by Melissa Corliss DeLorenzo
Photos by Melissa Corliss DeLorenzo
48 inches.
That’s how much snow has fallen in my yard (well, the whole Northern Central part of Massachusetts, actually) in January. We also got a foot or so the day after Christmas. There are two more months of winter to go. Come on, now.
This snow is messing up my life: work, childcare, writing. I haven’t practiced yoga in two weeks. Haven’t been on an evening walk more than two or three times this month. Commutes are longer, hours are spent clearing snow, phone calls to the plow guy and the heating guy and now the banks (because the boiler busted to the tune of $5800—ouch) and the last four weeks have been a total blur.
These storms have completely disrupted the normal rhythm of our lives.
Cabin fever, imbalance, sluggish creativity. It’s a sad testament to the state of things when you’re just hoping the temperature breaks thirty degrees. And I like winter! You can just imagine the level of whining that is going on amongst those who hate it. My dear husband, for instance. (I put up with his grouching because in August when I am a royal fusser in all that nasty heat, he puts up with me.)
Wow—that is a lot of whining. Three paragraphs and two little sentences worth.
This restlessness and busyness about things that I would rather not have to deal with is leading to a roadblock in my imagination. A giant pile of snow (like the one at the end of my driveway) blocking my creativity. How many things can I think of to do besides write? Well, there’s always a ton of laundry. Oh, and dust is never in short supply. And did you know you can create custom mixes on Pandora? Go play with that for a while.
Eventually you just have to get over it. I’ve tried a few things this month that have kept me plowing (get it?) on through.
I’ve been trying to stick to a writing schedule. I plan out my blocks of writing time with specific tasks and that helps me stay on track. Along those same lines, I set deadlines and do my best keep them. And here’s the thing—if I miss a deadline, I cut myself a little slack, reset the deadline and try my best to meet it. I know the difference between doing my best and making excuses.
I try not to make excuses. If I’m having trouble with a new project, I go back and rejuvenate an old project, and vice versa. When I’m really frustrated, I take a break. It’s okay and it often works. I try to be kind to myself, which often is the most difficult task of all.
More than anything, I try to write joyfully. It makes everything matter less!
As I write this post, it is snowing. But I just got in forty-five minutes of yoga, so I care a little less! You gotta love the small victories.
How do you dig out of a winter funk?
About Melissa Corliss Delorenzo
Join the Her Circle 
For me it’s the cold. I’m an early morning writer. This morning it’s -10. Yes, that’s 10 BELOW zero. It’s so hard to leave my warm bed to sit at a cold desk — in the dark — and write. And yet…
Did you see the Christmas garland is still hanging on the front door? I can’t get to it!! I think this weekend I am going to have to don some serious boots and snow pants and wade my way over and just take it down! The black bin that appears mostly buried is our compost bin which a giant icicle smashed a couple of weeks ago. The snow is holding it together. I am still using it, though. I may regret that in the spring…
Your pile is higher than our pile.
Yes, about Pandora.
Hang in there. Like an icicle.