An extra day every four years, and what do we do with it? I know people who canvassed for a political candidate, stood in line at the DMV, read all day, and in South Carolina I hope a record number spent part of it voting.

I wrote 40 postcards (so far) urging registered Wisconsin voters to turn out at the polls on April 7, finished up a book, tucked in a healthcare visit, walked my dogs, and am planning to see a movie. I feel particularly good about the postcards; I’ve committed to write and send 200, and if I finish up early enough I’ll take on more. It’s a small act of civic engagement, but I think it’s important.

Reading about race

The book I finished was White Fragility, by Robin Diangelo, which is my book club’s current selection. It deals with an important issue—why conversations about race and racism are so difficult for white people—and I’m looking forward to discussing it. DiAngelo starts from the premise that we live in a society built on white privilege, and no one in it can possibility be unaffected by or “blind to” race. I think that’s correct. The question is how we can improve the situation. The book is mostly about looking inward and examining our own attitudes and influences, rather than trying to influence or change others. In that sense it’s very much about self-improvement and becoming more self-aware in order to be less “fragile” in these conversations.

But pitchers and catchers!

We woke up today to a winter wonderland.

It wasn’t a surprise. Snow started falling yesterday, and we were warned it would go all night, then be followed by a polar plunge in temperature. Yep, that happened.

What surprised me: I didn’t hate it. It was fluffy and beautiful, and pretty light for shoveling, and because I worked from home today I didn’t have to drive in it.

It came with grey skies, of course—but nothing unusual there. My first reaction was to grab my camera. My second was to give the dogs a quick walk before the arctic cold set in, and I couldn’t help pulling out my camera in the middle of that, too. Snow isn’t always pretty, but when it is—oh boy!

I came home with fingers stiff from cold but spirit soaring. All that white made the world seem bright and cheery even without any visible sun.

I’m telling you, though, spring’s on the way. It’s 12°F outside and headed down to -2°F overnight (not counting wind chill), but yesterday pitchers and catchers reported for (White Sox) spring training, and they had their first workout today. So take that, winter! You’re outta here.

Random coincidence? I took this picture of my snow-dusted seats from Old Comiskey Park before I realized that spring training was starting. Truth.

Of course, we still have this (cross-your-fingers) last arctic blast to deal with. I hope the pictures make it easier to enjoy.

February in Chicago. I saw the sun for about five minutes out my office window during the morning, but it didn’t start snowing until just before I was ready to leave for the day. Mixed news, that. On the bright side, it gave me a chance to walk outside for five minutes to photograph the gray day for my sunshine journal.

(This is my sunshine journal. Enjoy.)

What interested me most wasn’t the sky per se but how indistinguishable its color was from the ice on the pond outside my office. So I photographed the pond, through tree trunks, and that’s what you see here.

Also interesting, though differently, was the number of nests I noticed for the first time in the nearby trees—at least three of them in a pretty small space. This is one of them, empty, probably abandoned, though something might claim it again in the spring.

And although the temperature is supposed to be in the single digits in the next couple of days, I know that spring is coming, and so do the birds. My garden hasn’t woken up yet—a good thing, actually, given the weather outlook—but it will soon.

Meanwhile, my little poem Pomegranate was published today as part of a wonderful Valentine’s Day poetry collection on Escape into Life, and I couldn’t be more pleased. It’s just 10 lines, but it too reminds me of the warm air of summer. I’m honored to be in much more accomplished company in this collection. Read the other poets, even if you don’t like mine.

I wore my sunglasses today!

The sun peeked out this morning, played hide-and-seek in the clouds for much of the day, and claimed the sky by the time I left work. I wore sunglasses during my commute in both directions; it might have been optimistic in the morning, but I 100% needed them in the afternoon. As I write, I’m sitting by the window where I can see the sun still shining bright.

Boy, have I missed you, golden treasure! And I know I’m not alone; you’re what people are talking about, both in person and on social media.

I also know that snow’s supposed to be coming tomorrow, but honestly right now I don’t care. I’m living in the moment.

Gratitude journal

So that’s #1 on my list of what I’m grateful for today, but it’s not alone. I had a slow morning commute due to a couple of accidents blocking traffic, and came across another one on the way home, and I’m grateful that I wasn’t involved in any of them. Bright side of life. (Bright—get it?) I’m also thankful for small opportunities to do good in the world. I took advantage of a couple of them today, and I’m thankful for the friend who alerted me to them. Sorry if that’s a bit cryptic, but there it is.

Also, I had a new poem accepted recently, publishing very soon, and I’m still glowing with warmth from that.

How about you? What are you grateful for today?

And Wes Anderson!

And I just read that there’s a new Wes Anderson movie on the way, and I can’t wait. Even before I read the premise, I knew it would be amazing, and now I’ve read the premise (and you can too; just follow the link) and am even more excited. Just look at those visuals.

And this cast:

And here’s the movie poster!

I’m silently swooning. Not a Wes Anderson fan? Don’t even talk to me.