Winter Survival Tips
It’s a balmy eighteen degrees outside, although I shouldn’t complain. At least the sun’s shining today. That hasn’t happened in weeks. And the wind’s not blowing, another plus for those of us who know exactly how to dress for a wind chill of twenty below.
But it is January–despite T.S. Eliot’s assertion to the contrary, the cruellest month in the calendar–at least if you live in the Midwest. So we have developed certain survival skills with which even Bear Grylls and Les Stroud might not be familiar. These are almost guaranteed to get us through the winter without succumbing to cabin fever, spousal abuse or a terminal case of the munchies.
Movie Marathons have pulled us through many a dreary, gray weekend. Though you must be particular in your selection. No tearjerkers or dramas of any kind if you don’t want to find a family member dangling from the ceiling fan Monday morning. And of course, you have to stick to a theme. Zombieriffic. Steve Martin classics. Or my fave–Mel Brooks with Music.
Mini-Vacations sustain us big-time when we can’t get an entire week free. Even a weekend in a cozy hotel room with the heat jacked to 85 and showers so long you’ve turned the entire suite into a sauna can put your head back on straight for a smooth cruise through February.
Pre-Gardening is what really keeps me sane though. The seeds I’ve ordered, which I’ll begin planting in mid-February to grow on shelves that sit in front of my big, south-facing window, have already arrived. They sit in their little brown box like the promise of a miracle. Every time I look outside to see dead grass, bare limbs, and the cold, waiting stillness of winter, I can stop that sinking feeling by flipping through that box of seeds. You gardeners know what I mean. In less than a month I’ll be washing out my containers, filling them with rich, light soil, and waiting for green. I’ve done this since I was fourteen, but I’ll still marvel when the first new shoots rise from the earth. Some will die. Seedlings are picky little boogers. But some will survive. Will make it to my front porch and my back patio, where I’ll enjoy their beauty all summer long. That’s the promise that gets me through the winter.
This entry was posted on Monday, January 21st, 2008 at 8:40 am and is filed under Musings . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Tearjerkers and dramas of any kind should be avoided at any cost regardless. Jaz’ next task should be to take out James Cameron, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Being the creative personality that she is, I’m sure she can find a way to make it extra satisfying!
I’m in England, the land where the sun doesn’t know how to shine. Every day is winter. Sometimes in June, July and August, we get a hint of spring! Winter here tends to consist of, if you’re 5’0 like me, trying to avoid puddles as big as I am.
Spare a thought for us in the land of tea and crumpets when your summer sun finally rises!
That said… you can keep your snow! Please. I don’t need cabin fever when I have university bus fever – me and 50 guys at 7am trying not to fall in the aisle when they sleep (yes – it happens – yes – it is as funny as it sounds!).
January 21st, 2008 at 5:58 pm
I’m in full agreement with you re: tearjerkers and dramas. Life’s hard enough, right? When it’s time for some escapism, I wanna dive into a comedy.
I can’t imagine being without the sun for as long as you seem to be. If my payment for extra rays is snow, so be it. Although it might be worth some fog and rain to watch the university boys drop in the aisles!
By the way, I just realized there’s a minor character in my fourth book, Bitten to Death, named Phoebe. I sense she’s nothing like you. But do let me know if you see any resemblance when you finally get the chance to read it.
January 21st, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Other than the pre-gardening (sorry, black thumb – I’ve even managed to kill spider plants, which I’ve been told essentially take care of themselves), we too have taken the same steps to survive winter in St. Louis (our first after moving here from sunny FL).
We recently went on a sci-fi kick and watched all of the Firefly episodes as well as the movie Sunshine (same people who did 28 days later & 28 weeks later). Awesome.
Another survival tip that’s helped us is to try and grill a meal. There’s just something about smoky soppy hamburgers and hotdogs that help us cope with subzero conditions.
Last, but not least, curl up with a great book – that said, CAN’T WAIT UNTIL FEB. 11 for Biting the Bullet!!! I expect it will help me infinitely in surviving any further winter blahs.
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:28 am
LOL, BtB is shaping up well. Should have it finished the next couple of days and then I have to worry about everything again. You forgot book reading marathons. They can be entertaining and always fun. After all theres no budget on imagination.
Oh yeah if Jaz does go after anyone can she please find a way to strap Celine Dion to one of the Titanics Funnels please. Yeah that image of her going down with the ship to oblivion will bring many a smile to those who’ve been subjected to “That” song, oh yeah and whilst we’re at it we could add Whitney Houston to another funnel and leave one spare for someone else to select. LOL
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:29 am
A comedy – or some wild, barely realistic sci-fi. Anything that I don’t see on a day to day basis works fine for me! I just saw Sweeney Todd yesterday and that seems to cross just about every genre.
In agreement with Margaret – Firefly marathons are the best possible way of filling up time. I’ve met the cast quite a few times and they have so much rapport that it really enhances what I see on screen even more!
My friend in Kansas says the same as you, Jennifer. She reckons it’s worth the crazy winters to get the great summers. Me – if I want great summers, Spain is only a short flight away!
As for the Phoebe in Bitten to Death – interested to see! It’s always kinda cool to see your name sprouting up in a book even when the character is nothing like you. Strangely, I’d say the only character I’ve ever read and thought “in an alternate reality, that would be me!” is Anita Blake. Early books only though, I’m neither a porn star nor a nymphomaniac! It’s kind of a weird sensation to be reading something and seeing your thoughts and your strange little idiosyncrasies popping up everywhere, really bizarre.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:59 am
Okay, dudes, Jaz can’t be offing every irritating entertainer on earth. That would make her a baddie. Plus, none of them have posed even the slightest threat to national security.
I liked (early) Anita too, Phoebe. Hoping she regresses radically as the series goes on!
Yeah, Margaret, we loved Firefly as well. Not to mention we just got back from a great time in St. Louis, where we went on a major Dave & Buster’s tear. So fun!
You’re right, Gareth, there’s nothing like curling up with a great book. That’s the one thing I miss when I’m writing because, at least lately, I have so little time to read. Maybe after “One More Bite” is done in May.
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:26 am
I’m sure some argument can be made for Titanic being a threat to national security. Does turning all teenage girls into tearful wrecks count? I know at the time it made me want to go blow something up to make it stop. Preferably a cinema.
I suppose that just makes me a threat to national security. Hmm…
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:20 am
You may have a point there. I was so mad at the end of that movie I could’ve puked. Didn’t watch Leo in anything after that for years. But gave him another chance when “Blood Diamond” came along. Glad I did–excellent show. A drama, yeah, but tons of action to keep it moving.
January 25th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Hi, just found your site (LOVE the internet
)
I’ve almost finished Once Bitten, Twice Shy, and I love it! Trying so hard to find your other stuff, but it’s really hard over here. My have to resort to online shopping *shudder*.
Anyway, just wanted to say hi, which I did :p and I think you’ll become a writer I could get addicted to.
January 25th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Hi Donna and welcome!
Sorry to hear you’re having to hunt for Jaz. Are you in the UK?
As for becoming addicted, you have my full support in that endeavor. We’re very lowfat and (somewhat) stress free!
Take care!
January 25th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Wee! I love when I find a site full of fun people to comment with.
I say Double Boo to the Winter Blues!! It’s been FREEZING here and all spare moments have been spent sitting in front of my couch, book in hand, mini heater blasting my WAY frozen toes-ies.
I am 100% ready for some warm spring sunshine.
Final comments – YAY Firefly, Death to Titanic, and somebody PLEASE buy Anita a chastity belt. ;o)
January 25th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Hey Amy!
You hit the target dead on! Kinda like Jaz but without the nasty splatter!
January 25th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
re: Jaz in the UK – it sounds like she might be. I have yet to find the books in any major chain, though W H Smith seemed to think that they were going to stock it (and never did).
That said, my trusty, has-everything-I-could-ever-dream-of family owned book store (I love a good traditional book shop, the kind where you can get lost in messy stacks, overflowing with treasures just waiting to be discovered) seems to make up for it by selling and restocking them quite a lot. Perhaps you need to find one of those, wherever you are, Donna! You may have to do some poking and pestering but it’s worth it – book 2 is even better!
January 25th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
To Donna – I’m in Germany and even though amazon made me wait three weeks after the release date, I did get it safely.
(I preordered Biting the Bullet now and am hoping for a speedier delivery, because they’re usually quite good with this!)
So if you absolutely can’t get it anywhere, that’s a good alternative. While I do love my old and beautiful book shop, they sadly have majorly slimmed down their English book section and to me the translations are a rip off from the original words of the writer. While it’s great for people that don’t speak the language, I’m picky… and I do enjoy the originals a lot more. Not to mention that you get them faster, and I’m probably the most impatient person known to man when I have to wait for things like this!
January 29th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Also, I am almost finished Another one Bites the Dust, and I only bought it on Sunday!
I love Jaz! 
She’s just so nuts, like me O.o
*coughs* so yeah, hopefully I’ll get the next one before I go nuts and kill our regional manager for closing the store *evil laugh*
January 29th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
My heart is literally breaking over the death of a bookstore. This is the ultimate suckage. I hope you have prospects at a cool new establishment that would never dream of closing its doors. Or letting its shelves go Jaz-free for even a single minute!