Quiet

[bookgazing]

The beginning of the year is always a bit of a funny time for me. First there’s an avalanche of birthdays, then as the dark descends early every evening and takes an age to leave in the morning a little bit of the January blues creeps up. The shortest month follows the loooongest moooonth poooooossible, so suddenly I’m in the third month of the year and never quite sure what I’ve done with the first two, the months when resolutions are supposed to be acted on. I’d like to suggest that in 2013 the year starts in March, the point where the year finally stabilizes and I start leaving the house regularly, instead of lying down in front of the tv most nights.

I think at 27 it’s time to admit I am officially a bit useless until March and that’s probably not going to change. I’m reading lots of books right now and I’m watching tv, but I’m not generating very many reviews or thoughtful posts. All the posts that are going up right now were written at the end of last year and have taken ages to edit into shape (brrr, brain is cold, needs Vampire Diaries at night, not computer screens). That’s just the way things are right now. Today, light was appearing while I got dressed, so maybe I’ll be more into writing full reviews soon. Otherwise there are a few pre-written YA posts that will be appearing, but nothing about what I've read this year, or at the end of last year I'm afraid.

I’m really excited about lots of the things I’ve been watching and reading though, so do you fancy a bit of my random, quick chat about them? There’s a big tv post coming soon about the tv I watched over Christmas (which I wrote over the Christmas holiday), but right now though I’m sunk deeply into ‘The Vampire Diaries’ (Series Two – four episodes left), in that delicious way that box sets make possible. DVD box sets are one of my favourite things, even if they are a total luxury item; you can watch a whole series in one big gulp and stay situated in the story until you’re ready to stop, the way you can when you’re reading, or watching films. Blissful tv control.

I still watch tv ‘live’ though. I just finished watching ‘Borgen’ (Series One) ‘live’ on BBC4, which is thick, plot heavy, satisfying stuff (and bombarded Ana with thoughts). And I like being able to watch ‘Call the Midwife’ every Sunday night. It’s perfect back to work tv. ‘The Hustle’ is the other thing I’m watching every episode of at the moment and aww it is so cute, comforting and full of smart tricks that I really don’t want this to be its last series.

On books: I’ve been so good about sticking to the rule I made at the beginning of the year (I think I just made it in my head, in case I failed, so this may be the first time you hear about it) to only buy one new book a month and read from the books already in the house. I’m making shelf space! I’m also sticking to my resolution not to ‘save’ books I’m excited about. I started the year by reading ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’ (really enjoyed it, written by just my kind of spy fiction author – one with an interest in people) and have just finished ‘The Tiger’s Wife’, which was simple and natural. It was completely different from what I was expecting and I think fantasy lovers, who like folk tales will enjoy this lit fic, award winner. Last month I used my book buying slot to buy ‘Tankborn’, which was a bit of an up and down read for me. Still, it was a piece of sci-fi by a woman, so my year has begun with me sticking to my intention to try and read more sci-fi by ladies.

There will be reviews of those later (when my brain has woken up) and I owe an SoG post about ‘The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet. For now imagine me happily reading, or watching, curled up under a blanket in the spare hours after work. It may not be an ambitious way to spend my time, but it’s comfortable.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I know what you mean - the start of the year seems to take so long to pass but at the same time, suddenly it'll be March. I'm noticing the days starting to draw out too which is good, and I'm sure the extra light and warmth will be conducive to doing more

Verity

[somanybooksblog.com]

I can do January but February starts to drag and for a short month feels like it lasts forever. I grow very tired of winter at this point and long for a spring that will not arrive for another month at least. So I completely understand how you feel.

[renay]

Have you considered seasonal affective disorder? I used to be like this during December/January/February but then I saw a doctor about it and he was like "hmmmm" and gave me some advice about light therapy, etc. and it helped a lot.

[litlove.wordpress.com]

I feel exactly the same. I'd never really thought about why it seems as if it's March before I've even blinked, but it is because January is dreary and February is short. And the dark and the cold are not conducive factors to marvellous accomplishment. But you know what, that's fine. I get more and more of the opinion that nature cannot be beaten, and I don't know why we bother trying. We're meant to be husbanding our resources at this time of year, and getting more sleep and rest. That's what our ancestors did, and it's written into our DNA through time.

[bookgazing]

And you'll be in the proper sunshine soon, so will come back all solar battery recharged :)

[bookgazing]

Yes, exactly February is awful. January has things, going on, but Feb is the month I have to cut back all my spending and it seems a long way to pay day, when you can't do anything. And winter has stopped being crisp and pretty, instead it's dull and boring.

[bookgazing]

I thought about it when SAD started becoming well known, but it's hard for me to tell. I oversleep all year round, unless it's too hot and carbohydrates are my THING (I would live on bread if I could). I'm not depressed. I do lack energy, but that could equally be because winter is really slow in my job and there's so little to do that everything drags in the day and that makes me sleepy.

I do think going outside in the day to get a bit more light would help at this time of year though. I've just started a new healthy eating plan, which cuts down carbs, so I'll try and see if any cravings are worse this time next year, than in summer.

[bookgazing]

Agree we should be building our stockpiles of everything for the year ahead. This is finally the year I decided to admit that I need to go to bed at a regular, not late, time in the winter to feel better. Still, roll on March, because the hours outside of work don't seem to stretch far enough at this time of year.

rolling with the SAD

[(Anonymous)]

I take vitamin D and use a "sun" lamp in the morning and that helps with the seasonal depression, but I still feel like you do, that all I want to do is hibernate. I've had trouble dragging myself into the office this week because it might mean I have to talk. To people.
non-necromancer

Re: rolling with the SAD

[bookgazing]

Talking to people is the worst when you've been away from people for a bit. I mean it's fine if you have something to talk about like to friend, but the 'so...' time filler bits with people you're just meeting with are terrible.

Come on March, make all the people happy!