Winter is not my season.

don't like to be cold. I don't like how it's gray and dark. I don't like stashing tissues in every pocket to deal with the inevitable cold-induced runny nose. And I really, really don't like trudging along unshoveled sidewalks.

But, I do love the anticipation of snow.

Tonight, DC could get hit with its first real snow of the season. The local weather folks actually give a major snow storm a roughly 30% chance. Some of the local schools have already decided they'll be closed tomorrow.

But, there's also a chance for a bust or that the snow ends in a horrible wintry mix that washes away all the beautiful flakes.

The anticipation that anything could happen has me bouncing in excitement. I feel like a kid again. I keep peeking out the window wondering if the flakes have started. I want turn my PJs inside out and flush ice cubes down the toilet. I want to make a nest of blankets to read in, drinks lots of hot chocolate, and pull out my winter weather gear to get ready for sledding. (The adult in me is happy we hit the grocery store yesterday morning and don't have to move our car for a week.)

There are still hours to go before we see what happens. I'll be enjoying this giddy buzz the entire time.

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I've hit the point in House of Flame and Shadow where it's really hard for me to stop reading every night. I literally have to tell myself to grab my bookmark, close the cover, and turn out the light. I love that I'm into the story but I hate that I can't devote more time to reading. I have to admit that I'm reading this one for the storytelling aspect. The plot itself is overly convoluted and probably full of holes, but I'm enjoying the ride. Also, this is now an entirely ensemble cast series. Yeah, there are leads, but they do seem any more important than the supporting characters.

*Books shared here are affiliate links for Bookshop.org

• A delightful look at the UX of LEGO interface panels. [Interaction Magic]

• We should all be talking to strangers. [The Atlantic - gift link]

• Yes, everything tech feels bad because it is bad. [Where's Your Ed At?]

• What traditional media can learn from newer content creators. [The Atlantic - gift link]

• Walmart is bad for everyone. [The Atlantic - gift link]

• A lovely essay on love, marriage, and reading. [WaPo - gift link]

• Language, the way we think, and the problem with English hegemony. [The New Yorker - may be paywalled]

• The idea of "zero" sort of breaks our brains. [Short Wave]

• The size of ice crystals versus snowflakes. [Short Wave]

• The real studies behind Panic headlines. [ParentData]

• My kind of end of year book review. [@dillonmichaelwhite]

• A simple, but beautiful montage. [@ahometomakeyousmile]

• We had a unused box of mini crab cakes leftover from the holidays in our freezer. We baked those and added a bag salad for a quick and light dinner. Perhaps too light. We didn't realize just how tiny the crab cakes were. [Phillips]

• As I usually do, I overbaked for Christmas. Also, my mom came loaded with more goodies. After everyone left, I tossed all the extra cookies, breads, muffins, and scones into the freezer. The upside of this is that I can eat a cream scone for breakfast every day if I want. I like to pop them in the microwave for a quick, 15-second defrost. Then I split it in half and top each side with a smear of butter and dollop of strawberry preserves. [My Evernote]

I’ve come across this image several times and it never fails to stop me in my tracks. First, it’s beautiful. Second, the science behind these bubbles trapped in ice is fascinating. [Astronomy Picture of the Day]

Since I talked about weather at the top, I figured this would be a good week to share the World Weather Map. Pretty self explanatory. Open the map and explore temperature, precipitation, humidity, and other weather related from around the world as it happens.

We have an entire week of work BEFORE classes start. This is a treat. I am going to prep so many things.