Winter Woes

Recently I've been a bit uninspired to blog. I don't seem to have much to say. Also by the time I get home from work, I'm not that keen on plopping back down in front of a computer screen. Sad really b/c I always enjoyed blogging so much. Blogging was my outlet. Think maybe I can also blame my blah mood to the winter weather. Overall the weather in north Texas has been pretty mild, however I feel as if it's just been horrible. San Diego has skewed my personal thermostat. I'm definitely not one of those people that needs the seasons. I'll take a nice mild climate all year long. Let it be spring forever!

Since the beginning of February,I've been trying to focus on self improvement. This is an attempt to counter my blahness. I think now that enough time has passed since I've moved back that I can objectively state that I had severe reverse culture shock that threw me into some sort of blah depression. Honestly I miss being able to travel and hang out with good friends. Internally I would think of how much I miss and not enjoy what I have here. I can see now that life here is good, it's just taken a lot of time to get use to it and enjoy it for what it is. So to go along with my new mental outlook, I'm getting back into running. I'm not striving for a marathon yet, but my goal is just to get out and run a few times a week. Also in conjunction with the running, I've taken up yoga and I love it. I go to a local rec center and take a class called Dirt Cheap Yoga. It's affordable yoga for the common people. I've found that Dallas tends to be all about appearances, so typical yoga classes reflect that in charging a high price and hosting glitzy "look at me" patrons. Dirt Cheap has a good mix of real people; usually makeup free and in all shapes, sizes, and ability. I really enjoy the vibe in class and I'm not breaking my piggy bank. In addition to the exercise, me and another gal at work have organized a book club. We've got about 7-10 coworkers interested. Once a month we vote on a book and then we will gather to discuss it over some wine and food. This month the vote was for The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. I know, not a great book for someone that's recovering from blah, but hey it's a democratic book club. In fact I think that reading this book might even reinforce how good I've got it. The book club will meet for the first time on March 5, so expect a blog summary of the book from me before then.

OK, other blogworthy news includes ............. Rich is going to college. Yep, he is going the studious route for awhile. I told him it was either now or never. Besides he gets the GI Bill and eventually it will run out, so might as well use it. I'm really proud of him b/c it's difficult to change your path. He could have easily continued working away in sales, but instead he's going to do what he has always wanted to do. Let's see ........ more news........Numa can catch treats in her mouth. What a smart gal! Oh today's my cute grandma's birthday. Tanjobi Omedetto! I had to post the family photo, just to prove how kawaii she is. Oh and congrats to Hannah Banana and her man Jan (pronounced like "yawn", what you do when you are sleepy). Jan surprised her with a ring and a proposal. That's the lovely couple I climbed Yarigatake with in Japan. Oh and have you read Probe the Globe lately? Sean just posted about his recent journeys. It's definitely worth your time to take a look at it. The photos are amazing as usual.

Well that's about it for now. As part of my self improvement plan, I will try to get back into blogging more often. It's pretty cathartic for me. I need it. So until next time .......... stay warm, safe, and avoid the blah.