Winter and I don’t often agree. Portland's winters are relatively mild, misty and monotone. Vivaldi’s
Winter concerto section of The Four Seasons, done Portland-style, would just be
the first few bars, played on repeat, until you hit spring or go insane,
whichever comes first. All those shades of grey leave me feeling similarly dull
and muted, which I vow to conquer this winter with a few simple resolutions. (Thanks
to this blog post for the inspiration)
1. Say goodbye to my TV. I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with my TV. I don’t get cable, and the 5 channels I get tend to tune in and fade out with the weather, or when the upstairs neighbor stands in his apartment. And it’s a giant beast. The space I’ll reclaim won't just be physical, either. Quiet with room to think, read, write or listen to music.
2. Greet the morning. Winter mornings are the worst, but
they needn’t be. I’m going to rise early and embrace the cold, the dark,
and the quiet. I’ll make a hot pot of tea each morning and write.
3. Get outside, often. Again, in Portland this isn’t so much
a resolution as it is a requirement. If you wait for it to stop raining, you
will NEVER go outside. But we’ve each figured out, in our own way, that rain
doesn’t kill you and it’s never as cold as it seems once you’re in it. And
there’s winter farmer’s markets, cozy neighborhood pubs, and moss-laced
waterfalls in the Gorge just waiting to be explored.
4. Make it smell like heaven. The apartment, that is. A
respectable stock of candles, a heady soup or batch of scones in the oven each
weekend. Is there anything better?
5. When in doubt, look to the cat for inspiration. Because Bee knows how to live, man.
