Flaked out! Pandemic Playgrounds, 44.980282 (+/-)

Coming to Terms, Warm-up: After hearing from me early on and intermittently (a term highly relevant to yesterday's post) on the psychological value and opportunities for sustaining engagements (X3) throughout the last 24 months (+/-), you may, by now, have "had it up to here!" with this mantra of mine. But here I am, once again, prior to bringing you a crescendo on communication ("When All Else Fails") in the next few days, TBD (depending on the nature of my mood, as well as nature itself, which could preoccupy me), I am "Up Here" on your behalf, as in what we in Michigan generally, genially, refer to as "Up North". Which may seem redundant to those states south of our border, to those who don't refer to themselves as "Michiganders", let alone "Yoopers" (those who hail from the Upper Peninsula, almost always referred to here as the U.P.). Who cares, we have grown accustomed and claim it as our own. A term of endearment. Speaking of terms, on a more general level, I have encouraged you to find ways to get around the obstacles, obstructions (may as well be "constructions", given what we encountered a few days ago) associated with the pandemic, the shut-downs (as in freeways) and restrictions (or "detours") that have pre-empted events and access to facilities we had grown accustomed to, in sustaining our engagements. How, after coming to terms with a set of vicissitudes (!), you can find some way to at least engage the perplexing situation on your own terms (at least in your 'mind's eye', your imagination). Before I share with you yet another set of examples of how even what many find inclement weather that could shoo you indoors, may offer opportunities to put the (snow)shoe on the other foot...a glossary of winter playground terms. Such as in:

Flaking Out! Strictly speaking, to cancel a prearranged meeting or event, especially at the last minute, or fail to attend, follow-through with something we agreed on (pandemically prevalent!). Or, what you may think I'm experiencing while posting this. 

Snowed: To be misled or charmed by elaborate and/or insincere words (see January 15th, "Hey Guise..."). 

Snowed In: Just like it sounds...finding roads impassable, being shooed inside, unless you have the kinds of shoes, boots made for this, the kind Nancy Sinatra brought to us 56 years ago (+/-)...well worn by now...

Snowed Under: When you have (or feel you have) so much work you have problems dealing, coping with the immensity, even find it difficulty getting started, like spinning your tires...just making you more tired.

Plowing Through: Pushing, powering through a challenge. Otherwise, what you hope for when you are snowed in, a "plow"😌.

Snow Globe: A seasonal decor, evoking scenes from Currier and Ives, especially when shaken. Which I experienced two mornings in a row here, my own personal snow globe, the outer limits of which remained unseen, part of the scene, and which was naturally shaken😊

Crystallized: Form into crystals (as in snow); made clear or definite (as in "Crystal!" a term tossed back and forth between Cruise and Nicholson in "A Few Good Men" -- all in good fun behind the scenes, I suppose)

Tropical Smoothie: A chain of "cafes" for those longing for just a taste of the tropics, enough to evoke images of Jamaican bobsledders who, despite finding themselves +/- 237.83 miles south of Cuba, find creative ways to train and qualify for the Olympics, their imagination and determination gaining our esteem, all the way "Up North"...

Northbound Lanes: As in I-75, a span of 1,786 miles (+/- depending on your GPS), going from northeastern tip of the U.P. to the southeastern tip of Florida, or vice versa, of course. That is, if you're in the minority, where more seem to be in the southbound lanes, singing about "Peaches" (Justin Bieber), or continuing all the way to the ends of the road, as in "Going to Miami" (Will Smith, the rhythm and words of which can easily get me warmed up, ready to work out) or, for those not easily satisfied, take a boat ride or catch a short flight even more southbound, catch some rays and club action while singing along with Camila Cabello ("Havana"). So here we were, listening to all the tunes about the nice southern climes, while heading northbound, watching the crystallized stuff accumulate. Well, at least we would have less traffic, congestion to contend with...passing the 45th parallel, arriving at 44.908282 degrees latitude (+/- depending on where you are in, around town). 

Contending, Contentment: Speaking of contending, as I shared with you many moons and months ago, when I found myself locked out of a local high school track, finding myself instead in the school parking lot, adapting and creating, a newfound facility that, with just a little imagination, became a workable workout setting, one which gave rise to Olympian fantasies, complete with the "flagpole finish"! Having freshly fallen snow, about four inches (+/-), I now bring you my latest and greatest fartlek fantasy ("fartlek" a term that derives from the Swedish "speed play", a workout in which you vary speeds while being in continuous motion)...this one involving almost all the above 'elements', including..."shuttle back and forth, parking lot relay" which took place in yet a smaller parking lot, but my imagination made it the course for the cross country ski race yet to come in the 2022 Winter Olympics..."around the club house turn" which, in reality, for me, simply was turning around in the parking lot where the (empty) clubhouse was situated but, once again in my "fartlek fantasy" became one associated more with horse racing, warmer climates, even the white sands of Florida....finally, throwing caution to the wind, finished the course at "breakneck speeds"! Which almost happened, while I was otherwise engaged, not paying attention to my footing...as in "watch your step!" This, followed by tubing, later the same day. Which, for me, evoked warm associations and images of the Jamaican bobsled team, complete with some Marley melodies😎!

In any case...no matter the conditions, the prevailing winds (of change, for example), we are once again more hemmed in, self-contained (January 13th), than restrained from withOUT, as in the Great Outdoors. So, once again, I invite you along for the ride, to "Come on out, the water's crystallized...come, Flake OUT with me!"