Following my mother's advice

I have been noticeably absent from my blog for the last couple of weeks. I have a good excuse. I was following my mother's advice. She actually did tell me as a child (on numerous occasions - I was a slow learner) that if you didn't have anything good to say it is best to keep quiet. Therefore, I have kept very quiet for the last few weeks. I have been in a funk, the likes of which I had never been in before, and am only just now emerging.

I would like to point to one single thing as the cause of my recent funk, but in all honesty it is multi factorial. There is of course the job, but I think several other factors not all of which I want to talk about also contributed. A big one has been the weather. It is not just the fact that it has been cold. As a matter of fact, I am quite proud of how well I have handled the cold. I whine about it, but have learned how to layer up and go about my business. I think it has more to do with the length of this winter. I have always claimed that I have seasonal affective disorder, but now I am starting to believe that I really might. Seasonal affective disorder is a recognized condition that causes some people to become depressed in times of less light (i.e. winter). It has something to do with melatonin release the details of which I never bothered to completely understand. It is a recognized illness, and my intent is by no means to make fun. I so get it.

Despite the recent snow storm back home which left my parents powerless for 3 days, spring has been in the air. My dad's biggest complaint about the snow was that his fruit trees were already blooming and he is now certain they will die. Friends and family back home have already started thinking about softball and lawn care. Grass is turning green and flowers are blooming. Sure it is occasionally still cold particularly in the morning, but the weather is turning and you can smell spring.

It has not been that way here. We still had snow banks from the prior snow when this one came through. My car has turned a permanent shade of gray from all the snow and salt. The trees are still very far from leaves and no flowers are blooming. The winter started early and is going forever! I never paid much attention to that weird groundhog until this year. Back home, regardless of shadows, you knew that by the end of February you would start to have some good spring like days. Maybe it is just because he is from here, but the groundhog seems to know what he is talking about here. At least that only means a little over a week left of winter.

Today the weather is actually "nice" by Philly standards. I also have a job interview in Little Rock. Perhaps a combination of these things have lifted my spirits. Regardless of the details, I am happy to be somewhat closer to my chipper self.