You look like you could use a valentine.

It’s Valentine’s Day. A Hallmark-inspired day of love and bliss. However, I haven’t heard much news of bliss lately.

In fact, a lot of people are having a rough time of it right now. Relationships ending. Very sick friends or loved ones. Lingering sniffles. Apartment frustrations. Job frustrations. Lack of time. Lack of money. Lack of inspiration. Lack of sanity. You name it, I’ve heard about it in the past few weeks. Disappointment all around.

And people’s moods these days are as gray as the polluted, slushy snow. For instance, I experienced a bus full of strangers the other day complaining communally about a girl who waited too long to get off the bus and then tried to get back on again. She was ridiculous, but the depth of griping was over the top.

It makes me sad to hear that a lot of people are having a rough time of it. I wish I could wrap my arms around everyone and say it’s going to be ok. Since I can’t, I hope this valentine I made suffices:

Don't act like you couldn't use a pirate valentine with one googly eye right now.

So, does ANYONE this Valentine’s Day have some good news? Lay it on me.

Surviving winter

Winter is particularly hard on people after the new year. After the holidays pass, all we’re left with is snow, frigid temperatures and perpetual gray for four months. And let’s not forget the cranky moods.

I’ve seen it—and experienced it—firsthand. The long stretch of winter makes grumpers out of the pleasantest of people and recluses out of the most outgoing. These days, I don’t want to leave my apartment. I don’t want to write in this blog. I don’t want to do anything, except curl up in front of the TV and rot my brain.

That’s why I’ve resolved to not to let winter win. We’ve got three more months of winter to go, and we must carry on.

Though they may not be the same as Bear Grylls’, here are my winter survival strategies:

Mix up the wardrobe

Living in a semi-tundra, your first instinct getting dressed is probably to throw on jeans, a hoodie and warm boots. Mine is. And (un)luckily, I have a job where I can get away with this. BUT I’m not going to do that. I resolve to wear dresses, jewelry, goldy gaudy chain belts, lipstick and even heels. It seems silly, but stepping up the wardrobe a notch does wonders for the mood.

The best part of this resolution is that you might need to do a little shopping to make it happen. Prints and colors, voila!

Stop complaining

Here’s the thing, we chose to live in Chicago or other respective cold locations. Not Florida, not California, not Mexico or the Caribbean. And complaining about how cold it is isn’t going to change the thermometer. Only make our cranky moods worse. So, let’s resolve to not complain.

Start a project

As mentioned, winter transforms me into a lazy bum. I feel uninspired 98% of the time. For instance, it’s taken me a week to finish this post. So, when the hankering to start a project strikes, I run with it. Like these New Year’s cards. My procrastinating self failed to get Christmas cards out or even addressed. So, I made these instead. I had grand ambitions to send them to all fam and pals, but they ended up going to the peeps who sent us cards. (Sorry)

Make yourself get out of the house

There are some days on the weekend where I don’t have a need to leave the apartment. Like today. My friends came to me since we were hosting brunch. I didn’t get around to leaving the apartment the rest of the day. Too busy sipping bloody marys, watching movies and napping. Joe just suggested getting Thai delivered. The restaurant is a block and half away. I vow to leave the apartment and pick it up, thereby saving $5 on tip and delivery.

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I’m tempted to add “Remind yourself of Chicago in the summer,” but I get annoyed when people say how great summer is during the winter. Because, let’s be honest, that’s just mean. We’ve got a lot of winter left.

What are your winter survival strategies?

If you are miserable and pissed off at Chicago, this week, Time Out Chicago had some nice reasons to love/hate Chicago.