Bayside

I am bundled up in a navy wool sweater under another thicker brown sweater, plus a black wool scarf, in case you could only make out a blob. I was alongside the San Pablo Bay on a cold, albeit California, winter morning. The chill seems stronger now than it was at the close of 2013. Last year, riding bikes to the marina just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, I remember hurriedly pulling on a salt and pepper hoodie and leggings. This year, a similar ensemble hardly keeps me warm inside the house. I may have to brace myself for a cooler winter, but the change in the air is exciting. I also tend to feel guilty for staying indoors for too long, quickly suspecting myself of being inherently lazy, but the cold air makes staying indoors the most sensible thing to do. I glimpse the post-holiday blues on the horizon, but I’m trying my best not to suffer such blues preemptively. I want to be present in every moment, or at least every few moments, and what better time to practice than before a brand new year.