ready to go to sleep, but because it was too cold to sit anywhere else in the house. And after paying a $240 electric bill, turning the thermostat up isn’t an option!

Well, latin dance class at the gym last night was…um…interesting. Miss “I have no rythm, so if I can do it, you can do it” Cary followed in perfect step up front, while Miranda and I were literally left flailing in the back. It was horrible! Definitely not a class for beginners, seeing as how the instructor just assumed everybody knows how to salsa and merengue. She expected everyong to have “sass” and “attitude” and put arm and hip movements into it – quite a challenge when you can’t even master the basic footwork. Maybe I’m just a slow learner. I mean, Cary was able to pick it up with no prior dance classes. Or maybe it’s that I really do lack any kind of rythm. How does one acquire rythm anyway? Do you learn it? Or is it something you’re either born with or born without? At least I had Miranda there to laugh it all off with. And we mambo’d the hell out of the studio before the class even ended!

But anyway, back to the grind of an excrutiatingly slow Friday before a three-day weekend. Yeah, so much for getting back into a normal schedule. And if I decide to go out tonight, I have 7 degree weather to look forward to. Seven!!

By now the holiday festivities are starting to wear off, and you may be starting to get a case of the winter blahs.  I’ve noticed this is usually about the time they set in.  It’s still winter, the holidays are over, and there is what– spring to look forward to?  That’s like 5 months from now!  Yesterday, I felt this incredible feeling of insatiability.  Like I wanted something, but I couldn’t figure out what– I was craving change but I couldn’t figure out how to get it.  Do you know this feeling?

Here is what I did to cure it: Made a plan.  I’ve been feeling this huge push to get to Ireland, and soon- but I haven’t been able to visualize how this is possible at this moment.  So I sat down with pen and paper and made a plan.  And it only took about 5 minutes.  I asked myself what I felt was holding me back, and then I asked myself what obvious solutions I could see to this challenge.  Before long I had a list of 6 things that I felt I could do right now to get me started on this path of being able to travel. By the time I was finished I felt great.  Although none of my actions points were going to get me there tomorrow, I felt that I clearly had things I could do to help me further my goal.  If in the mean time the universe provides me with a short-cut to this plan or an even better alternative, I will jump at the opportunity.  But for now, I know I am on my way.

So if you’re feeling like you need something, sit down and make a plan.  It could be something as elaborate as travel plans, or something as simple as a getting a few friends over to your place for a good old fashion dance party.  Come up with some simple steps to do that will help you satisfy your craving.  And then do them!

Need more practice– here’s another fun exercise.

Come up with 10 possible alternatives to your current life situation.  Some of them can be really outlandish— that’s the fun of it.  (Move to Tahiti, get a new job, take the kids to Hawaii for the winter…)  And it gets your mind adjusting to the fact that you are not locked into any one reality.  A whole host of alternatives are actually at your fingertips.  You decide which ones you want to do!  

Aimée Cartier is a writer and intuitive and the founder of Spreading Blessings Media.  Sign up to receive her regular blessings in your inbox or find out more about her and her work at www.spreadingblessings.com .

It’s midwinter, you’re at the desolate Jersey shore and you’re quietly slipping into toothlessness.

It all starts with a missed shower or two. Its just too cold to take off all those layers of clothes. Besides, you’re not going to see anyone anyway.

Then shaving your legs strikes you as just silly. I mean, you do it every once in a while since its another excuse to touch yourself but really, what a waste of time, when you could be hanging out with the locals at the watering hole up the street, talking about shooting grouse (whatever the heck they are.)

You have 3 robes, all with different purposes. One is fuzzy but so matronly that your grandmother wouldn’t be caught dead wearing it. The other is practical because its absorbent and serves as a towel when you get out of that occasional shower – two for one! The last one is your fancy, dress-up robe, for when friends stop by (which they don’t because its the heart of winter and no one wants to come to your cold ass house.)

Pajamas slip effortlessly into daywear slip into pajamas again. You start thinking you could wear thermal underwear and high heels to Happy Hour. Which is wrong, just wrong. Though you know no one would care, except the little fashion police in your head.

Wine becomes your new best friend. You talk to it, laugh with it and share all of your dirty little secrets. You don’t ever remember your recycling bin filling up as quickly with so many friends before.

You start considering matched socks a “luxury item.”

Going to sleep at 9:30 is not unheard of.

You’d pay someone $5 to brush your teeth for you.

Pink Floyd’s “feel good” message starts grating on your nerves.

You stare at the UPS man in a way that makes him uncomfortable. It’s not even a sexy look, it’s more lascivious and drooly. Well, maybe he should think twice before dressing like such a teasing little slut.

You figure out a way to pee like a guy so you don’t have to sit on a cold toilet seat. After many unsuccessful attempts, you think you’ve nailed it!

You sweep the front step (in your grandma robe) while having a full-blown conversation with yourself. The local cops drive by and wave awkwardly, including the cute one who looks like Father Karras from The Exorcist. You shout “Hey, you wanna stop over for some coffee? I’ll put on my fancy robe!” But they keep driving.

You keep a bag of dark chocolate chips bedside just in case. Whilst changing your sheets (a Herculean effort by the way), you realize you have been sleeping with several of said chips for quite some time. You eat one because no one is looking and no one cares.

You were this close to baying at a full moon a few nights ago.

There is always sand on you, somewhere, somehow. Always.

Your hair grows longer like the nights, you’d go shopping in your slippers if the one didn’t have a hole in it and you fear the worst: you’ll lose a front tooth and say “Ah, whatever. I got others.”

My Homeless Chic Look

I’ve got it pretty bad this year. For those of you who aren’t aware of it, it’s also known as the “winter blahs” and is a mild form of depression generally caused by the lack of sunlight. Here in Nashville I don’t think I’ve seen the sun in two weeks and I feel tired and sluggish and unmotivated all the time.

I’ve heard that light therapy can help but I don’t know much about it and I hear it’s expensive to do but I really need to do something.

Did you forget to turn your clocks back like we did?? I got up this morning around 8:45am, and was pleasantly surprised when my computer clock said it was only 7:45am! Who hoo. A free hour in the day!

Last night, Eric and I went grocery shopping and watched the Leafs game. It was a really good game! They came back from a 2-0 deficit and won 5-2 in the last 5 minutes of the game. Sweet.

I also found out where I can purchase my beloved Ugg boots! I went on this website for the store called Soft Mocs and apparently the mall I was at yesterday has the boots I want in stock! I am not sure how accurate that is, but I guess we shall soon see!

A quick and fun poll of the day for you all:

Living in Canada, I find the long winter season to be tough. Our summers are so short and then we have to put up with a winter that often drags from November to April! Yuk. The short days also due me in. It gets so depressing! Does anyone have any tips or tricks that have helped them get through winters? I always feel like I get into a ‘rut‘ and would like to avoid that this season!

My breakfast this morning was delicious! I had a bowl of Nature’s Path Spelt cereal with Almond Milk, a huge, juicy kiwi, and a big cup of Organic Peppermint tea. Yum! Now I am trying to decide what my workout will be for the day….hmmm….

Did you know that spelt is one of the world’s healthiest foods??