Who else could use a vacation right about now? I know, I seemingly have no right to complain since I haven’t had to go to work, or school, or do much of anything lately. I landed myself a part-time job back at my old stomping grounds by the way…excited to get back into the swing of life, but I hope there’s more on my plate in the future. After all, I have a scary amount of loans to start paying off soon.
Anyway, back to dreaming of a warmer place. People who have lived in Buffalo and the surrounding western New York area for their entire lives must have something that even us Syracusans do not have within. I don’t know how they do it. This winter has been particularly awful and I’m just SO SICK OF THE COLD! In the entire month of February, the temperature didn’t even reach above freezing. The good news is today the temperature climbed above freezing for the first time in 33 days! Is that something to be celebrating or what?
Since this is supposed to be an inspirational sort of blog, I will now stop complaining and give you a few pointers on making the most out of winter weather.
1. EXERCISE: It can improve your mood quite dramatically. Even if the treadmills look out upon the snowy tundra, it can seem kind of peaceful running in your own little world. I’m on week 5 of the C25K program, which claims to take you from being a couch potato to running a 5k in just 8 weeks of consistent training, progressively adding mileage each week. It’s working a lot better than my old method of running til I drop every couple days. They also tout a 10k app, half-marathon, marathon, and different fitness challenges for those who are up for it. The app interfaces well with other fitness programs including myfitnesspal, and your own music apps so you can listen to whatever suits you best while you run, and still have the C25K app “coaching” you when it’s time to switch to walking.
me shoveling the front yard in my younger days
2. BLAZE YOUR OWN TRAIL: I don’t have to tell all the fanatics of a fresh layer of powder out there that this weather is perfect for skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing (as long as you avoid the -30 windchill days)! There is something about stopping in the middle of an untouched trail, listening to the quiet of the morning or night as you breathe in the fresh icy air around you. I haven’t been snowboarding in a few years, but just thinking about it makes me want to go dig my gear out of my parent’s shed.
3. VOLUNTEER: Nonprofit organizations are ALWAYS looking for volunteers. Find a cause you are passionate about and ask how you can help. You might even be able to help from your own living room as many organizations will be happy to have you tweet and share their way to a social media prominence. Volunteermatch.org will match your passion to a local organization that needs your help!
4. Of course if you feel like being the u
ltimate couch potato…you can always curl up with netflix or a good book and your cute cat, and indulge in some “me” time.
A life beyond meaning 