The South Bend Permacloud Has Arrived

I had never heard the term "permacloud" until my friend Mary mentioned it the other day, but it's an excellent description of what we actually get here in the Michiana area. What is a permacloud? Well, the South Bend Permacloud is a continuous layer of gray (and I do mean gray) cloud that seems to arrive on cue in November and sticks around until spring. The permacloud has definitely arrived this week, and I'm afraid it's here to stay for a while. It's not like you can see the blue sky through some of the clouds here like you can in Milwaukee. We get the Lake effect here. All we see is that dreary gray sky. We don't usually see the sun or any blue sky in the winter time. If we do, it's a very rare occasion. The Golden Dome at Notre Dame in the pic above actually makes the sky look better than it usually does in the winter around here. The Golden Dome is beautiful though, isn't it? :-) Due to this permacloud, it's even more important to take care of your health this time of year. I'm doing my best to use my light box, get to the gym on a regular basis, get a good night's sleep, and to make myself socialize even when I don't feel like it. I will take control of this depression instead of allowing it to control me, and I'm trying to accept the fact that no matter how hard I try, I am who I am in the winter. I need to accept myself for who I am, whether it's in the summer or the winter.