Monday, October 26, 2015

Listing My Way

Thanks to Bish Denham and Alex J. Cavanaugh as they host the first ever 'listing' blog hop. The Listing Blog Hop celebrates eight years of blogging for Bish and a bunch of us are helping her celebrate by sharing a list of anything. The list should be between 5 and 25 items long.

I don't make lists of favorite movies, TV shoes, bands or foods though I enjoy reading what others think. Often that gives me new ideas of things to watch, listen to or try. My lists are always of things to do and always about my writing. I actually buy small tablets just for this purpose and make a new list every Sunday. I make myself feel better by checking off things I've accomplished. This past week I did all of them except for one. But that list is boring and meant only for me.

If you've read my blog over the past few years, you know how much I despise winter. I complain (okay, I whine) about it frequently over the course of the cold dark months. So, I'm going to try and list my winter issues today and then maybe I won't repeat them over and over again later. But I probably will.

*Winter is cold! I hate being cold. Give me sweltering temperatures any day.
*Snow and ice. Sure, they look pretty on the trees, but one has to be shoveled and the other makes the world a dangerous place.
*The heating bill goes way, way up. We hit a record for one month last winter when we had so many sub-zero nights.
*The hours of daylight are very, very short. Still dark when you rise in the morning and it's dark again before dinner.
*It's basketball season. Don't get me wrong, I played basketball in high school and all my boys played, but I can't stand to watch it for hours on TV. But my husband can!
*No swimming pool! I love my pool and spend some of nearly every day in it in the summer. Usually to cool off after lawn work or walking.
*Exercising outside becomes a battle of wills between nature and my desire for health. Sometimes nature wins because it's TOO cold.
*Fresh fruits and vegetables are more difficult to come by. And the fruit smoothies I make aren't as much fun when I'm cold.
*Poor drivers descent into something worse than bad driving in the winter.

You know me, I could go on and on about the evilness of winter but I'll stop there. A good thing about it is Christmas and the other holidays during the otherwise darkest time of year.

Don't forget you have this week yet to get your short story in for the first IWSG anthology. Deadline is November 1st and the details are here.

Visit Bish Denham or Alex J. Cavanaugh to find the rest of the list of list-ers. And you can help me out on my list. Show solidarity about winter with me or point out some of the good points of winter that I may be overlooking. Are you a list maker? Have you been blogging as long as Bish?



56 comments:

Bish Denham said...

Thanks for listing with me, Susan! I hear you about winter which is one reason why I live where I live. We get an occasional snow fall or ice storm but it only lasts for a day or two; long enough to enjoy it, short enough that it doesn't get obnoxious.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I like winter and find I exercise more outdoors then. Running when it's 90 degrees and equal amount of humidity is no fun.

Maria Zannini said...

All valid reasons for disliking winter!

We don't get winter as long (or as fiercely) but one thing I like is sitting in front of the fireplace with my best guy. And I love making homemade French onion soup topped with Swiss cheese and a crusty piece of bread on a cold day.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I'm with you on the poor drivers. No one around here knows how to drive on snow. Most people hide. Up north, everyone just gets out and drives.
I am looking forward to the cold and snow though.
Thanks for participating in the blog hop!

H. R. Sinclair said...

Last winter was killer on my heating bills too!

A Beer for the Shower said...

Yay! Someone else who despises winter too. People always look at me like I'm crazy when I say that. Yeah, sorry I don't like skating around in my car on the icy side streets they never plow and I hate freezing my butt off and I hate being in a constant state of darkness (since, like you said, the sun comes up way too late and goes down way too early).

Juneta key said...

Texas icy winter I hated, but Florida winter not so bad... I get the list tho, lol.
Juneta Writer's Gambit

Arlee Bird said...

I can understand your reasons for disliking winter, but after the hot weather spell we've had in Los Angeles this summer I'd welcome some freezing weather. Well, at least for a few days and then I'd probably want the hot weather back.

Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out

Julie Flanders said...

I know I'm weird but I prefer winter to summer. I can't stand the heat and humidity and I may have a bit of vampire in me because I like the dark LOL. But I'm totally with you on the driving! Nothing scarier than driving on ice.

Christine Rains said...

We've been holding off turning on the heat so soon. Yet tomorrow is going to get pretty cold at night. Might have to test out the furnace!

Chrys Fey said...

Haha! That's funny. I don't mind winter. Then again...I live in Florida. I'm with Julie on preferring winter to summer.

Hart Johnson said...

Sing it sister! I am totally with you here. I didn't mind winter in Oregon when it lasted about 2 weeks, but Michigan just goes way overboard on the stupid thing and I would like to rebel.

Yvonne Ventresca said...

I'm with you on this. I especially hate the darkness of winter.

Yvonne

SpacerGuy said...

Theres nothing quite like a good frost to disinfect the place from strange and unusual lifeforms, lol.

Tamara Narayan said...

I have to agree with you on many of the bad points of winter, but since I grew up in the south and have now moved north, I can't help but get crazy excited because I'm going to see snow! Lots of fun, fun snow. The plows will keep the roads clear, but the idiot drivers are a problem. With all my hot flashes, I'll be plenty warm. I will miss bike riding and rollerblading and we just got kayaks. Sigh. But there is sledding.

Tamara Narayan said...

I have to agree with you on many of the bad points of winter, but since I grew up in the south and have now moved north, I can't help but get crazy excited because I'm going to see snow! Lots of fun, fun snow. The plows will keep the roads clear, but the idiot drivers are a problem. With all my hot flashes, I'll be plenty warm. I will miss bike riding and rollerblading and we just got kayaks. Sigh. But there is sledding.

The Happy Whisk said...

Would you ever move to a warmer area?

I agree about the drinks, though I'll never drink a dairy-filled smoothies ( double yuck!), but I do drink medicinal concoctions and now I have to make sure they're room temp. Otherwise, BURRRRR.

Happy Halloween Week

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

So many of those reasons are why I love living in Florida now. The few times I've gone up to the Northeast in the winter months, it took me forever to get warm again - the cold got into my bones and stayed there. Brrrrr!

M.J. Fifield said...

I agree with you on the winter drivers. There's just something about snow and ice that makes people forget how to do it.

I know I no longer live up north, and this winter will be a huge change for me, but I think I will miss snow. Not shoveling, or anything, but I'll miss snow.

Guilie Castillo said...

Aw, man... I spent two years in NJ (a long, loooong time ago), and I remember the darkness, the few hours of daylight, the cold that wouldn't go away, not with anything. But, being a kid, I loved playing in the snow. And snowdays. Yeah, snowdays rocked. You should come live in Curaçao... Our seasons vary little, and when they do it's between hot, hotter, and daydreaming about snow and ice and penguins :D

Great list!
Guilie @ Quiet Laughter

Jeffrey Scott said...

Love your list. I certainly agree about the dark days. One of the biggest things I hate about Winter is how dark it gets. Dark when I get up, dark when I'm done with work. The rest of Winter if for the birds too. Or more to the point, NOT for the birds OR me. And then there is snow. Hope you don't mind if I share a poem which sums up my feelings about snow perfectly.

The Best Thing About Snow
It’s a layer of white
all upon the ground
freshly fallen.
The children run outside
to a winter wonderland
of playfulness.
Snowballs and snowmen,
sleds and toboggans
snowfall fun.
* * * * *
Heavy and gray
the snow remains
to be moved away.
Shovels and snow tires
the bitter cold
any icy street.
What’s special to me
is when Spring arrives;
the snow departs.
J.A.Scott

Pat Hatt said...

Ice, snow and stupid drivers top mine. Thankfully I have heat included in rent so I can crank that up haha

Lisa said...

I don't know where you live, but I look forward to winter, mainly I guess because we don't ever have much of one! But, my daughter now lives in Ohio and your list makes me think of her! She likes Ohio but hates the winter. This is the first year I've heard something positive come from her about winter, it had to do with getting to buy new clothes, go figure! Thanks for dropping in and commenting on my blog! Loving this hop!

farawayeyes said...

This is a list I can't argue with one little bit, and yet I actually like winter.

Shah Wharton said...

I prefer being cold to hot, so I can't empathise with your I'm afraid. :( I love a log fire, snuggling on the sofa with my hubby and our dog. But my husband would agree with you regarding the stupid drivers who don't care about wet or icy conditions! X

J E Oneil said...

I love lists. Making them, reading them, just having them. Plus I also hate winter for all those reasons. You and I need to move to the southern hemisphere for the next six months.

Michelle Wallace said...

Susan, you need to visit my corner of the globe, with its sub-tropical climate and predominantly sunshine-y weather... for most of the year!
Cold weather makes me miserable. I'd never be able to live in a cold climate.

betty said...

I love that you make weekly lists and pretty much accomplish most of them during the week :)

I can totally agree with your list of winter. I would add being cold from October to June to it; never was warm for those 9 months when we lived in Montana. How we endured 8 years, I'm not sure :)

betty

Liza said...

Oh dear, I'm not a winter fan either. I dread what is coming.

Shannon Lawrence said...

I'm not a fan of cold either. It's actually pretty temperate here, but that's because we're high desert, I imagine. So while we do get cold, it's extremely rare for us to get in the negatives.

Cathy Kennedy said...

Susan, I'm not a fan of winter, either. Thankfully in the Tennessee Valley we don't get real bad temps until January and even then it's not bad compared to my neighbors up north. Here's hoping your winter won't be so horrible. Fun list. Thanks for stopping by!

mshatch said...

OMG I am totally with you on your list of reasons why winter sucks! Sounds like your last winter was a lot like mine!

Belle Unruh said...

I absolutely hate winter and live in Canada. We actually moved away from Alberta to British Columbia to be warmer. We love it here, the winters are pretty mild especially since the world is getting warmer too. We used to have snow for months, now it is weeks. Driving on ice is the worst thing about winter.

Yolanda Renée said...

I have both love and hate issues with winter. But the darkness is the one that's the hardest to get past.It does make me value spring, summer, and fall more! :)

Kelly Polark said...

This made me laugh. I don't love winter myself. I like the first snowfall and that's about it. It lasts way too long in the Midwest!

Jemi Fraser said...

Great list! I think the pathetic winter drivers are probably the worst thing about winter!!! Either way too scared or way too cocky! :)

Anonymous said...

Hubby and I take walks, but in the winter we don't as much because of the cold.

Ann Bennett said...

Short days is what I like least about winter. You get that glorious summer in Pennsylvania that we don't get in Georgia. But our shortened winter almost makes up for it.

Meradeth Houston said...

I'm right there with you, hating winter with a passion! I long to live somewhere that it doesn't snow or get icy or that I can't go out for a run outdoors!

~Sia McKye~ said...

I second most of that list, especially short and dark days. I don't like sweltering any more than freezing. I can deal with mid 90's but that's about my limit. I can handle 30's but when it goes the teens and below zero, ugh. :-)

Doctor told me I was protein deficient, say what? Anyway, smoothies help me increase my protein intake (because who the hell can EAT 72 grams extra a day? Seriously?) and I like to add fruits or veggies to it. I have a ninja blender duo, man, it sure makes smoothies easier. I make a big 72oz smoothie and pour me a glass a few times a day.

Here's hoping for a milder winter and the trip to Panama Beach promised to me in February.

Sia McKye Over Coffee

Denise Covey said...

I've never been through a long winter, but have travelled in the northern hemisphere over winter several times--you'd wonder why, but it makes a nice change from sweat and swimsuits. That month or so is always exhilarating as it doesn't even snow where I live, so it's a treat trotting around in scarves, beanies and overcoats. But yeah, it's always nice to get home and thaw out...:-)

Elizabeth said...

It does feel great to check things off a list :) I still like winter, especially Christmastime, but I would have to agree that heat bills, ice, and poor drivers put a damper on things.

Cynthia said...

From my observations, people can drive poorly when the weather is extremely hot too.

I have to agree with you on the point about the shorter winter days. I prefer my days long and bright.

Jen said...

Hi Susan! Stopping by from the List Hop!

Oh I'm right there with you! I love Autumn and that first sniff of cold air. I love it being cold at Christmas. But after January I'm all about HOT weather. I live in Georgia. SOUTH Georgia. When everyone is complaining about the upper 90s in August, I'm happy as that proverbial clam!!

Stay warm and happy listing!
Jen

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Winter isn't exactly my favorite, either. I'd rather watch it fall than have to shovel and drive in it. x(

I thought Alex's list was funny--especially with the how many Ewoks does it take to upholster a sofa? haha!!!

Thanks for dropping by my blog, Susan! :)

♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥

Robin said...

I guess I'm not a fan of winter either. It's why I live in Florida.

Hang in there!

Jackie said...

I'm with you on disliking winter--the freezing temperatures and being cooped up!

Tyrean Martinson said...

I like a bit of winter, but I hear you on some of the dislikes. I've never lived where it's horribly frozen out for long periods of time, so that may be why I like it. I like short doses of frozen landscapes.

Katharina Gerlach said...

I love winter -- just as much as spring, summer and autumn. I think all seasons have their strength and weaknesses. Also, I prefer being cold to sweating, and since I'm undersized, I sweat a lot except in winter. :D

Tara Tyler said...

excellent anti-winter list! i bet you'd like florida! i agree with most of it!
but it does promote fires in the fireplace, pretty snow and snow days, and cozy sweater weather and cocoa and seeing family for xmas =) but by february i'm done with winter! and i like watching my boys play, and it doesn't matter the season, there's always sports on tv at my male dominated house!!

yay for lists!!

Tara Tyler said...

ps - thanks for supporting my simulation release tour!!

Delynn Royer said...

I adore your winter hate list, Susan. Here are a few more winter hates. Car always dirty from road salt. Dry skin. Slipping on the ice. Seems like I end up on my fanny in the driveway at least once every winter season. Bah humbug. ;)

cheerfuloptimistic said...

I'm a winter person for the most part, though it helps that I don't have to deal with much ice or snow.

http://godentertainmentandannoyingthings.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-list-of-lists.html

Toi Thomas said...

Thanks for this. While I'm no fan of winter, I don't complain about it too much because of all the people around me who love it. I'm blessed right now to be snuggled nicely into fall. This is my season; cool and windy, yet sunny days wearing scarves and sweaters and running through colorful leaves. Plus my allergies like fall much better than spring.

Stephen T. McCarthy said...

I've been so busy (JOB CHANGE, BOTB, LISTING HOP all happening close together) that I'm only now making it over here. I profusely apologize for my lateness.

I'll tell you what... after living the last 2 decades in Phoenix, Airheadzona (talk about "hot!"), I was ready to try Reno's weather for a change.

If you get a chance, do see the original 'MONTE WALSH' with Lee Marvin. I think it is far superior to the Tom Selleck remake, and most people who have seen both feel the same way.

Thanks for visiting my site during the bloghop, and again I apologize that I couldn't get here sooner.

May You Bless And Be Blessed!

~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'

Stephen T. McCarthy said...

I've been so busy (JOB CHANGE, BOTB, LISTING HOP all happening close together) that I'm only now making it over here. I profusely apologize for my lateness.

I'll tell you what... after living the last 2 decades in Phoenix, Airheadzona (talk about "hot!"), I was ready to try Reno's weather for a change.

If you get a chance, do see the original 'MONTE WALSH' with Lee Marvin. I think it is far superior to the Tom Selleck remake, and most people who have seen both feel the same way.

Thanks for visiting my site during the bloghop, and again I apologize that I couldn't get here sooner.

May You Bless And Be Blessed!

~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'