Almost there...

Tomorrow is, at long merciful last, the shortest day of the year. Sunrise, 7:54 am. Sunset, 4:21 pm.

I started taking multivitamins with iron because I became convinced that this seemingly inescapable lethargy I feel must mean I'm anemic or something. But I've decided it's just the time of year. On days when I go to my job, I have an inside office and if I don't go out during the day I literally may not see the sun. It all depends on which bus I take in the morning; normally I catch a few rays, but a half hour of sunlight experienced through the tinted glass of a metro bus is hardly nourishing.

I know lots of places have even shorter days than we do, but we also have The Grey, the stubborn cloud cover that descends on us for weeks or months at a time. Sunday was actually a gorgeously bright, sunny day, and as we were driving down the highway I felt myself wincing from the sun, as if its unaccustomed glare caused me pain, like Gollum. I'm sure I'm not alone in that - this is the only place I've ever lived where the traffic reporters cite delays due to "sunshine." As if the drivers are all so stunned at the unexpected brightness, they become disoriented and just stop their cars in the middle of the road.

So, bring on the nadir of sunlight tomorrow. It can only get better from there.