The Saturday Morning Breakfast Blog: Terrible Habits I’m Going To Pick Up Now That It’s Getting Cold Outside

======= ======= ====== ====== ====== ===== ==== ====== ====== ===== ==== ======= ======= ====== ====== ====== ===== ==== ====== ====== ===== ====

Priorities change when the sun starts to go down earlier in the evening. Patios close up shop for anywhere from six to eight months depending on where you live. You can tell that work productivity is about to grind to a halt with the holidays looming, and every day is a struggle trying to decide if the outfit you have on is going to have too many layers or not enough.

“The autumn wind is a pirate, blustering in from the sea…”

Autumn really is a pirate. A meddling, conniving son of a bitch with no regard for you and yours. The temperature can change on a dime, and so can your mood. But that isn’t to say I hate autumn.

Quite the contrary, actually. I love the fall and the fact that I don’t have to worry about taking off my shirt at the pool anymore. Apple cider comes back into the picture and I get to sink my bare hands into a pumpkin and rip its guts out handful by handful. The leaves are crunchy, the temps are cool but not too cool, and there’s an energy in the air that isn’t seen during the summer. It’s certainly a different kind of energy, but it’s an energy nonetheless.

I wrote a blog a few months ago about terrible habits that I would be picking up now that it’s summer and now I feel it’s only right that I do one for the winter. Let’s ride.

Drinking More Alcohol

You’ve got to get a little fire in your belly to brave the cold here in Chicago. Anytime I choose to leave my humble abode to go to a bar or another person’s apartment during the winter, you better believe that I’ll have a hot toddy or a glass of scotch sloshing around in my belly. During the cold months, there’s really not all that much to do in Chicago other than drink booze. As a city we really enjoy the stuff. I don’t really have a choice here.

Skipping The Gym

If you think I’m going to get out from underneath my heated blanket when it’s still dark outside to go to the gym before work you’ve got another thing coming. They don’t call winter personality season for nothin’. Plus I’ve got a pretty good metabolism. I could stand to gain a few pounds as it is and I worked hard in the gym for the past six months (you see the mental gymnastics I’m doing with myself here….?).

Chili

White chicken chili is one of my favorite foods in the entire world. As a matter of fact, I’m making some today for the college football game I’m emotionally invested in. But too much of anything is bad, and I already know that by the time it gets to March and the snow is melting I’ll have nearly overdosed on chili.

Becoming A Hermit

Come December when it gets real nasty outside I might as well not have a cell phone. I won’t be picking it up for anyone other than my mother and whoever is delivering me food. I’m going to stock up on Dewar’s, materials needed for chili, and chopped wood to place in my fireplace and stay in most Friday’s and Saturday’s. Am I excited about being a hermit? Yes. I went out every weekend this summer and my body and wallet need a fucking break.

Not Smoking Cigarettes

You may think that not smoking cigarettes would be a good thing. But I like cigarettes more than most people, and now that it’s no longer summer, I just don’t have the urge to smoke them. That means I’m going to look a lot less cool than I did this summer with a heater dangling between my lips.

I don’t know what it is about hot weather, but when I’m outside on a restaurant patio or someone’s back porch, there’s nothing better than a Camel Blue accompanied by a frosty Miller Lite. Stepping outside to smoke a cig in 10 degree weather simply isn’t worth it, and even though I’m convinced that they make me look like a badass, I just can’t do cigs in the winter. I’ll be back when the temps climb above 50 in the spring.

General Malaise

Not really a habit, more a state of mind. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention it. I’m gonna be tired. All the time. Something about harsh winds and snow that just takes it out of you. And there’s nothing I can do about it outside of taking a vacation to Marco Island or Mexico. Sometimes I wish I lived somewhere like San Francisco or Seattle where it never snows but it’s a strange thing this weather – it makes me feel like a better man come March. Like I walked through frozen hell for six months and I earned the warm weather that comes in the spring. It’s masochistic but it’s the truth. I like the cold weather just so I can say that I survived it. And because I don’t feel like I need to workout. Enjoy the day. Go Green..

43

Respond

Email this to a friend

Hey, I saw this on Post Grad Problems. Check it out.

Johnny D

fashion icon

• jduda@grandex.co