lillamy

That's all.
And I'm doing everything except going back on antidepressants: Exercise, eating healthy (but upping my carbs), SAD light, walking outside in what little daylight there is, forcing myself to be social...

Doesn't help. Hibernation sounds like a viable option. But hey, at least I know I'm being irrationally grumpy and can laugh at myself. I think I'm going to rent all the Grumpy Old Men movies one night.

TakingCharge999

LOL! yes I am also avoiding antidepressants and doing whatever I can to lift my moods naturally.

Something that has distracted me in the past is: movie marathons. Do you enjoy movies?? I like to pick a director/actor/actress and grab all I can about him or her.

Some directors I like:

Woody Allen
Pedro Almodóvar
Stanley Kubrick

Alternatively you can pick a handsome actor even if he is not talented, and enjoy the eye candy.

You could pick a singer or band and listen to all their songs/watch all their concerts

"La Femme Nikita" is an old TV show featuring a very strong woman. Never failed to inspire me.
Biographies of strong women also help.

Repeat with me:
This February, Too, Shall Pass

PS The month I am dreading is April as its the name of XABF' GF and it triggers bad memories for me. But the good news is that I can see it as my Special Month to: eat Haagen Dazs, eat pizza hut pizzas, organize a trip somewhere, make a point to listen only my all time favorite tunes as often as possible, invite friends out, write long letters to my sister, paint like crazy, go to theater/concerts, well, in general: make my life easy and -what a concept- ENJOYABLE!! well now that I write about this I think I'll start that today !!! HUGS!

LexieCat

Traditionally, January and February are the most depressing parts of the year for me.

This year, though, I've got some exciting stuff going on in my life, and OMG, it's surreal getting up and looking forward to the day! Totally weird (but in a good way).

I really think a LOT of us are affected by the weather and the short days. Thank goodness for seasons--we will be heading into a new one, soon!

vujade

I am absolutely feeling the winter blues. We've had tons of snow and lots of bitterly cold weather so on top of the gloomy skies, I've got a horrible case of cabin fever. YEESH! Usually its not so bad for me but with the divorce and all, I think its really getting to me this year.

coyote21

We've got some kind of a bizarre cold snap here, 54% chance of snow tonight at midnight. So may wake up to a winter wonderland. LMC is stoked, it snows here about every 10 years. She just missed the last one.

I'm sitting here with 3 shirts, a hoodie, boots and still cold in my 60 degree apt, after a $95 electric bill for a small 1br. Not supposed to get over freezing today. I DO NOT like it cold. I don't know how you Northern folks stand it, months on end.

Thanks and God bless us all,
Coyote

Ha, it's the same temp here as Winnipeg, Canada right now, 21 degrees F. Burrrrr.

tallulah

Ugh.. I hear ya.

Jan/Feb are those bleeergh months.. Christmas over and still feels like an age until Spring. I'd happily hibernate until 21st March.

Sounds like you're fighting it though girl!

I'm with TC on the marathons.. I've got a few boxsets of TV shows, one of which is Lost which I'm plowing through from the beginning. I reckon it'll keep me distracted and confuddled enough not to even notice February scooting by (it is after all the shortest month so it should fly, right?).

Sending you warm *hugs*

Tx

brokenheartfool

On the bright side...the days have been getting longer since Dec. 21st. 2 minutes at sunset usually, sometimes a minute in the morning. So starting with Dec. 21st, I remember the days are actually getting longer, and even look up the daylight calendar to see when we gain an entire hour each month about.

I grew up in a tough home, and I've learned that I have "endure" as my mantra in life. Endure, endure, endure. Suffer it out. Do not try to change it, even when I'm able--the totally illogical part. It is foreign to me to learn how to change and not endure, but embrace what is.

I also learned from an angel that came suddenly into my life recently that one definition to suffer is to "resist what is".
I don't want to suffer--I bet you don't either.
So find a way to embrace whatever the weather is. Seriously--build a snowman. Make snow angels. Thank mother nature that not every day is the same on this planet-how boring that would be. Look at how beautiful snow and icicles are. Take some pictures. Plan indoor projects that you won't want to do when the weather is nice--like stripping wallpaper (uggh) and repainting that bathroom. Plan your garden during the winter. Map out the new plants and where they will go.

Do not resist what is--do not suffer--find a way to embrace it.
(Now if I could just learn to apply my advice to all my life! I'm working on it!)

Summerpeach

Don't lower your carbs. Stay away from fast burning carbs, but make sure you get the slow burning ones. Your brain needs carbs to function well.

SAD is common this time of year and a good way to get vit D is by cod liver oil. Best form of vit d in my opinion. Or get outside and get some sun if you can

4mylittleones

Coyote,

I live in Winnipeg, Canada! Would you believe that it is -6 Celcius (don't know F so well, sorry) with a high of -1, and we are finding it absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! It really is all in what you get used to I think. The -40 is brutal, very difficult, but then it makes you appreciate when it warms up. We ask ourselves often why we live here in the cold months, but I will say that while the cold is difficult I really enjoy the amount of sunshine we receive. I find everyone here becomes very affected when there isn't sun for any length of time. Living on the west coast would be warmer, but I couldn't handle the lack of sunshine.

I love living in Canada, and choose to live in Winnipeg. I'm sure you think that makes me a little crazy

Jazzman

I struggle every Jan/Feb, (my hibernation time) and try to get to the Caribbean if I can.
A few days in Jamaica will cure that winter blues
South Florida can do in a pinch, heading to the Keys in March myself.

Say wha?!? What's an example of fast burning or slow burning?

theuncertainty

Hugs, Lillamy. Yep, January and February are usually the hardest for me, too. Generally, it's the dark and cold combined. This year, though, it hasn't been as cold, it's kind of weird. I don't remember ever having rain in February growing up...

Here's a list of GOOD:

• It was light(er) out this morning when I took DS to school! Yay! OK, so the sun hadn't risen yet, but there was light behind the mountains!
• We're gaining, what? 5 minutes of daylight each day?!
• It was warm enough yesterday to open the windows for fresh air without freezing the family out or bursting pipes. (Yeah, weird weather.)
• And the mountains and clouds look absolutely amazing right now! Fresh snow. With clouds covering part of the range and letting the foothills and then mountain tops peak through, blue sky and sun breaking through sections. It is beautiful.

StarCat

Because it's so dark, I'm having a hard time getting to work on time.
At least, that's what I keep telling myself. It could be for a variety of different reasons.

I have recently started cooking something every night when I go home. It doesn't have to be anything fancy - I found the simplest recipe for chicken cordon bleu ever the other day, and made some. (Chicken Cordon Bleu I Recipe - Allrecipes.com) Tonight I'm going to make a pound cake, while my eggs are still good, and I'm trying to think up something I like that involves milk (because I can't drink everything I bought all by myself this week).

One of these days I will try the movie marathon, I know I did a Harry Potter one over Christmas when XABF was still in rehab, then I went to see the most recent one in the theaters. That was a lot of fun. I just don't have an interest in television right now, because he always controlled what we watched.

Peaches the kitten helps, as well. My neighbor stopped by to visit her yesterday while I was out, as well (she has my key, for emergencies), and Peaches was the happiest little darling when I finally came home. Now I know she adores my neighbor, so I'll have to invite her over more often, because I love her too. <3

I am also trying to go to bed earlier right now, so that I can afford to take my time in the morning, rather than rushing, because it's stressful and extra depressing to have to rush in the dark.

Tuffgirl

I am actually feeling better now that is it February! And it has been warm in my neck of the woods - walked the dogs at the river and it was open in spots where just a few weeks ago had been completely frozen over. And its light on my drive home, even at 5pm!

I didn't even wear a hat or gloves - but for us Alaskans, 30 outside means woo-hoo its springtime!

But to those of you cleaning up after the horrible blizzard/ice storm, my thoughts are with you. It's warmer in Anchorage then it is across most of the lower 48. Weird weather!

lillamy

I know, it was warmer in Anchorage than in Tucson today. I think the rest of y'all should take this global warming stuff and give us back our real winter, dagnabbit! I miss my -30 and frostbite!!!

(Things are a lot better today -- it's amazing what a bit of sunshine and a good night's sleep can do for you... oh, and I'm contemplating getting a B-12 shot...)

Verbena

[QUOTE=lillamy;2853949]I know, it was warmer in Anchorage than in Tucson today. I think the rest of y'all should take this global warming stuff and give us back our real winter, dagnabbit! I miss my -30 and frostbite!!!
QUOTE]

Yep, this cold snap in Southern Arizona is just awful. I've been cold for three days. Apparently we are going to have a couple more days of this before things get back to normal. My poor garden is balking at this weather. My lettuce froze so I'll have to start over there.

We moved to the desert so we wouldn't have to put up with the cold anymore. Oh well.

coyote21

School called all parents Thursday evening, set the start time back to 10am for Friday. Nice.

School called at 6am, SNOW DAY in TEXAS HILL COUNTRY, this is a first in LMC's 5 year school career.

Unfortunately it's the wet sloshy kind, LMC played for about an hour with my socks on her hands (couldn't find mittens), came in soaking wet with numb hands/feet. Small price to pay for SNOW.

Weird weather, we had the EXACT temps and forecast as Winnipeg, Canada till midnight yesterday, crazy.

Thanks and God bless us all,
Coyote

wicked

But, it's SNOW! I am so glad she enjoyed it. I have used socks too when the gloves did not magically appear on my hands.

Wait, the school actually calls you!?!?!? Wowee. We get a banner across the bottom of the news screen listing all the closed and late openings.
Sigh, oh, for the old days, when people used the phone!

LOL

Shellcrusher

February is a short month.
I'm supposed to get a bonus at work so I won't take a giant dump on it just yet. Plenty of snow and sub-zero temps here.

StarCat

Hooray for work bonuses!
Me, too.
Bonus February.
Raises March.
I think I can survive this.

wicked

Yeah, being a short month makes the last few days easier.
When there is still month left and the money is gone.

four fridays in february. alliteration. four frozen fridays in february.

the days are getting a tiny bit longer every day.
my dog likes snow, but her little legs wont take her very far.
in michigan, we dont mention it much.
you would think so, cause it is on the news alot.
but we dont care.
nope.
michigan in february.
cold, snow, wet.
nothing news worthy there.
sigh........