As we’ve seen the wacky winter unfold around the world, including 50+ degree days at the Winter Olympics, ‘snowmageddon’ hitting the nation’s capital, frigid temperatures in the deep south, and even a day this month when there was measurable snow in 49 of the 50 states, here in central New York it’s quietly been business as usual. We’re hovering right around our average snowfall, but I’d be hard-pressed to think of more than one storm that’s really caused any major impact. My Sweet Baboo’s only had to shovel a handful of times since the season began late last year, after we experienced our longest spell ever without snow on the ground – 288 days.
But even with our good fortune here, folks are complaining of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or grumbling that winter’s too long, too cold, too dark, or too something, and driving themselves back to that old CNY malaise that I wrote about a while back. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to make light of SAD or other any other type of depression. I’ve suffered from this type of illness in the past, in fact I still do – for me, it’s something I’ll never get rid of, but I’ve learned to live with it, to manage it, and do the best I can.
Sometimes my solution is to curl up with a cat, a blanket, a mug of hot coffee, and lose myself in a book. Other times, it may be striving to accomplish something, like a nagging household chore that I’ve been putting off; exercise is another option that sometimes helps me shake the blahs and get at least into the shallow end of down in the dumps. But what I’ve found is, when all else fails the only thing to do is to dive straight into it, and find a way to make peace with winter.
We had promised ourselves that we’d take a ride to get some snow pictures, and fortunately last Saturday was the perfect day for it. Other than the minor inconvenience of a flattening tire just out of the driveway which we took care of at the gas station (a buck’s worth of air) and local auto parts store (a can of Fix-a-flat), we had a great trip; we headed off to the southern hills, eventually ending up near Otisco Lake, and meandered home by crisscrossing our way up Onondaga Hill and then back down into The Valley.
For folks who’ve been more interested in sticking around Syracuse proper, we’ve had Winterfest, including the Syracuse Newspapers medallion hunt, and just yesterday, the first outdoor hockey game in the history of the AHL was hosted by (and won by!) our own Syracuse Crunch.
Looking ahead we’re in the middle of Downtown Dining week, the SU basketball team is 25 -2, with only a handful of games left… and the lacrosse season has already started. The arts continue to thrive, with great live performances from the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Syracuse Stage, and Famous Artists. The Everson Museum is just off a hugely successful showing of From Turner to Cezanne , and a host of local art galleries offer something for everyone. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is also open for business.
The bottom line is we know we’re going to have winter – it’s inevitable – but letting it get the best of us doesn't have to be. We tend to forget about all of the things that this area has to offer, even at this time of year. Do yourself a favor; find a way to get out and enjoy some of it. You'll feel better, honest!
But even with our good fortune here, folks are complaining of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or grumbling that winter’s too long, too cold, too dark, or too something, and driving themselves back to that old CNY malaise that I wrote about a while back. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to make light of SAD or other any other type of depression. I’ve suffered from this type of illness in the past, in fact I still do – for me, it’s something I’ll never get rid of, but I’ve learned to live with it, to manage it, and do the best I can.
Sometimes my solution is to curl up with a cat, a blanket, a mug of hot coffee, and lose myself in a book. Other times, it may be striving to accomplish something, like a nagging household chore that I’ve been putting off; exercise is another option that sometimes helps me shake the blahs and get at least into the shallow end of down in the dumps. But what I’ve found is, when all else fails the only thing to do is to dive straight into it, and find a way to make peace with winter.
We had promised ourselves that we’d take a ride to get some snow pictures, and fortunately last Saturday was the perfect day for it. Other than the minor inconvenience of a flattening tire just out of the driveway which we took care of at the gas station (a buck’s worth of air) and local auto parts store (a can of Fix-a-flat), we had a great trip; we headed off to the southern hills, eventually ending up near Otisco Lake, and meandered home by crisscrossing our way up Onondaga Hill and then back down into The Valley.
For folks who’ve been more interested in sticking around Syracuse proper, we’ve had Winterfest, including the Syracuse Newspapers medallion hunt, and just yesterday, the first outdoor hockey game in the history of the AHL was hosted by (and won by!) our own Syracuse Crunch.
Looking ahead we’re in the middle of Downtown Dining week, the SU basketball team is 25 -2, with only a handful of games left… and the lacrosse season has already started. The arts continue to thrive, with great live performances from the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Syracuse Stage, and Famous Artists. The Everson Museum is just off a hugely successful showing of From Turner to Cezanne , and a host of local art galleries offer something for everyone. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is also open for business.
The bottom line is we know we’re going to have winter – it’s inevitable – but letting it get the best of us doesn't have to be. We tend to forget about all of the things that this area has to offer, even at this time of year. Do yourself a favor; find a way to get out and enjoy some of it. You'll feel better, honest!
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts!