...HALT

Years ago I learned the acronym HALT: Never let yourself get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. I usually do a pretty good job of taking care of myself, but these last four weeks have gone by in a blur and the last one...TIRED...has kicked me in the butt. I came home from the soccer game and put in a napping movie (one I have seen so many times it puts me to sleep) and slept. Then I got up and made a crockpot of my favorite chili (There's hungry taken care of. I won't have to think about what to eat this week.) then went to bed. It was pouring rain all night and I slept hard. When I woke up this morning and did a mental check, it was a relief to discover that the blues had gone. (I need to find a new name for that awful weepy feeling--blue is the color that gives me energy.)

As for angry and lonely....Serenity prayer to the rescue.

...the great gray beast February

The great gray beast February has me in his belly. (Read The Thief of Always by Clive Barker to understand the reference.) Days like today make me glad that there is only one week of this gray, gray month left and spring is just around the corner. Cold, gloomy days like today make me think of an acronym I learned years ago--HALT--never let yourself get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. On days like today I can add my own acronym to that--DIP--discouraged, indecisive and petulant. I am ready for the sun to shine. I am ready for it to warm up. I am ready for the taxes to be done, the resume to be written, and the phone to ring. I'm ready to come out of hybernation. Come on spring! Release me from the beast!