And so the winter solstice has arrived. I must admit that I am not feeling the usual exuberance I normally feel at this time. I am not sure whether this will be an ongoing thing or temporary. I actually wouldn't mind a bit more equilibrium throughout the year, rather than my intense dislike of spring and summer. I do not expect to ever love these seasons, but if I can hate them less, find more moments of joy in them, and spend less time dreading their arrival, I would be happy about that. Something for me to work on. 😀
In the meantime, whether you are happy about the long hours of darkness on this day or are looking forward to the return of the light, I hope today is a good day for you.
10 comments:
Solstice is here and I am pleased as much as is warranted in these dark times. So many people dying here in the states every single day that it is hard to set that aside and act as if everything is normal. Yet, I am my loved ones are healthy and for that I am grateful.
It surprises me that you dislike spring and summer. I'm curious if you have always or if it Irish springs and summers you dislike?
It is horrifying to see what is happening there.
I have always been more of an autumn/winter kind of gal, but for the past 15+ years, since we left Alaska, I have had a really hard time during those seasons. I developed allergies at that time, so there is that. And I just cannot tolerate lots of sun and/or heat. And by heat I mean 60F and above. I get agitated in the sun and will get ill if I spend too much time out in it. I feel depressed. Basically, I have SAD in summer. Irish summers are not as bad, but we do tend to get what are heatwaves here--these might last for a few days or, as was the case a couple of years ago, a few months. This means 70s where we've lived, although it can get higher elsewhere. I am not alone in my grumbling at those times. Irish people seem to love it when the sun comes out and it gets warm, but if it lasts more than a few days, they get cranky, like me :-) We also get a lot of daylight here in summer--light by 4 am and not completely dark until 11-ish. It's a less extreme version of what we experienced in Alaska. I can't completely cover the windows, because I need to have air coming in, so the light wakes me up too early and since I am naturally a night owl, and usually cannot get to sleep before 1 or 2, I don't get enough sleep. It's just an unpleasant time of year for me all around.
So for all those reasons, I dislike spring and summer a great deal. When autumn comes, I feel like a weight has been lifted from me and I start to fee; better physically and mentally.
Shari, I can't begin to tell you how much I agree with you!
When I was a child I loved summer and rainy days
Then as I grew older and older I grew so fond of autumn and winter that summer and Spring tend to depress me and I grow weary of them after a few days.
There is something so comforting about the darkness of autumn and winter! It's a whole different vibe🙂
Now THIS explains Alaska - why didn´t you stay there? (Honest question)
Hehe, I was a night owl, too. And now? 04:40 a.m. up when I still had work, now lazy 06:20....
Big.. BIG yay for days getting longer!
P.S... I bought Nacho Chips. Crunching down the last ones now...
Nacho chips can hit the spot sometimes :-)
Alaska--long story, but here's a short version. We went there so I could start in the PhD program in anthropology. It turned out to be a bad fit for me. The dept where I'd gotten my undergrad and Master's degrees was an excellent fit, but when I got to AK, I discovered a department that was doing the kind of colonial anthropology I'd learned about in a History of Anth class as an undergrad. I was also on various committees with people who had tenure and were considered successful. They were the most bitter, angry group of people I have ever worked with. Those two things combined caused me to rethink what I was doing. I loved the teaching part and based on the feedback I got from my students, I was good at it, but I finally had to admit that even if I jumped through all the hoops and got my PhD, I would not be proud of it because of what would be required. I had serious ethical issues with the kind of anthropology practiced there. So I left academia.
While I was going through that, Bill got his undergrad degree and was working in Oral History and the film archives. He loved it, but the resulting work was always preserved in a way to make it accessible to academics. We both had ideas for how we could do things to benefit 'regular' people, but when we tried to do it there, the university sort of got in the way. Plus, we just felt like it was time to go elsewhere, so we did. We were able to do projects with people to preserve their stories, photos, documents, etc and we had some great experiences interviewing them. It's amazing how they blossomed when someone was listening to them and interested in their lives.
I still miss Alaska sometimes--I am drawn to the north and would never go to any warm/tropical place if I could avoid it. With the climate crisis getting worse and worse, I am frequently reminded that I am grateful to have experienced the arctic and subarctic before it was gone.
Happy Monday!
Happy Solstice!
I do like the image you've used here.
All the best Jan
You made me laugh seeing the long comment (thank you) referring to a short version. LOL.
And now I want the long story, pretty please?
Oh. Wasted time with bad colleagues, I can join you with this, sadly.
I had this with my W. He blossomed - in both ways, sadly also negative, but how not when you cannot even visit your wife (Corona!) and your children do not care even... I just listened and he left with a smile. So easy, just listening (and paying attention, of course).
LOL. I can´t wait for summer and despite the book on Alaska I read was interesting, brrrr, way too cold for me. 40C and more, I´m in! OK, 30+. Nah 40...
Yes. Sad how it goes down the drain. People try, but, maybe you´ve heard of polar bear Knut in Berlin, they tried but it was no good...
Glad you had the experience. And I´d love to learn more about your teaching and studies!
As German I got limited access to anything but this little, ugly Austrian man... I hope my Nieces get better teachers/programs...
I would not be able to function at 40 or 30. 15 is too hot for me. I leave hot places for those who like them and avoid like the plague myself--LOL
Bill and I are going to start a project about our time in Alaska in the new year, so that will be the long version. :-) He has another blog that he's been posting his older pics on and we will use that. I am writing about our experiences and Bill has pics. We'll be posting about it when we start.
:-) Thank you for leaving me a warm spot and yes, I know this blog, but yes, please remind me ... us!
15C, brrrr.
Only in the morning I have some "bed-heat", once that is gone... hot tea, tea, tea!!!
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