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Tag: winter
#228; to battle seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
I love the idea of BATTLING THE SAD (by SAD, of course, I mean seasonal affective disorder, but it still sounds pretty great) and in this sudden turn for the grey, dismal, and freezing here in Boston (seriously, Labor Day hit and it was like the actual, physical end of summer instead of the arbitrary, social end) I seem to be surrounded by SAD (my own included). But SAD is not what we do here at The Luckiest, we do the opposite, and so in my effort to BATTLE THE SAD (I swear, every time I write/read that in caps, it’s He-Man shouting it), I bring you ways to carry a little sunshine and attitude around with you (inspired by the Tips of the Week Wednesday over at The Happiness Project).
↳ I cannot help but hit up tumblr when I’m feeling emo (and no, I’m not secretly fifteen years old). Something about being curled up cozy, checking out awesome homemade art and fell0w Harry Potter obsessed crazies just cheers me up. And if that doesn’t work? I can always take my mind off the SAD by practicing some graphic design of my own. Also, reading celeb sighting sites (Just Jared and GoFugYourself being my favorites) or advice columns (you should all be reading Dear Wendy, she’s brilliant and fun).
↳ It sounds silly, but spending a rainy afternoon watching Family Guy/Archer/The Simpsons/Bob’s Burgers/American Dad (so many silly-fantastic cartoons out there these days!) re-runs always does the trick. Hulu is a beautiful thing. If cartoons aren’t your thing, youtube some =3 or old school Steve Martin stand up.
↳ Putting my favorite Broadway/show-tunes on, loud, and dancing around our bedroom singing along. Uh, yeah. This. (You can’t be in a bad mood singing La Vie Boheme or You Gotta Get a Gimmick).
↳ Going for a run. Or, if I’m at work, I hit one of the back stairwells and run up and down a few flights of stairs. It gets my blood pumping, warms me up (I’m a cold person, nearly always), wakes me up, and gets me out of my desk chair for a few minutes!
↳ Call a long distance friend. Someone you have hilarious inside jokes with and haven’t seen in months (someone who’s voice makes you grin, because it’s not the same via facebook!). Get some belly-holding, rolling on the floor laughing in rehashing ridiculous nights out, catching up on the insanity of your current lives, and remind yourself that there are people out there who love you, and whom you love. I can’t imagine feeling blue when that’s at the forefront of my mind.
Tell me: What do you do to BATTLE THE SAD?
#155; because when your smile is a real smile, it turns the world around.
I am not feeling well lately, despite everything in my life going swimmingly. I’ve been feeling introspective and not writing nearly enough for all the words tumbling around in my head and this condition tends to lead to me not feeling well. A sort of… Unsettled stomach kind of feeling in my heart.
When I’m feeling like this I try, so hard, to focus on the things that make me happy. It also seems that this time of year – despite my Grinchy ways – is a great time to take stock and be open about all you’re thankful for and the things in life that make you breath a little bit easier.
Clothes neatly organized in a closet. An almost-too-comfortable bed. Old emails from misplaced friends (you know where they are, you haven’t lost them, but somewhere along the way the friendship was simply… misplaced). The feel of a notebook in my hands. Indulging in sappiness. Road trip plans (Myrtle ’11 v1.0 is already in the works with the former Roomie!). The Pogues. The Magnetic Fields. Knowing that Boston still stands & I can always go home. Close friends near and far. New music. New friends. Indulging in too many sweets. My family, who astound me daily with their astute observations, recommendations, and pure love. The District of Columbia, which still owns so much of my heart & soul. The 757, which has opened its heart & soul to me in the last 6 months. My car, which is a huge shiny pain in my ass but which I love, because it’s just so me. Learning new things every day. The fact that I am healthy & breathing & drug free (nicotine does not count, it’s a food group, not an addiction). The fact that my loved ones are as well. Tumblr & Livejournal and the amazing communities I have been a part of online through the years. A boyfriend who understands my crazy, lets me be who I am, shows me love & kindness everyday, and has let me be a part of his life – I really can’t say enough about how thankful I am for him. Warm weather. Kind words. An encouraging network of poets and writers and artists. Free beer. A neighborhood bar. Time to write & freedom to work with my craft without stress or worry. Relaxation.
I am thankful for so much this year, for 2010 has been good to me in ways I couldn’t imagine in January. I am a blessed individual, and Scrooge or not, this is a point of recognition for me. Thank you, readers, for being with me throughout this time of transition and discovery. Then again, I guess it wouldn’t be Limbo if it was stable, would it?
#072; I need your help!
I’m awful at New Years resolutions, but it is my favorite holiday for the promise it holds. And so, I’m asking for suggestions. A poll of sorts. I’ll publish the best ones (with credit, of course!) and hopefully get lots of funny/thoughtful inspiration for the big day in the meantime!
So have at it, what should I focus on for 2010?
#071; to light up my heart
from the Washington Examiner
As I have already promised that I am, indeed, NOT a scrooge, I am in the mood to cheer myself up! This holiday season I have a delightfully packed music schedule, lots of time to sleep in (oh, what life would be like if all I had to do was go to concerts and write here at At Limbo!), and good friends coming back into town just in time for New Years. What more could a girl want for Christmas?
I may not be decking the halls with holly this time of year, but I’m not one of the women profiled in the Daily Mail either. Really? The holidays as a “test” of “feminine wiles”? Cat ladies? I can understand not liking the holidays, even disliking the pressure to like them (isn’t that what I was just complaining about a week or so ago?), but to be made depressed by these things? To let it affect how you treat those around you and your general well-being? Oy! I’d have to say I’m much more of the “let’s make the holidays fun and pampered” variety. Last year I was absolutely devastated at the thought of being single for the holidays (having just gone through the Break Up of Doom), but this year I embrace it. As a single adult I have the opportunity to start making my own traditions and spending my time in the ways that I want, both things I’m looking forward to.
Most importantly, the shows. I absolutely love the fact that I get to spend my holiday doing what I love more than anything else – checking out great venues and getting lost in some awesome music.
I’ll be kicking off the holidays by checking out Billy Woodward & The Senders at DC9 tomorrow night. Something about the promise of “vintage r&b that all the kids are talking about” and the look of this band just makes me giddy with the thought of chilling out with a drink, some fried pickles (an addiction of mine at DC9), and good music all by my lonesome the night before Christmas Eve. After the show, I’ll be turning the corner onto U St. for some Kostume Karaoke action at Solly’s U St.
The day after Christmas, I’m excited to have the chance to see the full Justin Trawick Group yet again, headlining at IOTA (with Promiselab opening). Some funk, folk, rock, hip-hop, country, pop will be sure to chase the holiday blues away!
Sunday night, before heading back for another short work week, Molly Hagen headlines IOTA with the rare treat of a full band. This alum of The Nine always puts on a great show (I’ve seen her play solo and once – at IOTA as well – with back-up acoustic) and I can’t wait to see what she does will a full band behind her. Her vocal layering can only go to the next level in this show, it should be a blast!
I plan on taking the two days in between to rest, stay warm, ward off any lingering cold symptoms, talk to long-distance family and friends on the phone (an incredibly foreign concept for me!), and catch up on some reading. Ok, maybe there will be a lot of NCIS marathon-ing in there, too, but I refuse to find that at all depressing.
#064; Just keep telling myself, I'm not a Scrooge.
from lookbook.nu
I spent my lunch today beneath a speaker that was nearly bursting with Christmas glee. “The Christmas Song” greeted me as I entered the pub for my soup pick up and I couldn’t help but cringe. I love every kind of music genre there is. Except holiday music. I understand it’s the season, I understand it’s cheerful, and not at all inappropriate as at least it’s past Thanksgiving weekend, but I still can’t bring myself to agree with it all.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m Christian (and thus grew up celebrating Christmas with gusto and midnight Mass), I loved Winter all my life until I moved out on my own as a grown up in DC (and now Winter simply means gray days, wet sidewalks, and higher heating bills), I understand the cultural/religious/historical context and importance of the Winter holiday season (and not just within my own background but others’ as well), but it just all rubs me the wrong way.
I suppose some explanation is in order. My parents are very hard workers (and two of my best friends) and Christmas was always a great treat – but my mom has worked in retail longer than I’ve been alive, and that leaves little time for anything but store hours and sleep during the holidays. When we were children, we didn’t notice, and we all lived in the same place so family time was abundant in every way we could make it. Since leaving that cozy reality, family time is much higher on the list of ‘things I’d like to do but…’. Were I to save the money needed to travel to see my family and/or friends, I would be more a thorn in their side while they attempted to work their butts off and see the rest of their own family/friends than I would be bringing anyone any holiday cheer.
So it started small. I had a sort-of Christmas out west with a college boyfriend. A Thanksgiving with a friends’ family in NYC. Christmas with the Ex and his family because it was just sort of the thing to do. And then last year hit. There were things to be done in my new home and no reason/motivation to travel beyond it ‘being the thing to do’. I stayed home. I re-wallpapered our kitchen. I had a Christmas drink with a couple of my favorite bartenders. I was alone. You know what? It was all right.
I firmly believe in this whole ‘holiday spirit’ thing not only existing in the month of December. I’m someone who tries to give of my time and charity whenever I can. I look awful in red and green (really, does anyone look good in that combination?). I spend time with my family and loved ones as often as life permits. I think the reason I’ve grown so cynical about the holiday season isn’t because I spent it alone, or even the prospect of doing the same again this year (because I’m not someone who wants to butt in on other peoples’ holidays, you know? Even though nearly every year I do get very heartfelt invitations from wonderful friends), but the fact that togetherness and cheerfulness are suddenly crammed down out throats for 25 days!
I like this season as a moment to reflect. It might seem depressing, or grouchy, or even Scrooge-like. I’ve even been told I have no cheer. I enjoy a solitary (though that may change this year – keep your eye out for details!) jaunt to see It’s a Wonderful Life when AFI Silver Spring shows it on the big screen. I really love eggnog. And holiday food. And candy canes. But I’m not a Rudolph-adorned-sweater wearer. I don’t put up decorations and sort of wonder why people want to in the first place. I’m not a big shopper or even a big holiday gift giver. I rarely send cards (for the holidays, at least, though I do love sending real live snail mail & letters at other times). I look at the end of the year as just another in a series of months in which we can tell our loved ones how much they mean to us, enjoy the company of our coworkers at the occasional holiday party, and take a breather.
Am I Scrooge? What do you think? How do you celebrate the holidays in your own weird ways? I think this whole ‘she must have no cheer/soul/spirit/home/loved ones’ attitude I’ve gotten in years past has finally unnerved me. Let me know I’m not so alone in my weirdness, yeah?
