The Cold Air Pushes Hard On You

Non-Fiction

The title is a reference to a song written by the Great Lake Swimmers. I will go ahead and say it is my recommendation for the day because it is fantastic. The track is titled 'Changing Colours', find it.

First, I feel bad about how this year has started for my blog.

Neglected.

Ignored.

Cold.

But I am rather determined to overcome this start and refresh the content herein. I began to draft a post on the train the other day, and will attempt to follow my notes here, but because of my lack of writing I fear that it will be a disjointed post. But you have to start somewhere.

As with anything New York and winter, I should begin with the cold. It is all-encompassing (though recent small victory, the heat the in apartment has increased from a slightly bearable average of 60 to a relatively comfortable average 68). Despite how cutting the cold and wind can be (and its true, no layers can stop the wind when it gusts anywhere from 30-40 miles per hour), it is inspiring in a way. Something about the cold makes me feel a strong need to have only what I need for survival with me anytime I leave my apartment. This has always been an attractive idea to me, and I am fairly certain that I would be much happier if I only owned what I could fit on my back.

This has made me think how it is so easy in this life to gather things that we do not need yet feel compelled in some way to own or to have nearby. Before my move to the city I felt pretty positive about the push I made to rid myself of items that I either did not use or determined that I did not need. By no means did I rid myself of all my belongings, but I was content with the amount of stuff I had at that point. And already, a mere six months later I feel burdened with the new things I have acquired. I am not sure how it all happens so quickly. But it will be a tendency that I will fight for the rest of my days.

Oh to be on the road with nothing holding me back.

GAB

Post script. CBH's triumphant return to NYC is now realised. I have included a photo as a means of proof (and for all you iphone users the CameraBag app is wonderful). You can find his blog here.

Post post script. Passion Pit with Robin and the above was a success. Odds were they would let us down, but it was with joy that we received their very tidy and sincere performance (at a completely sold out Terminal 5, line of sight was slightly obscured, but here is what I captured).