3 Ways to Monday

     Today is one of those fall days that are more often endured rather than enjoyed. The dreary cloud cover, rain and wind, combined with a Vikings humiliation at the hands of the Lions yesterday, can cause one to be not only sad but damn near suicidal.

     It is easy on a dreary day to hunker down and hide inside to wait for sunshine. However, that may be a short-sighted approach to enjoying the remaining tolerable days left before the hard, cold curtain of winter comes crashing down in this God-forsaken climate. 

     To help you take maximum advantage of the time you have left, here are a couple of ways to find beauty out of the house, even on a dreary day.

     1) Take some portraits. It is a fortunate coincidence that dreary days provide excellent, diffuse light for taking pictures of people, pets and plants. Sunshine can make people squint, cause unfortunate reflections off of plant surfaces and create harsh shadows. Taking pictures in the diffuse light of a cloudy day can allow for soft contrasts which are perfect for capturing close-ups.

    

2) Walk in the rain. Rainfalls in the autumn tend to be more drizzle, mist and fog than downpours. A rainy day in fall is a perfect opportunity to walk through a damp world filled with puddles, dripping foliage and the musky smells of soggy, fallen plants ripe for harvest. Autumn really is the best time of the year to be outside in Minnesota. Don't let a little water stop you from enjoying it.

    

 3) Go have coffee. Cloudy, misty days are a perfect time to go to the local coffee shop and sit at the counter. The weather is a perfect topic for starting conversations with folks who are in the same situation as you, miserable. Start talking about the weather, move on to the lousy Vikings football team and see where the conversation takes you from there. You never know what is going to happen and who knows? Maybe you'll make a new friend today.

One can always find plenty of stuff to bitch about; and during an election season it is easy to get into a lousy, lousy mood. As I get older, I try not to waste time being bummed out and try to enjoy each day however it comes. So, on a dreary October Monday, I try to find anyway I can to make it a day I can remember.