Hurry Up and Wait

January is not my favourite month, actually it is my least favourite. For me January is the hurry up and wait month.

First and foremost January has 31 days so it is one of the longer months of the year. You can blame that on Julius Caesar. He added the extra day way back in 46 BC when they were creating the 12 months calendar. Thanks JC.

In the northern hemisphere, well in my next of the woods at any rate, January typically seems like the darkest month of the year. Yes, December is actually the darkest month of the year what with winter solstice and all but at least in December we are pre-occupied with the sparkle of Christmas lights and the excitement of the holiday festivities and the month just flies on by.Then comes January with it’s dark grey days of rain and fog and not a twinkling light to be had.

January does starts on an optimistic note with New Years day and we get a fresh start. There are resolutions aplenty. This will be the year I’m going to lose weight or quit smoking or save money for a new car or…….. insert your own resolution here.

Then the gloom of seemingly endless dark and dreary days set in. Maybe the Visa bill from all that holiday shopping arrives. Maybe two weeks going low fat and sugar free is taking it’s toll on your willpower. Maybe the stress from all this January drudgery is more than you can take and you need a smoke. You find yourself breaking, and off the wagon you fall. Now you have extreme guilt on top of all this winter gloom. Feel free to blame your resolution failure on January, I do.

Okay, I’m the first to admit that on the southern part of the west coast of Canada where I live winter is really not that bad. The average temperature hovers around 7 degrees Celsius but we do get lots of low cloud and fog here, lots and lots of ashen, somber murk. It can be rather depressing especially when there is little light during this time of year as it is.

The rest of Canada would feel bad for me and weep if only the tears would stop freezing immediately to their face!  You see, it’s not just me, I’m sure they have their own sub zero reasons for wishing January would hurry up and end as well.

Oh January, hurry up and get over yourself already.

But I must wait. I try to keep busy and make good use of my spare time. There is so many exciting activities for me to do. Let’s see, clean out the closet, check. Filing papers, check. Recycle cardboard from Christmas gifts, check and mate. Yup, January is just packed with on the edge of your seat adventure. I could really use a white sandy beach and a Pina Colada right about now.

The only thing good about getting through January is that you get 12 whole months that are not January to enjoy before it’s back again.

I want longer days. I want warmer weather. I want February! At least it’s only got 28 days. So hurry up January, I’m waiting.