"Now is the winter of our discontent . . . "

Logically, I know that January has the same amount of days as 7 other months of the year. However, I am here to tell you that it is simply not true. It is, in fact, the longest month of the year. "The Man" sneaks extra minutes in here and there and I think there is actually something like 42 days in January. For reals. Or at least that's what it feels like.

Jefe and I refer to January as "the winter of our discontent" (where's that from?) We watch the weather and groan when we see the temperatures and the little gray sky icons. I do admit that the weather here is mild compared to Chicago. Now, that is just freaking cold. The suburb we lived in was always the coldest spot in the entire state. I just hate being cold, and I dread gray skies. Actually, abhor them is a better word.

I have to admit that this year hasn't been that bad. For one, its been mild and pretty sunny. My friends in the Midwest have had it WAY worse than me... Don't you think that the cold weather is easier to endure when ol' Mr. Sun comes out to play?

Secondly, I have given myself some pretty hefty assignments to finish. I know that when I am busy working-- I have a tendency to not be as depressed, anxious or just plain old bitchy.

I went and picked out the colors that I wanted to paint the walls in my house -- warm, happy colors. Then I went into every room and painted the middle of the walls with the color. Just a swipe here and a swipe there with the paint brush. Now, I have this giant mess on my walls, and I have to finish what I started. (see, I put on my thinking cap right there!) The last couple of weeks I have been busy fixing my giant mess... and my depression, anxiety and bitch factors have been down. WAY DOWN.

I have painted my family room, hallway, dining room, and living room. I am working on the kitchen, but am still trying to get the wall paper off my walls. If I ever meet the man-- because you know it was a man-- that invented wall paper... Well. I'm going to kick him in the teeth.

However, not only have I done all that painting, I have de-junked my kitchen, started de-junking the basement (which has to be done by Saturday because my framers are coming), cleaned the neighbors house, done the dishes, folded the laundry, cared for the kids, taxied the children hither and yon, cooked the meals, cuddled the baby, stopped WWIII from occurring in my family room, done some more dishes and laundry, and bathed the stinky dog.

I'm freaking tired just thinking about it. I sit down to read or watch the news and literally pass out from exhaustion. I even fell asleep at the computer last night trying to read some of my favorite blogs. Now that's just sad people. But, I think this being busy, making myself paint and de-junk has really helped me with my junk. Depression and anxiety are real things for me. I have it. I get it. I understand it and I realize that it is what makes me... well, me.

So, I end where I began. January is "the winter of our discontent"; the longest month of the year. "The Man" has secretly stuck extra minutes and hours into January and we really have 42 days of cold and misery. All so he can mock and laugh manically at us during this long, cold, dreary month.

And yet this year? It hasn't been that bad.

(knocks on wood)