Spinning on that dizzy edge

Because this flesh of mine insists on being fed, but can't decide on what sounds good, except for those things that are high in calories and low in nutrients. (Ice cream! Chocolate! Deli meat and cheese!) I guess the chronic sleep deprivation is stoking the cravings for sweets and fats, to stimulate/simulate brain fuel, but GAH, would it kill you to want some vegetables instead?

I also would like to register a complaint about this meat brain. It says hateful things about me, refuses to concentrate on necessary tasks or even skim and close browser tabs and instead would prefer to spend hours watching Youtube, and is in general annoying and hard to operate. (Like, I want to want to watch Festivids, but the brain weasels hiss at me for having missed participating the second year in a row and will gleefully taunt me for the offerings everyone else is sharing that are better than I would have done anyway. FFS, brain. Could you not be such an asshole?) I am resentful and sullen, whilst simultaneously grateful, that twee advice like "have you tried exercise and sunlight?" do actually help my mood. I think my teen's attitude is rubbing off on me.

The only bright spots with respect to my physiology are that the current cold weather and snow are making me very happy (my Northern European genetics are gleeful about the weather in a way that reminds me of my friends' Husky - let us go out and romp! It's invigorating!), and somehow *knock on wood* I have managed to avoid the annual post-holiday malaise. It might be that I got a flu shot, it might be the post-nasal, coughing misery that was October and November already covered that ground, but I am supremely grateful to be relatively healthy. Now if I could ban freaking RAIN in JANUARY, such that I can go outside and enjoy the sun on a regular basis, that would be lovely.

Am I alone in loving the cold? Surely there must be other people out there who appreciate that you can always put on more layers. In any case, I hope you all have warm places to burrow into and hot beverages to savor.

I was deeply disappointed by the lack of snow and cold weather over this past winter. (I like freezing temps killing things that are supposed to be killed, like bugs and weeds.) I know I'm a goof for loving snow, so now I have to laugh at myself.

Every year, I let the leaves mulch up over the flower beds to keep them safe and snug over the winter. Then, come springtime, I dither about how long to wait to clean out the beds, wondering if we're past the cold zone, which inevitably results in the foliage overgrowing past easy removal of the leaves. We're hosting the family Easter gathering in a week, and I wanted the front yard to look nice, so I hired a lawn service guy to blow out and rake up all the lawn detritus and take it away. That was Thursday.

Today we woke up to snow and wind and snow and snow. We've got at least 4-5 inches outside. Timing! At least yesterday when I was out and abouting, I resisted the urge to buy some flowers for planting outside, because March cannot be trusted, and thus was my caution rewarded.

I am also very glad I did the grocery shopping then, so I can stay inside and enjoy the view from comfort and warmth while puttering in the kitchen. I put away a bunch of clean dishes, cooked myself some hash and eggs, baked up some peanut butter cookies, and then threw together a batch of palak paneer. I'm poised on the brink of the end of Farscape season 2, not wanting to dive into the heartbreak of the last episode, so I'm watching all the bonus features first. I've got a minute of vid on the timeline, and at least for right now, the world is calm and cozy. I'm thinking hot chocolate and peanut butter cookies sound really good right now. Hygge to all, and to all a good night!

Here in Central Illinois we are being battered by a blizzard. It's been snowing since last night and is due to continue for another 12 hours, with 25 mph winds and a steadily dropping temperature. It's estimated to hit -17 degrees with a -42 degree wind chill tomorrow morning.

I did the grocery shopping yesterday at my husband's urging and got to witness the marvel that is emergency paranoia; entire shelves of supplies were depleted, like bread and vegetables (aside from a sad stripe of radishes - I love you, radishes, even if no one else does!). For once, I actually got everything that was on my list.

The Emperor is ensconced on the couch, watching Minecraft videos on YouTube. He's been pestering us for a month now to buy him the full version, but I've been leery. I tried to explain to him that people online can be cruel and unforgiving to n00bs, that I worry about the language being used, and most importantly, that his computer won't handle the load. Anyone else have Minecraft experience that can give me tips?

I've been home with the Emperor for two weeks now; I took off days around Christmas and New Year's and finished it off by working from home. Alas that my free time got eaten by Christmas shopping and decorating and wrapping and cooking and cleaning, so I have not been keeping up with everyone's posts. I've bookmarked a couple of Yuletide recs lists to peruse, but I think I might have to give up on a full wayback dive. Sorry if I miss something amazing you shared!

My Festivids entry is kicking my ass. I procrastinated so long that it's now a ticking time bomb in the back of my head. I've got about a minute down, and hope to bang out the rest today just to have anything done as a first draft.

I hope everyone else that is being snowblasted can stay inside cozy and warm. May the power stay on and the hot beverages flow!