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Discontented with winter
The thought of at least six more weeks of snow and cold is enough to make me hide under the covers like a hibernating bear.

It's 6:30 p.m. Sunday, the Super Bowl is on and a light snow is falling outside.

	This is my head during winter. With apologies to the makers of Zoloft, I'd like to keep it attached to my neck as long as possible.

Like many folks, the thought of at least six more weeks of snow and cold is enough to make me hide under the covers like a hibernating bear.

The high soaring Eagles staved off my seasonal depression the last couple of months. But now it's finally kicking in.

I go to work every morning in darkness and when the day ends, I find I hardly have time to enjoy the sunset.

In past years, I've tried St. John's Wort to alleviate that black feeling. It worked to some degree, but now it's been found to be dangerous when interacting with other medicine.

Tastes just like it sounds.

Sure, I could try prescription medicine, like Zoloft. But quite frankly the TV commercial with a disembodied head bouncing along does not entice me to try the product.

For now, I'm taking heart from the fact that we are gaining daylight, albeit only a few minutes daily.

Here's some other thoughts to keep warm as we head into the depths of winter:

• In less than three weeks, the Phillies pitchers and catchers start SPRING training in warm, sunny Clearwater, Fla. Given the off season acquisitions, Bowa's boys of Summer are expected to make a run for the pennant this year. It's almost enough to make me forget about the Eagles. Almost.
  
  
• The Flyers are red-hot. Although it doesn't matter until the spring (p)layoffs, it's nice to see the Fly boys have finally shaken off the post-Lindros/Barber blues. As the character of Skank in the movie "Mystery, Alaska" says, Hockey is one of two wintertime activities that are any fun. The other, unfortunately, can't be mentioned here. (It's a family Web site, not a how-to-have-a-family Web site).
  
  
• The Pro Bowl, which features 10 Eagles and coach Andy Reid, will be on Sunday live from Hawaii. Time for a luau.
  
  
• It's summer in Australia. Though I doubt I'll be making the trip down under any time soon (Hint, hint Australian tourism promotion board.), but a short visit to Australia.com is enough to make anybody have a G'day.
  
  
• It's always summer at Margaritaville online. Jimmy Buffett's Web site features "Songs you know by heart," plenty of boat drinks and beach scenes from Buffett's many adventures. Time to fire up the blender and sail with the Captain.
  
  
• The latest long-range forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calls for above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation. Thank you El Nino.
  
  

• 	Let's hear it for global warming.

  The hole in the ozone over the South Pole is still there (but shrinking) and the arctic ice cap continues to melt. Anybody have any extra aerosal cans? I'm rooting for global warming. Just imagine the property values if Bucks County had beachfront property.

Until that happens, though, I'll be buried under the covers.

Let there be artificial light! (Plastic palm trees, boat drinks, sun tan oil and Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition sold separately).

Dave Ralis' Pave The Grass column appears on Mondays. You can send him an e-mail at . To read his previous columns, click here.