Welcome to February, the shortest, and yet often the longest month of the year. February falls in the doldrums of winter before the days have started to get longer consistently and while temperatures are still frigid as can be.
This universally maligned month is also home to the commercial nightmare of Valentine's Day and President's Day; but otherwise no holidays or days off scattered throughout to break up the monotony.
Everybody has had enough of February. St. Louis reporter Kevin Killeen described the month perfectly in a 2016 news report that has begun resurfacing.
now this is what i call journalismpic.twitter.com/BrfRaASKeQ— Shawn Hils (@Shawn Hils) 1643995034
https://twitter.com/kmoxkilleen/status/1489816504052985857\u00a0\u2026— L'Elle (@L'Elle) 1644083253
This is the only way to do journalism tbh— sheri (@sheri) 1644141224
"If you can live through February, you'll live another year"\n\nOuch, can attest. February's the cruelest month. Over the years it's claimed my mom, my dad, my one and only grandfather, and my best friend. Hang in there, people!— Stormin Norman (@Stormin Norman) 1644106273
Killeen noted the overall bleakness of the month that seemed to permeate the very soul of the city.
“Look around downtown on a February work day,” Killeen said, panning across a segment of downtown St. Louis.
“This looks like a place where people who are being punished are sent.”
This speaks to me. https://twitter.com/ShawnHils/status/1489649260547256321\u00a0\u2026— Schr\u00f6dinger's Dog (@Schr\u00f6dinger's Dog) 1644305525
Just roasted February https://twitter.com/ShawnHils/status/1489649260547256321\u00a0\u2026— Farhat Javed Rabani (@Farhat Javed Rabani) 1644289769
Award winning journalism right here, folks! Do yourself a favor and take the 2 1/2 minutes...you won't regret it!https://twitter.com/ShawnHils/status/1489649260547256321\u00a0\u2026— Chalupa Batman (@Chalupa Batman) 1644258346
I\u2019ve watched this nine times and can\u2019t stop cackling. \n\nI\u2019ve never been so nostalgic for the misery of a St. Louis winter.https://twitter.com/ShawnHils/status/1489649260547256321\u00a0\u2026— Devan Coggan (@Devan Coggan) 1644256924
Killeen also captured something difficult to put into words: the very struggle of simple things like crossing the street when you are battling your third month of cold, dark, winter despair.
“Nobody is tap dancing or breaking into a Rodgers and Hammerstein song,” Killeen sardonically observed.
“It’s their lunch hour and they’re just barely able to get across the street and hunker over a bowl of chili.”
going to use this as an audition piecehttps://twitter.com/ShawnHils/status/1489649260547256321\u00a0\u2026— \ud83e\udd40 (@\ud83e\udd40) 1644250300
This gem of unflinching existential descriptiveness came from my town of STL. Listen and take heart. February is upon us.https://twitter.com/ShawnHils/status/1489649260547256321\u00a0\u2026— Danny Houk (@Danny Houk) 1644247553
This is like the distilled essence of Bill Murray in the first 30 minutes of Groundhog Day. It's so beautiful I could cry. Because it's February. H/t @laika_cosmonauthttps://twitter.com/ShawnHils/status/1489649260547256321\u00a0\u2026— \ud835\udce2\ud835\udcf6\ud835\udcee\ud835\udcf5\ud835\udcf5\ud835\udcfc \ud835\udcf5\ud835\udcf2\ud835\udcf4\ud835\udcee \ud835\udcfd\ud835\udcee\ud835\udcee\ud835\udcf7 \ud835\udcfc\ud835\udcfd\ud835\udcea\ud835\udcfd\ud835\udcf2\ud835\udcfc\ud835\udcf6 (@\ud835\udce2\ud835\udcf6\ud835\udcee\ud835\udcf5\ud835\udcf5\ud835\udcfc \ud835\udcf5\ud835\udcf2\ud835\udcf4\ud835\udcee \ud835\udcfd\ud835\udcee\ud835\udcee\ud835\udcf7 \ud835\udcfc\ud835\udcfd\ud835\udcea\ud835\udcfd\ud835\udcf2\ud835\udcfc\ud835\udcf6) 1644199297
Feb. is so bleak, "Most of the birds who can afford it have gone to Florida." h/t @moorehnhttps://twitter.com/ShawnHils/status/1489649260547256321\u00a0\u2026— Elizabeth O'Brien (@Elizabeth O'Brien) 1644247823
Eight of February's endless 28 days have already passed, giving all hope that February of 2022 will pass and once again be a bleak memory in the back of everyone's minds, not to darken our doorsteps until the following year.
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