Surviving "Blue Monday"

    Let me just start this post off with a quick congrats!  If you are reading this, you have survived "Blue Monday".  Apparently Blue Monday is a yearly phenomenon that occurs in January when everyone is coming down from their Holiday High.  Pants are a little tighter and wallets are a little slimmer.  Combine these factors with the dreary weather and you've got yourself the most depressing day of the year!  Read about it here on Wikipedia for a more in depth explanation.  While it would be easy to sit here and discuss all of the bummer days I've had over the past year or so, I would much rather share a list of things that make me thankful for this post-Christmas, should-be-depressing time period.

 

Books

 I am currently in the middle of reading both Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James and The Wettest County in the World by Matt Bondurant.  I know we've all heard of Christian Grey and his kinkiness, and though I am not absolutely enamored with this book as most people seem to be, I feel like I've got to finish it to see what all of the fuss is about!  The Wettest County in the World is a historical novel based on a true story about moon shining in Franklin County, Virginia.  Actually, Shia LaBeouf's recent "Lawless" was based on this novel (and he looked daaaang FINE in it, if I do say so myself).  I'm not too far into the book yet, but if it's anything like the movie I'm going to love it!  

 

Cozy Socks 

The picture above shows only a tiny sampling of my sock collection.  Admittedly, I am a sock junkie.  This cold weather gives me an excuse to bring out the dorkiest, wooliest, thickest socks I own!

 Tea and Coffee

What more can I say?  Ever since I had my first cup of Earl Grey and my sister bought me a French press, my coffee cup has been constantly filled with one hot beverage or another. I prefer black or white teas and bold coffees, but I can be persuaded to drink a sugary Starbucks drink every now and then!  I've got a couple different tea diffusers which I left behind at my house, but I'm sure they will be making an appearance here soon as well.  

What are some things you used to stave off the Blue Monday blues (or just the plain ol' winter blues)?