I’m getting up extra early this morning, for reasons that will be explained later, and this is the hardest time of the year to do that. It’s bad enough there’s nothing but darkness, but factor in the cruel temperatures and there is nothing worth getting out of a warm, cozy bed like the one pictured here. That’s the bitter pill of the Northeast – it’s not the snow or wind or ice – it’s the dark mornings. They make the simple act of waking up an onerous one, something that requires great mental fortitude and preparation. It used to be that thinking of the new outfit I’d be wearing, or a dinner out, would be enough to get me to throw off the covers and head into the shower. Now, it takes a bit more, which is unfortunate, as there seems to be nothing but less. Motivation is in short supply, and the winter has a way of sucking out the last remnants of energy or will.
