Dealing with The Hammer -- Darkness and Cold

[dogpiledogs]

Love your "I'm too blessed" signature line. I used to have it on my computer at work - reading it frequently throughout the day kept me focused on who I really work for.

[Rance]

Thank you.

[Arcticthaw]

Originally Posted by wallstreet1986

Haha I'm a man - what are the statistics for me? No way I'd want to live in Hawaii. Can you still snowmobile and stuff outside when its like 30 or 40 below? What about taking a trip to some hot springs?

Statistics are not needed for you becasuse moving here was your idea! You wouldn't want to prove your SO correct by admitting you may of possibly thought you might of made a timy mistake?

For all practicality and chill factors -20 is most peoples limits. We only VISIT Hawaii and usually only when forced by the SO. I have only been there once. Left the kids at home and after 10 days we were home sick!
Fairbanks has hot springs and snowmachine clubs that take rides to places like Dawson City, Yukon Territory and other cool places to visit.

[nope]

Hi As a woman in Fairbanks, I actually very much looked forward to winter. I worked seasonally in the summer and it is crazy in that business up there. With the extended summer daylight hours which seem to drive the body clock(It's daylight! It's daylight! I MUST be outside doing something 'cause winter is coming!), the frantic pace of work(yes, I'll cover that tour), socializing(How was business in Breckenridge last winter?) and family, I about collapsed in September when things slowed down! I was happy to hibernate with my winter activities til the days started to get longer and AK/Fairbanks and outside winter activities started in February.
My best tip--have a variety of lights set up in your house. Sometimes I needed soft, dim lighting: sometimes glaring overhead recessed lights. Also, I always had white Christmas twinkle lights up all over the house in winter. Gotta love your light sources.
One other thing I did was to be certian to get outside every day in whatever sunshine was available. Even if it was just to shake a rug or to challenge myself to a freezing walk up the driveway, I got out every day. I did all my errands around town between 10 am and 2 pm for years! The folks at the library knew my name!
Good luck

[DannyL]

I love winter. Last winter we got hammered by snow and I enjoyed every minute of it. As far as the short days go, deal with it. It's life up here.
I had no problem with it.

[Rance]

The Christmas lights on the house do help. Makes it kinda nice to pull into the driveway at 4 or 5 PM and have the place looking cool for when you come home. I don't even need a yard light.

[JustT&Me]

I've always said my body was "in-tune" with nature. I arrived SE AK in late fall - dark rainy season. I immediately began gaining weight and sleeping a LOT more than normal. When I asked someone on the bus about sleeping so much, they asked if I was also gaining weight. They reinforced what I already knew - that my body was lining up with nature and to make the most of it. Sure enough, as the sky began to lighten (mid-winter) and into Spring, I began sleeping less and less until I was only lightly napping a couple of hours a night and wanting to go, go, go! It was pretty amazing really, in retrospect, but true. I never experienced problems with SAD or anything similar, but then again - I was only there one winter. *This* winter began early in the Midwest (everywhere, really) - like in November and is going strong (and we are only the end of Feb - mid-winter for us here), so I'm wondering how long "winter" will last. The days seem especially long with all the snow and darkness we've had. I'd say get some lights just in case - and *do* get out when you can!