Winter = Hibernation = Eating Anything That's Not Nailed Down

Although I grew up in New England and very clearly remember the Blizzard of '78 and how my sister Jaime got lost in a snow drift because she was a peanut-sized 6 year old, and how we had to walk to Star Market to get milk because the roads were closed, the truth of the matter is that this is the first winter in a very, very long time (read: 17) that I've been in the cold for extended periods of time.

Although I've been good about dressing appropriately (read: wearing socks and boots and gloves and scarves and other assorted items that protect my skin from the elements, which, as my college roommate Graciela can attest, was not something I practiced when I was at Boston University -- especially when I went out at night, which wasn't such a good thing that time I lost my shoe in the snow at 2am after leaving a bar and had to hop home shoe and sockless and laughed the entire way which helps to explain why it's probably a good thing for all involved that I don't drink anymore) the thing about winter that I forgot is that not only is it cold, but there's only like 23.4 minutes of light a day, which makes strolling the streets of NYC in Ugg boots and a North Face parka not exactly...pleasant. In fact, I feel like that giant marshmellow thing in GHOSTBUSTERS. Now, this wouldn't be so bad if it snowed once in a while, but it refuses to do so. Once--it snowed once. On a Sunday morning and it was beautiful and quiet and magical. And that week I went out and bought super duper strength snow boots for the next snowfall because that one ruined my Uggs and I walked around with a wet right foot that was soon stained brown from my wet socks.

But those super duper strength snow boots are just sitting in my closet, just waiting because, for whatever reason, it refuses to snow again.

You'd think with a book coming out in one week, I'd be fantasizing about how great it will be to go into Barnes & Noble or Borders or TARGET and see it sitting on the shelves, but I have to be honest -- the last two days, that's not what I've been thinking about. What I've been thinking about is how great it will feel in May when I'm having brunch at some cute little French bistro downtown wearing a cute sundress and flip-flops, daintily dotting away the beads of perspiration on my forehead because it's so warm out.

But back to winter, which is where I currently reside.

So another thing I forgot about winter is that because it's so cold, and dark, and maybe because we're mammals, it appears that all I want to do is eat so that my body will be protected from the cold. Which wouldn't be so bad if what I felt compelled to eat were vegetables and other assorted zero-point Weight Watcher-approved foods. But that's not what's happening. What I'm craving (and eating) is more in the family of 120 calorie Kudos bars. Which wouldn't be so bad if I ate one. But I don't. See, because my brain says "Oh, look at this -- these Kudo bars only have 120 calories!" I then eat all six in the box. Which is NOT a 120 calorie snack -- it's a 720 calorie snack.

So, yeah, between the cold, and the lack of light, and the fact that I'm making Kudo's stock go up, I can now say I'm in the midst of my first winter in a very long time.

P.S. The non-Kudo pic is one of me and my best friend Amy at the Xmas tree at Rockefeller Center. Note the appropriate clothing.