Tag Archives: Weather

I think it’s working

April 18, 2013 11:20 am \ 2 Comments \ Kylie

All my complaining about the lack of sunshine must have done something, because while it’s been chillier in Calgary at least the sun and blue skies are starting to make an appearance again. I’ve even seen green grass! (In between the piles of snow, that is.)

Working out is also starting to have an effect on me and how I feel/look. Kaila and I have been at it for just over two weeks now and we’ve both noticed positive changes. It has been a long time since I was able to see improvement in such a short span of time! I’m crediting her for pushing me like crazy, especially when I didn’t want to go.

The 5K is at the end of June, and I feel confident that I’ll be able to complete it in under 40 minutes. I’m aiming for something around 30, but for my first race I don’t want to get too ahead of myself.

I’m getting close to running a 10-minute mile now, and if I complete three of those in a row then that’s essentially 5K. Yesterday I averaged 5.58 MPH and ran for close to 10 minutes. GUYS! I think I can actually do this!

Overall, my mood has been improving lately, which I’m very thankful for. I hate feeling that twisty, itchy feeling that sneaks up in the spring.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it’s spring here *quite* yet, but it looks like winter is starting to fade… though I believe we’re in for anther snowfall this weekend. For the record, it started snowing here in mid-October, and we’re now in mid-April and it’s STILL SNOWING. This is seven straight months of cold, frozen precipitation. That is more than any one person should have to bear.

And essentially, that’s why it’s all I talk about.

Aside from that, there’s not a lot going on in my life. Thomas’ is far more hectic right now, but it’s not my place to talk about his stuff on my site.

What is everyone up to this weekend?

Posted in: General, Home life \ Tagged: general, home life, update, weather

the dark creepies

April 10, 2013 2:01 pm \ 1 Comment \ Kylie

Technically, it is spring. Technically, there should be birds, bees, flowers, grass, and all the other wonderful bits of nature that come to life after a long and dreary winter.

This is our spring right now:

Spring in Calgary

This was a few days ago now, but the forecast is calling for more snow on Sunday, and temperatures will be between -2 and 9 (today, the highest) until next Monday. There is no sunshine icon on my weather app at all for the next 6 days.

This gets to me, gets under my skin and makes things start to feel off. Nothing is as exciting as it used to be, and a deep feeling of restlessness and unease sets in.

I’ve long thought that I might have an issue with seasonal affective disorder, as Canadians are wont to suffer from. We don’t get a lot of sunshine in the winter months, because of our geographical location; the weather doesn’t always help either what with clouds and snowstorms. By the end of October, the sun is rising at 8am, and setting around 6pm. OCTOBER. By December, we’re looking at 8:30am to 4:30pm for sunlight hours. And guess what my working hours are? No, not 8:30-4:30, but 8:30-5:30. So in December I’m literally coming to work in the dark, and leaving in the dark.

This winter, I know I’ve dealt with all of this better than I did in previous years. The dietary changes I’ve made did wonders for my mood almost immediately, and consequently my ability to cope with anxiety and depression got much better. It hardly bothered me at all in the darkest of the winter months, and I knew that soon enough there would be lots of light and sunshine again.

Now that we’re a third of the way through April already with very little change in season and weather, it’s starting to hit me. All the feelings I’ve been great at dealing with the last 7 months have started to become more insistent, less likely to back down when I confront them with reason and rationality. I’m feeling those old sensations creeping up on me, making me feel anxious, restless, fidgety.

Even typing this blog entry is becoming increasingly difficult.

I’m ready for, and need to have, some spring weather. Summer, even, if we want to skip right to the +20 temperatures. That’s fine with me. But my mental well-being and physical self can’t take much more of this gray, dreary, still-dead landscape. Objectively, I’m very satisfied with my life. I like my job, coworkers, and work. Freelancing is going well. My friends are amazing, and my relationship with Thomas is strong as ever. But this dark creepy feeling twists everything so it all looks just a little skewed. Things aren’t wrong, but they don’t quite feel right either. I’m looking to fix things that aren’t broken to satisfy that restless urge in my gut.

This vacation to Mexico is probably coming at a great time. It won’t be full-on summer yet in Calgary (sadly, I know this is true even though we’re going in MAY) and it will be the boost I need to keep going and make it through.

The little things have to be enough right now.