February on my mind.

I hate February. HATE it. To me, it is equivalent to those horrible early morning hours (3-5 am)when you'd rather be asleep, because if you're awake it means a.) you have insomnia, or b.) you had to wake up way to early, most likely for an unpleasant task. This sums up my attitude toward this nightmarish month: I'd rather be sleeping, especially since I have some really great flannel sheets on the bed right now.

But unfortunately, life goes on, in all of its awful February mediocrity. Here's what I've been doing to try to spice things up:

1. I made a Myspace page. Yeah, I know, it's barely even cool anymore. And when it was cool, it was only ok for teenagers. But, I tend to do things after the novelty is worn off. For instance, vegetarianism: hip in the nineties, but expected in 2004, when I decided to give it a shot. And I'm still loving life sans meat. So there you go.

2. I've been scoping out the spring fashion that I cannot afford to buy. I try to pretend that my obsession with fashion is simply artistic, but really, it's a VICE. Each month, despite my best intentions, I blow all of my spending money on new clothing. I just--can't--help--myself. But, part of the frustration of being a fashion hog in February is that the stores are loaded with springy items, like sandals and even bathing suits. And because I always want to immediately consume my new purchases, I can't justify buying spring clothing at the moment. However, I can plan for the future. (Yes, I plan my wardrobe. Sad, I know. I blame my mother.) And this year, I've noticed the stores are full of an item I searched EVERYWHERE for last year: open-toe flats. And there are many colors, so I'll have options. This is very exciting. Yay.

3. I've been baking and eating cakes. I used to be pretty awful at baking, but with a bit of practice, I've improved substantially. Last week I made a tasty chocolate-pistachio cake that turned out beautifully. There was a bit of an issue with the chocolate topping--it turns out that dark chocolate doesn't melt very well--but everything turned out fine, and I got to use my most unnecessary wedding gift: a fancy glass cake plate. This week, I'm planning to make a two-layer carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Here's my rationale: If I can't hibernate through the month of February, I'll at least eat like I'm going to.

4. I rescued a kitten that was trapped beneath my kitchen floor. She was about two months old, and nearly dead of starvation, but she had the loudest meow I've ever heard. I pulled her out of a small trapdoor that my landlord never sealed and promptly gave her a can of food, which she inhaled. I was all set to keep the kitten, but Alice was VERY angry, so I had to give her to my neighbor. But, at least she's alive, out of the cold, and in a good home.

5. Mike and I have been watching Battlestar Galactica, a very nerdy but AWESOME sci-fi series. I'm not usually a sci-fi nerd, but this series has really won me over. I'm so into it that often I regard my day as a mere prelude to its melodramatic glory. Once again, sad.

6. Finally, I've been dreaming of the beach vacation we're going to take in May. Having won Mike over to the sublimity of spending a week reading on the beach last year, I can't stop thinking about how much better it will be this year, since we've decided to literally do nothing but sit our arses on the beach and occasionally go out to eat. Only three months to go...

Still, February isn't just a month: it's a state of mind, and it's kicking my ass despite the aforementioned activities. What I need is an impromptu trip to Europe. If anybody's willing to buy me a plane ticket to Paris, let me know ASAP. Not to sound desperate, or anything...