22
Jan
Winter Blahs
0
This is the time of year when I always get grumpy. Unless it snows, I’m pretty much over winter. It’s cold and dark and I don’t have another work holiday until Easter. Winter stretches on unyielding. I have to fight the urge to come home, flop on the couch with husband and cat, and hibernate my life away.
So these are some things, large and small, that cheer me up:
First and foremost, I booked a spa trip with my best friends. We’re going to St. Michaels, MD, for a long weekend in February. Our very reasonably-priced package includes a massage and a facial. Our hotel has an indoor pool and sauna, and the rooms feature hardwood floors and fireplaces and cuddly chairs for reading. If it’s anything like going to Berkeley Springs last year, we’ll spend time in coffee shops and wine bars and quirky little stores. Not to mention lots of napping and reading. I can’t wait!
Second, I’ve been trying to save money and not go out so much, but I have two upcoming dinner reservations I’m super-excited about. One is this weekend at Coco Sala (the chocolate restaurant!) with family friends. One is at Tosca for DC Restaurant Week in mid-Feb. Last summer we put off making Restaurant Week reservations forever and everything got booked. This time I booked straightaway (although I let Steve choose the restaurant, ’cause he’s pickier than me).
Third, I’m counting calories again. I think it’s the only way to make myself a little more accountable for what I eat, at least until I form good habits to replace my bad ones. This sounds like kind of a drag–until I remembered all of the healthy foods I really love, stuff I do enjoy when I don’t just take the easy, prepackaged way out. Veggies and hummus in a sundried tomato wrap for lunch, roasted red peppers and diced tomatoes over wheat pasta, Kashi pumpkin spice flax bars, a Southwestern salad with goat cheese (really anything with goat cheese), nom nom nom. I have lots of fun new recipes to try!
Fourth, so many books to look forward to! I still have at least half of my Christmas stack left. I’m keeping a list of awesome books I haven’t read and really ought to (the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld; City of Bones by Cassandra Clare; the last Libba Bray; Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta) because I understand they are awesome. There are several that have come out since I made my Christmas list (Carrie Jones’ Need and Rachel Caine’s fifth Morganville Vampires book and Lesley Livingston’s Wondrous Strange) and several more coming out this winter (Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell, The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, and Pride by Rachel Vincent).
Fifth, the only two Oscar movies that I’ve seen are Rachel Getting Married (Anne Hathaway for best actress) and The Dark Knight (Heather Ledger for best supporting actor). Steve and I are going to see Slumdog Millionaire tomorrow night. I also want to catch The Reader and Doubt. Do you recommend any others? What about Benjamin Button or Revolutionary Road? Both look cinematically lovely, but are they–well, interesting? I have to admit that neither Milk nor Frost/Nixon especially appeal to me despite all the accolades.
What other awesome things are going on between now and March 21? Help a girl out.
