The Long, Dark Winter

File under Set the Bar Low (and Barely Exceed the Bar)

After this “Snowtober” I’m a little worried about the rest of the fall and this winter, and it has to do with expectations. See I’m a Texas boy and even though I haven’t lived there in a looong time, Texas weather is still engrained in my soul. I still stare in wonder at the first snowfall, yet despise the prolonged winter in late February and March here in Maryland. It’s bad enough that following the holidays there are still 2+ months of miserable cold weather. I’m ok up through the holidays, I love it. But once the calendar turns, my enthusiasm wanes. I tend to refer to January and February as the Dark Ages. It’s all I can do to get through those 2 months. Unfortunately, with the first snow event here in October, my internal clock is all out of whack now. I’ll be expecting the spring to start in January, and when it doesn’t it’ll make those months even more miserable than before.


It’s a ridiculous complaint but we often have no control over that feeling. It has to do with our expectations. Every Fall I rush to put on sweatshirts and long pants when the temperature gets down to 60 degrees, but in the spring we’re strolling around in t-shirts and shorts when it finally gets up to 60 degrees. Why the difference? We’ve become accustomed to the commonplace and are thrilled when we experience something new, or even just anticipate a change. We’re in a constant struggle for ‘New’ in our lives. Recognize when that need for 'newness' is affecting your happiness.

For a more optimistic outlook on our recent Snowtober, click here.

Song of the Day

I think I’m on a new wave/post-punk kick this week. In high school I bought a CD by the band Modern English, most known for the song “I Melt with You.” A song made famous as my sister and brother-in-law’s wedding song (and I guess that Burger King commercial). But it was this song on the album that I grew to like the most, and it is definitely appropriate following our recent Nor’easter. In honor of having 4-wheel drive on snowy, hilly streets, the song of the day is “After the Snow” by Modern English.