Whining, maligning, and past-timing

I'm in a bit of a malaise right now. It could be because James Franco just got nominated for an Oscar (Or that he fancies himself a photographer now). More likely it's this terrible winter that involves temperatures below 10 degrees and far too frequent snow storms. I like the hibernating inside and using it as an excuse to bake thing, up to a point, but I'm finding even with the p90x, I'm feeling lethargic lately. And, frankly, a little bored.

I am usually a champion for all seasons, but I'm growing weary of winter. The snow is pretty when it's first fallen, but in the city, it so quickly transforms into a canvas for dog urine, spilled coffee, dirt, and cigarette butts. Which I guess is what the sidewalk is covered with usually, but at least it doesn't have the whiteness to highlight it. Also, people take up twice as much space on the subway with their puffy coats. Gone are the days of easy to sit next to skinny jeans and tank tops! Now the ride to work feels like being suffocated by giant black and gray marshmallow peeps with wet shoes and bad attitudes just waiting to spill their coffee on you if a snow drift doesn't present itself.

Since I can't change the weather, the natural solution is to change my outlook. I think I'm bored because I'm not taking on anything new. Sure, I've been doing the fitness thing, but it doesn't help to get me out of my apartment. I've also recently started up tin whistle classes again (we're focusing on ornamentation this semester!), but now that I've been doing it for a while the mysterious patterns created by a mere six holes is starting to feel like less of a challenge. To sum up, I think I need a new hobby.

There are no shortage of classes in New York, including everything from butchering your own meat to learning to pole dance. There's even an entire school devoted to training yourself to be a reality tv show star. I would think taking acting lessons would defeat the purpose of reality television, but this would explain why I lack the marketable appeal of, say, Snooki. The Wall Street Journal hilariously says about the New York Reality TV School that they teach you to "be yourself, to the max, only more so!"

But I digress. The class that really does appeal to me, and has for quite some time, is in aerial silks. I took a trapeze class a year or so ago and through it learned that I'm not as afraid of swinging upside down as I thought I was. Also, I hear it's a great overall core workout. And it meets the criteria of getting me out of my apartment, but also being warm and indoors somewhere. In the past, the limiting factor for me has been cost. But now I'm thinking: it's cold outside; don't I deserve nice things like aerial silks classes?


Presumably this isn't part of the beginner class. Otherwise, I should probably reconsider pole dancing.

Anyway, thanks for reading through my wintry woes. Complaining incessantly is seldom the answer, but it can help. As can baking brownies. Also, eating brownies.