Dearest, lovely reader, 

Maybe someone’s trying to tell LA something because it’s actually freezing here. It’s literally all we can talk about. The weather is strange though, because if you go outside at noon, it’s gorgeous and hot and the sun is super strong. Then the sun goes down and it’s like an icey villain has sneezed on us.

You may be surprised at my thin skin, because I’ve lived in very very very cold places, such as Montreal, and of course, snowy Buffalo. But in those climates, people are prepared. Life is set up to deal with weather being difficult, kind of like how I expect that one neighbor whose packages always land outside my door to yell at me to give them back. (I can't be the only one with that neighbor.)

Nope, LA is not prepared. I barely have real heat in my house and I’m pretty sure we don’t have insulation in our walls. I literally have one gas furnace in a wall that blows very strongly towards a closet door two feet away, and if I turn it up high, I’m pretty sure I risk gas poisoning. And, yes, I do own a sweater. But like almost everyone else here, I forget that it’s going to be cold almost every day, and I wear what would be considered a light spring jacket.  And before I can start the self-criticism train about me being more aware, or being more prepared, I look up and realize that everyone else is in hoodies, or sandals, or ankles exposed, and cursing themselves as well. We just are not prepared.

You better believe we were prepared to go sledding.  We take sledding very seriously. 

But, no, this is not my manifesto about how we need to be more prepared. Rather, the opposite. Sometimes a cold snap unexpectedly sweeps through. (Or perhaps expectedly if you’re a meteorologist.) We cannot be prepared for every situation in life, which I find very annoying. And if we can’t be prepared then what are we to do? The answer is something even more difficult: be flexible.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the places in my life where I am not flexible. When it happens, and it’s been happening more recently because I’ve been tired and therefore low-resourced, I lash out. I’m basically afraid and frustrated from being out of control, and can sometimes take that out on the people or things around me.  These moments are definitely not my finest. I’m rather embarrassed to even admit them to you. But I know that you, my dear reader, understand that being vulnerable about our foibles is perhaps one of the only ways to transmute them. I can’t let it go if I’m too ashamed to admit it’s even a problem.  

So, it's time to be okay being cold. I hear it helps if you don’t complain about the situation that you’re trying to be flexible on, but I’ve yet to see any actual proof that this is true. Perhaps I should try and see. Learning to not complain might take me some time though, so if you try it, let me know?

Love always, 

L

PS - Next Friday is my Christmas! Seriously, I am releasing 3 songs next Friday - an electroswing song called Freak, and an acoustic version and a pop version of Rescue Me!.  Can't wait to share them with you.  As always it helps so much if you presave them.  Thank you!!

THANKS FOR READING!