TALES FROM THE HIGH WIRE Look Out February!

by Tiffany Schultz

Look out February!

I’m Comin’ to Get Ya....

Ahhhhhhhh February, how do I love thee? Actually…I don’t.

For years I’ve dreaded it - it’s the longest month of the year, even though technically, it’s the shortest. I’m sorry, I can’t help it – its looooooooooooooooooooong. And it falls smack dab in the middle of our looooooooooooooooooong Midwestern winters. And the holidays? Well, they are nothing but a faded blip on the radar while spring is still flying under it.

Then one morning you tune in to your usual morning news program and you see Punxsutawney Phil and for a moment, your heart skips a beat – could it be, might it be, can it even be possible…6 weeks OR LESS of winter left? Suddenly your winter-weary eyes sparkle and there’s a spring in your step as you move closer to the television screen. Boy oh boy, the amount of hope we place on a groundhog; I hate to go all Kardashian, but that, my friends, is just a hair shy of “Cray-Cray.”

But it’s understandable. We just want a little light at the end of the tunnel…er, shadow at the end of the groundhog. And to know why February suffers from what seems to be an acute case of Napoleon Complex. Why does this short little month have to be so brutal…ruling with an iron fist and such a cold, desolate heart?

So I decided to try and be more February-friendly - do a little research, find out what February is really made of.

Maybe, just maybe there is a bright side that I’ve been missing – a ray of sunshine in this otherwise dreary existence; perhaps these little 28 days are so much more than their lean but mean exterior would have us believe.

And what do you know: in addition to being Black History Month, it’s also National Dental Health AND Avocado and Banana Month! Talk about multitasking. Everyone’s potassium stores (and stock in Procter & Gamble) should experience a significant jump. National Fettuccine Alfredo Day is the 7th, Cream Cheese Brownie Day is the 10th, and Margarita Day is the 22nd – now we’re talkin’! And did anybody know that the first Monopoly game was sold, Pluto was discovered, and the Grand Canyon was established, all in the month of February? I can’t believe how much GOOD stuff this little powerhouse of a month holds.

I’m happy to report I’m feeling much better about our friend February. It’s like a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders! P.S. I can’t wait for the 11th so I can make a new friend, not cry over spilled milk, wear a white shirt, and eat a peppermint patty… all in one day!

about the writer Tiffany Schultz resides in Sugar Grove with her husband, two kids and Shih Tzu. While seeking balance between her dueling roles as wife, mother, daughter, friend and professional, Tiffany spends as much time as possible daydreaming on her screen porch. She also enjoys cooking, traveling and yoga and hopes to one day learn Italian and make the perfect crème brulee.

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