Winter Blues

winter on Flickr

I know it's not even February yet, but I am so ready for winter to move on. The darkness and dreary-ness and perpetual gloom can go away anytime now! It's so hard to be motivated and inspired when its like this - does anyone else find that? We've tried to stay busy by going up to the mountains and visiting with friends, but both of us are feeling the winter blues this weekend.

I've been extremely busy at work, a shock to my system after a quiet couple of weeks before the holidays. It's brilliant, I thrive on being busy, but it's been a big adjustment. I had my three month review this past week and it went very well. I am officially an employee now and get to go on the health plan! I love that I have so much variety in this job, and new challenges all the time. I've actually been asked to help run one of our major projects done through our office, so that makes me feel even better about work. Like I'm doing something right. I kept wishing I would find a job where I was busy - I guess it's arrived!!

I've lost touch with my creativity a bit lately as well, but have plans to start knitting again. My mom taught me when I was younger, but it's been years since I did any. My goal is to make baby blankets for all my friends who are pregnant - there are three now and counting!!(How exactly did I get to the age when my friends would be having babies and I'd be talking about having my own?!!) I get home from work and its dark and I'm tired and creating ends up at the bottom of my list. Everytime. I would like to change this. And soon.

The one thing I am doing to help my mood is exercising regularly. I've been at the gym 4 days a week on my lunch break. It works much better that way, putting it in the middle of my day instead of at the end. I've even started to find a few others to workout with, to help keep each other motivated. Yesterday, I made it to a salsa aerobics class, which was brilliant! I didn't even notice I was exercising! I will definitely go back to that class.

The days are getting lighter, so I have that to look forward to. It's up to me to change things, but that always feels the hardest. I'd love someone to come in and entertain me sometimes, take care of it all for me. How do you stay inspired and motivated in the winter? What helps get your creative juices flowing??

List of Loving

by komal soin from flickr

I was going to write a post about getting fit and eating better and staying motivated, but can't really be bothered to go there today - might not be a good sign! Instead, I decided to make a list of some of the things I'm loving these days, from books to music to food. A way to see the positives in my life, not focus on the things that make me negative.

I just finished The Birth House, by Ami McKay - fabulous! About midwives in a small community near where I grew up in Nova Scotia during the first World War. Just so addictive and such wonderful characters. Go read it!

Also reading Anthony Bourdain's A Cook's Tour, combining my love of travel with my love of food - another great Christmas gift!

I'm reconnecting with my iPod with tunes from Razorlight, Kasabian, Oasis, Snow Patrol, Coldplay, Madeleine Peyroux, Gilles Peterson's Brazil and many more. (Yes, I see the English theme there, too!) Looking forward to the new Norah Jones as well.
I'm loving spending time in the kitchen, trying new things, working with different spices and tastes, seeing what I can come up with. My goal is to try a new meal at least every two weeks - from all our cookbooks and sources this should be pretty easy!

I'm really into not drinking coffee, even though I've been on decaf for years. I am loving trying different types of tea instead, finding ones that are healthy and uplifting through their flavours instead of sugar.

I'm loving spending time with R, as always. Even sitting and watching the NFL playoffs - I know, that surprises me too!
I'm loving the webcam revolution my family has started. I get to see their faces every week now, it's such a treat. And our friends from all over the world as well, it's wonderful. It helps us to feel closer in our little corner of the world.

I'm loving spending time with my friends at work. We've been talking about babies and food and plans to have game nights and group snowshoeing excursions.

I'm loving that I love my job.

I'm loving that the sun is staying up later and coming up earlier - even if we don't see it behind the clouds, I know it's happening!

And I am loving lazy Sundays when I get to finish up some loose ends around the house, take care of my snuffling R and give myself a food spa.

Life is good. (knock on wood.)