So. We’ve just been through a record-setting cold snap up here.

On Thursday morning, it was minus 36 degrees Celsius with a wind chill that made it feel like minus 47.

That was the coldest, but the whole week was like that. On New Year’s Day, I didn’t take Nu for her normal walk. On Thursday, we just went into the vacant lot across the road and even then, she was limping with the cold on the way back.

Other areas had it worse, I know. Timmins and Montreal experienced wind chills of minus 52 and minus 50 respectively.

Still, that was cold.

Thankfully, we didn’t have an ice storm, like Toronto, or the resultant power outages.

Today, we were minus 4 degrees. Anyone who lives in a seasonal climate knows that in the winter, when it warms up, that’s when you get the precipitation.

So we had snow.

Environment Canada and the Weather Network predicted 10-15 centimetres. We had at least 20. Tomorrow, it will be minus 7 and they’re calling for another 10-15.

We don’t know where we’re going to put it all.

Corner lot. Big driveway.

This is not a bitching post. These are facts. You can check ‘em if you like.

I’m just sayin’. It’s WINTER up here folks!

That is all.

Lookit the SNOW

It’s been three weeks now since I quit smoking, and Phil didn’t.  He cut back substantially, though, and I have to be thankful for that.

Ultimately, 1 pack a week (approximately $10) is much better than $168 a week, which is what we were spending.

Confession time

You’re all going to be so disappointed 😦  I gave in and had a cigarette last weekend.  It

Stop for no smoking terror (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

wasn’t that I was having that bad of a nicotine fit, or anything.  I felt that if Phil got to be weak, I would get to as well.  I didn’t even enjoy it particularly.  I just got tired of being the good girl.

That probably had something to do with me starting smoking in the first place.

I’ve forgiven myself.  You’ll just have to as well.  I’m back on the wagon.  It’s just difficult when your partner is still indulging.

Cleaning up

I’ve been tackling a room a week and cleaning it top to bottom in my efforts to get all the residual smoke out of the house.

The bedroom was fairly easy.  My office?  Not so much.  I took all my books off the shelves and dusted them.  I shelved all the books that I’ve picked up or purchased recently, and really cleaned out my storage.

I was going to set up my desk as a standing desk.  Several writing bloggers have recently documented their experiences with back and neck pain, or with repetitive stress injuries.  Then there was that study that came out last year that said too much sitting is actually worse for your health than obesity or smoking.

The desk wouldn’t be easily adjustable, however.  I’d just be stacking a couple of old crates on top of my existing desk to bring my keyboard and monitor up to standing height.

Phil has suggested I try out a health ball first.  Joanna Penn uses one, and apparently it helps to keep your core strong because you’re persistently balancing.  So I’m going to see about sourcing one of those first, and if that doesn’t do the trick, I’ll try my standing desk idea.

In the meantime, my newly cleaned, de-cluttered, and organized desk is lovely.  Let’s see if I can keep it that way 😉

The physical part

One of the many difficulties with quitting is the munchie factor.  You tend to eat more and gain weight.  Food smells and tastes better.  It’s hard to resist.

I’m already overweight and I don’t want to gain much more.

So I’m starting to walk a little more.  I walked home from work once last week.  Yay me.

And I’m going to try out Yoga again.  I tried it once, years ago, but wasn’t fond of the instructor.

Now, I’m going to be attending a class with a friend and that should help with the motivation.  We’ll see how that goes.

I’ve also started doing some simple exercises when I get really twitchy.  I mean this literally.  My right leg in particular seems to be getting “restless” in that restless leg syndrome kind of way.  So when I can’t keep it still, I go do a few lunges, or sit ups, or whatever.  It’s not a formal workout, but maybe it will help.

The addiction part

In the last couple of weeks, I’ve been reading some interesting articles.

One was about how a group of scientists has been deciphering the neurochemical pathways of heroin addiction in the hope of being able to shut down the cascade, or find a way to reverse it.

Of course, my first thought was that maybe the research could be applied to other kinds of addiction.  It’s where my head is at these days.

I’m also reading The Introvert Advantage.  In it, author Marti Olsen Laney describes the neurochemistry behind how both extroverts and introverts get their incentives.

Interestingly, nicotine stimulates both dopamine (for the extroverts) and acetylcholine (for the introverts).

The things you learn 🙂

Other stuff

Finally, I am suffering, aside from the restless leg and the overeating, massive breakouts as my body tries to detox, and a whole pile of aches and pains.

It’s fun—so NOT.

Will keep you apprised of my progress.

Coming up: I’m attending a Brian Henry workshop tomorrow and trying to pull together another workshop for the Canadian Authors Association’s Roving Writers Program for October 6.  I should have Sarah Lashbrook’s interview ready for posting in the next few weeks, and I’ll have another interview with another Sudbury author coming up in the future.  Finally, I’m going to be posting about television series and how that landscape, like the publishing and music landscapes before it, is undergoing transformation.

I guess change really is the only constant 😉

Until next week!