February Recap

Okay, first off, February is always a tough month for me.  As I mentioned in my last post, Christmas is done, but there's still winter and snow and darkness and cold.  Cabin fever starts to hit a fever pitch.  But this February has been especially hard.

When I worked at the hospital, I worked the afternoon shift, so I could get out in the morning and go cross country skiing or even out of town for a few hours and go for a nice long car ride, but now I'm stuck indoors from sunset up to sundown.  Luckily, we are getting more sunlight so sundown is already starting to occur after I get home.  But really, I think there's nothing more depressing then going to work when it's dark and getting home and it's already dark.  I don't know how people in Alaska or those with really long commutes manage that.  So, I've been missing sunlight.

Then I turned 34, which happens every February.  You'd think I'd be used to it by now.  But no, it seems every year my birthday puts me in a funk, thinking of all the things I should have accomplished by now or how I imagined life turning out.

Then, last week, I came down with a nasty cold.  I actually missed work, which rarely happens.  But, I was just worn out.  I slept a lot and watched Netflix.  I've hardly read or created anything, but I'm feeling like winter is wrapping up and that's going to change now.

Here's what has been taking up my time...

Listening to: A lot of Avett Brothers and Avett Brothers type artists.  Loving this song from Shakey Graves and the True Sadness album from Avett Brothers.




Watching: Black Mirror on Netflix.  I had forgotten season 3 was out on Netflix so I powered right through it.  I started it a couple years ago, and nearly gave up after the first episode which I thought was just gross and disturbing, but I'm so glad I kept watching.  There's swearing, violence, sex, and I definitely wouldn't let kids watch it, but the stories just blow my mind.  I really liked "Hated in the Nation" and "Nose Dive" best this season.  The episodes are all stand alone and question how we use technology and where we're headed.  Think of them as kind of cautionary tales.  I don't feel like I'm doing it justice, but it's so hard to categorize and I can't really think of anything to compare it to, except maybe like a modern day "Twilight Zone".

Traveling: I got up north with one of my friends to visit our friend that lives near the Wisconsin/Michigan border and we had a blast.  My brother took me out for my birthday where he lives.  We went to a restaurant I'd never been to so that was fun,  and then we went out for a few drinks with his girlfriend after she got off work.  It was actually a lot of fun.  I love going new places and my brother and I don't get to hang out very often. 

My Masterminds group and I also went to a room escape and did a puzzle.  Room escapes are right up my alley, but this was at the start of my cold, and I just felt a little off all night.

Here's our pictures.  We made it out with just under ten minutes to spare.  That's me on the end, with my coat and scarf on because I was freezing the whole time.  That should have been my first sign that I needed to be dosing with Vitamin C and Echinacea.

Eating: These Swedish Meatballs are the ultimate comfort food.  I've also made this crockpot recipe that is basically shredded chicken breasts, a can of drained black beans, undrained corn, a jar of salsa, and a pack of cream cheese.  It creates this rich, spicy, deliciousness.  It's so easy that I've made it twice already.

Looking forward to: I'm hoping to get back in my morning routine and want to get back to doing morning pages as well as more sewing and reading in March.  How was your February?