I have got some serious malaise, people.
Not sure if it’s this new medication I’m on that’s supposed to keep my thyroid from pushing my flight or fight response off the cliff of reason (thus keeping me awake with hilarious bouts of anxiety at three in the morning about whether or not I left the refrigerator open), or if it’s that my part of the country is between spring and summer, which means the weather alternates between overcast and 45° F or pouring down rain and… 45° F.
I need your wisdom, Persephoneers: what do you do at this time of year to chase away the not-quite-summer-or-sunny malaise that sets in?
20 replies on “Lunchtime Poll: Is It Summer Yet?”
I stare at the trees. The foliage. The grass. The flowers. Anything green, anything blossoming, anything fresh. It reminds me of what is important, that the world is beautiful, and that I am so glad to be here to witness it.
Maybe I need to pick a few of those dandelions and set them in a vase on my computer desk. This is great advice!
Focus more on enjoying the small things–a good meal, a fun craft or diy project, get a pair of bright rainboots and kick the spring downpours in the balls.
Now that you mention it, I haven’t really cooked anything involved and indulgent for myself in a while. I’ve been so busy that I’ve been relying on what’s in already in the freezer rather than what’s fresh, and this is the time of year for fresh. Maybe I’ll make a fancy loaf of homemade break and something braised for dinner tomorrow. You’ve inspired me. :)
I buy brightly color flowers to put on my table. THe bit of bright color in my very dark house is a huge help. The other thing I do is go buy new shoes :)
As an office-bound employee, this seems like a great idea. Also, mama could use a new pair of red flats!
I have hit the WALL. It is grey and dreary in my little corner of America, I have very little of my own work to do, I have finished two projects for someone else, and in three more days, i get to take my mother in law and auntie in law to visit my mother. Although that may sound like torture, they are three of my favorite people in the whole entire world. I’m going to experiment getting out of my personal funk by turning off the James Taylor and turning on some Regina Spektor. I have no idea if it will motivate me to find something else to do to earn my paycheck. . .
Boy, you and I must be on the same wavelength. Have fun on your trip with the family! Maybe I should get my chiblings down here to play and bake with their auntie? They always leave me exhausted but more content with the world.
Paycheck woes, on the other hand, can take a jump off a very steep, very jagged cliff.
It’s been sunny for the past few days, but was rainy off/on last week and is supposed to be thunderstormy again in a couple of days. When it’s sporadic like that, I find I try and do as much ‘get out’ stuff when it’s nice so that I feel like chilling at home on the rainy days. But when it’s rainy for a while, I tend to just try and have fun in the rain – I won’t drive anywhere with too much traffic/potential for stress, but I’ll go outside and just enjoy it. I’m one of those people who’ll just walk around if it’s warm enough while raining. And if it’s too cold… then it’s ‘bundle up with TV and Internet’ weather!
You know, maybe a good run in the rain with a few puddle-jumps is in order. It isn’t warm out there (not yet), but who cares? At least if I catch my death, they can say I died from playing in the rain, and that ain’t a bad way to go. ;)
Well, I love rain  and this time of year, so my advice comes from the time when it is cold and gray out (aka February), but here are a few of my techniques of fighting off the blahhs.
Get out of the house for something other than work. Preferably an activity I do alone. I go get coffee at the indie coffee house I like best, or I shop for art supplies. Me time that involves doing a thing, not sitting on my butt in front of a screen.
Gene Kelly and Errol Flynn. On the Town and Captain Blood have yet to fail in cheering me up. Apparently I like actors who’s solution to most problems is to smile charmingly at them. Jean Dujardin may be added to this list going forward.
Cocktails with my bestie. She is hilarious and always full of good gossip. We are also very prone to having our cocktails in the least glamorous bars ever, and ordering awful bar food to go with them. Screwdrivers totally go well with fried mushrooms.
The general consensus ’round here seems to be doing. So I may just take your advice and go out to get me some parchment paper (and sundry other kitchen items, no doubt) so I can whip me up one bad-ass bite of homemade bread. Nothing like a hobby to shake off the “blahs.”
I’ve been meaning to try a two-day bread recipe; maybe the time is now? :)
It’s harder to feel grumpy when you’re doing something to indulge yourself.
I read. A lot. It helps me to not think about the weather. I also turn on old tv shows that make me think of happy times (this rends to be Daria and Gilmore Girls). I also blow bubbles and color in my coloring books because I am at heart a 7 year old girl, complete with Lisa Frank trapper-keeper and velvet posters.  I am not ashamed.
There is no shame in Lisa Frank trapper-keepers.
LISA FRANK FOREVAH.
Lisa Frank is so awesome that, even as a homeschooled child from The Most Conservative Family Ever, we STILL had Lisa Frank everything for our school work.
Mmmm…takes me back to learning about basic fractions and reading ancient history at the kitchen table.
And are there still velvet posters out there?!?! Really!?!? I thought those went the way of the dinosaur!
Yes, yes there are. And you can find them at http://www.lisafrankstore.com/
Mostly I devour murder mysteries and play on the internet.
Here is my newest internet discovery: bustygirlcomics.com. Can we interview her? She’s hilarious, she has the best .gifs, and her attitude is RIGHT ON.
YES.
I’m going to see if I can make this happen, because Busty Girl needs ALL the publicity the world can give her. Have you seen her 4/16 comic “Tight Squeeze”? I spat coffee from my nose.
YES! I’m not terribly big, but some days just HAVING tits is hard enough. Playing guitar, playing pool, carrying large boxes… annoying!