Every winter, January breaks me, and with 11 days left in the month that Ben Franklin 1 once called a bastard hell-child of a month, just before pouring la petite minette a post-coital beer, I find myself nearing the breaking point, but am somehow keeping my shit together through the frigid temps, snow, and darkness; for now.
This week was not the best week of the 2024 Lumber Through Hell Tour, but as of now (early Saturday morning), I have 16+ miles of snowshoeing in my feet, and I think I might be content for the week, despite falling short of my Winter Contingency Act approved 20-mile week.
Roughly two weeks ago, I had a great 7+ mile lumber and was feeling damn good. Then winter finally showed up, and my hikes and lumbers quickly became snowshoe stomps through deep snow, doing my best to get a sub-20 minute mile. And if. you’ve ever snowshoed through 10+ inches of snow, you are probably aware that it is a different beast! [insert the aforementioned made-up Ben Franklin quote here, this time in regards to winter].
But, but, but, hey J, what about your 5-Step Program for Winter??
Well, I wish it was going better, but overall, I am continuing to get outside despite the single-digit temperatures and deep snow, so there is that. Sometimes, I just can’t do it as often or go as far.
However, the goal of switching things up by getting some XC skis fell through when a mild winter with less snow was predicted, and I dragged my feet on buying them. Now, I fear by the time I get them, the snow will be gone, and I’ve just spent a few hundred dollars for nothing. FAIL! (for now)
My goal of better, more refreshing sleep never really materialized, and I somehow always wake at 5:59 AM, before my “unnatural sun” alarm clock starts its slow “rise,” and I soon find myself drinking coffee and doing shit for two more hours before the actual sun (or at least daylight) appears.
I won’t call that a FAIL!, but it’s also not a win.
Step 4 for winter survival was to get away from the cold and slop of mid-Michigan; this was a hard FAIL!
This failure is not entirely my fault because, despite a laundry list of ailments and issues, Jake (The Dog) is still with us and unable to be boarded at a kennel. So, my streak of not leaving the state for over 630 days continues, and I remain in the frozen anus that is mid-Michigan. And yes, I know I need to let go, but that’s easier said than done.
So that leaves me with my final winter goal still sort of intact: just keep on keepin’ on until the snow melts in the months ahead. Because, like so many things in my life, I really don’t have a choice.
All the photos today were taken with the old and tiny Canon s95, except the pic of the beer in the snow which was taken on a phone.
Later.
THE SOILED SOUNDS TRACK OF THE POST
Flatworms from LA have a few albums out, including Witness Marks, which was released last September, and they are all solid albums.
However, the one Flatworms release I find myself returning to is their 2017 self-titled album. Accelerated is one of my faves on the album.
I find the album a perfect mix of lo-fi punk, Yo La Tengo-like noise, and Parquet Courts-ish-indie, all the while sounding fresh in my earholes.