rites of winter

rites of winter, everybody's got them. you know, those moments that make you stop and think "*gasp* that's the first [insert rite here] of winter! man i LOVE winter!"

my rites of winter (in no particular order):

• the first snowfall
  
• the first sub-zero temperature (NOT counting wind chill)
  
• wearing your stocking hat in the coffee shop
  
• wearing gloves for the first time
  
• the first time your nostrils freeze together
  
• days without sunshine
  
• the moment you realize your car is warmed-up enough that you can take your gloves off
  
• static electricity

it's all so fantastic, so refreshing, so alive. i don't get it, people complaining about winter... to me it's the earth finally saying to us "see here you little shit... i DO have control over you!" and all you can do is lean back, put another blanket on the bed, put another shot of whiskey in your coffee, and say "have at it, jack frost."

it's nice to give up control every once in a while, isn't it? *grin*