80%

"80 percent of success is just showing up" — Woody Allen

I suppose I think that's true. I've been struggling with my day job lately, partly because even though I show up, I'm not feeling successful. It's that last 20% I need to work on. But I am working on it. So there's that.

I finished another book - The Subtle Knife. And am a good chunk of the way into The Amber Spyglass. It's hard, because I know that my heart is going to break as I finish this book, and I keep wanting to race forward and reach my favorite parts, but slow down and savor it. Bittersweet.

I've been really struggling with the weather, which is new for me. I survived 6 winters in Superior, WI, for crying out loud, but this one is killing me. I feel a physical longing for spring. I used to scoff at people who talked about moving to warmer climates, but I finally get what they were talking about. I just want it to be 74%, so I can open up the windows in my sunroom and curl up with a book and the cat and just spend an afternoon enjoying the fresh air. I want to be out in my yard, cleaning up the debris, and planting seeds, and grilling. Getting a fire pit and spend evenings slowly feeding logs to a fire, while I sit around with my friends and gab and drink hard limeade and enjoy being outside. I want to head over to Lake Nokomis and go swimming. I want to ride my moped on the river road. My moped! I miss my moped! I am filled with longing and it's so frustrating. At least 12 weeks before I can pull her out and take a spin. Maybe more! Ugh.

And I know everyone else is feeling it, too. Something about this winter is making it unbearable. And time is moving fast, it really is. How does that work? Days fly by, it's already January 27th, and yet...this winter is unending!

I have things that I consider winter-based (hot chocolate, knitting with wool, curling up under my feather comforter) that I'm enjoying, but they've kind of lost their luster. Any other things I can do only in the winter that will make me happy it's so cold and snowy?