Every year, first week in January, my entire demeanor changes. Things start bothering me that shouldn’t. Instant bad moods triggered by the fact that there aren’t any more Spicy Egg Nog K-Cups left at work, or because someone put a read receipt on an email that was not only so unimportant, but had nothing to do with me or my department. Last week, I moved a colleague to the bottom of my to-do list because he marked an email to me as High Importance when it really WASN’T. (Sidenote: this action actually happens year-round. I think anyone that marks their emails High Importance simply because they are panic-stricken, stressed, or want an immediate answer for peace of mind should be moved to the bottom of the queue. Just sayin.)
I also lose my will to go out. Which is so unlike me being that if I spend too much time by myself or ‘waste’ a weekend sitting on my couch I want to pull my hair out. In the past month I’ve re-watched online at least one episode of Friday Night Lights a night before going to bed. This has led me to become obsessed with the show to the point where I’m considering moving to Dillon, TX. (reasons include tracking down Coach Taylor and asking him to marry me.) I’ve also found 5 new and fantastic songs from the show by using my sh*tty LG flip-phone for the one thing it’s good for: V-Cast SongID.
Then there’s the January-March battle with the gym. This is a personal favorite of mine. I have to preface this by explaining my commute to you. I work about 2 miles away from my apartment. Since the bus/T schedule and route is so ridiculous and inconsistent, it makes more sense in my mind to walk. That’s 4 miles a day. 4 miles, headphones blaring, inner monologue playing out all the reasons why I should go/don’t need to go to the gym. What usually happens is I rest on the 4 miles of walking and the starvation mode that I commit myself to for 5 days during the work-week and go home to my sweatpants. I’m really trying though…last night I ran two miles bundled in underarmour. Not fun. How that’s better than walking up to Boston Sports Club is beyond me…maybe because I’d rather the cold run than fighting peak hours and settling for a stairmaster, I don’t know. Regardless of my exercise choices, once 5pm on Friday hits, I dive into a plate of nachos and the weekend is a wash. Back to square one on Monday.
I honestly believe that these gripes are directly related to lack of sun. Isn’t it true that Vitamin D is essential nutrient? The new guy who sits across from me overheard me talking about buying one of those sun lamps and he’s been making fun of me for 2 weeks. Which makes zero sense since he’s from Arizona and should understand where I’m coming from. But whatever. Not only that, but it’s way too cold to even open the door and walk outside. Once that air hits your face the last thing you want to do (especially if you’re a city dweller like me who leaves their car at work and walks everywhere) is meet someone for dinner, or stop at the store, or go out and hail a cab. And if it’s snowing, forget it. Unless I’m on a ski-slope or it’s Christmas morning, I’m all set with the snow.
I guess I just really need a dose of Peggoty Beach or Cape Cod, beer koozie in one hand, hot dog no relish in the other. I promise I won’t complain about carrying the cooler…it sure beats winter’s wet Uggs and unexpected slip-and falls.
Editor’s note: I want to make it clear that I do sympathize with those who actually suffer from depression. Ask anyone, the Cymbalta commercial “Where does depression hurt?” really makes feel bad.
Are you in my head???
I HATE WINTER! I would also like to move to Dillon, TX and we might battle over coach Taylor… just sayin….