during this time of the year, it gets pretty cold here in aizu. but strangely, there is little snow this year. i was still cycling home 2 weeks ago at about 10 at night, grinning away from the effects of alcohol and karaoke.
then the winds went on a rampage and at the same time, it started to snow white pretty snow.
you see, i never really liked winter even though it’s so white and pretty and all. one, it’s cold. two, i dislike the smell of kerosene emitting from the heaters. three, the amount of clothes strewn all over my apartment triples in winter. four, i can’t cycle to work. five, my nose is bright red every morning i step into the staffroom. six, looking at japanese girls walking around in their short short skirts in winter blows my mind. well, it doesn’t make me hate winter, but it’s troubling at least. seven, my bottle of olive oil is really frozen. eight, it’s cold. nine, it’s cold. ten, it’s still cold.
yes, winter in aizu is that long it numbs your mind. but at least i don’t have to iron my clothes.
but this year, winter feels slightly different. i realise there’s a special silence to winter that makes walking in the snow far more pleasurable than walking in the rain. and wearing the brown fluffy boots H gave me for christmas helps take the fear of slipping and landing with my legs in the air on icy snowy streets away. there’s just a surprising meditative quality about winter i haven’t noticed till now. and it makes me strangely happy.
of course, i’m still looking forward to spring. but for now, i guess winter isn’t so bad after all.
