How to avoid those January blues

Even if you’re not a Christmas celebrator, it’s hard not to get wrapped up in the big sweep of activity from Thanksgiving (heck, from Halloween) through January 1. (If you’re old school, you can stretch the festivities out to the Epiphany on January 6). But then the party’s over. You pack away the lights and ornaments, you check your social calendar (nope, nothing ‘til Valentine’s Day) and you realize that, even if the Groundhog gives a favorable forecast, it’s still two months of dark, cold and lame TV.

Before the seasonal gloom takes hold, consider signing up for a class, taking a workshop or volunteering your time. (Trust me, “The Bachelor” will go as follows: Jake the pilot will take his shirt off a lot. Champagne will be guzzled, girls will cry and at least one person will shriek, “Everyone in the house is fake!” See? You’re not missing anything.) Here are some enticing out-of-the-house opportunities. Sign up soon so you’ll be ready to go come January.

• AB Tech has an extensive Continuing Ed program. Classes include Bookbinding (Thursdays, Jan. 21-Feb. 25, 6-9 p.m., $55), Country Western Two Step (Thursdays, Feb. 4-Mar. 25, 7:15-8:15 p.m., $56.25), Cake Decorating (Mondays, Jan. 25-Mar. 15, 6-9 p.m., $55), Beginning Mandarin Chinese (Thursdays, Jan. 21-Mar. 25, 6-8:30 p.m., $55), Beginning Quilting (Mondays, Jan. 25-Mar. 15, 1-3:30 p.m., $55) and much more.

• Web site DanceAsheville.com lists pretty much every sort of dance class/workshop/event happening in the 828 area code. Some fun picks: Beginner East Coast Swing & Jitterbug Class begins Jan. 13 (Wednesdays through Jan 27, 7:30 p.m. at the Asheville Arts Center, $40), Salsa and Latin Dance 6 week Workshops starts Jan. 4 (Mondays through Feb. 8, 7:30 beginners, 8:30 advanced beginners, at Salseros 828 Latin Dance School at Asheville Fitness Center, $65) and Bhangra (Punjab Indian dance hall/hip-hop) (Thursdays, 6:30 at Studio Zahiya, $12 to drop in).

• Go to Hands On Asheville for ideas on how to help out in the local community. Upcoming January projects include unpacking merchandise, pricing and stocking shelves at Ten Thousand Villages (Saturday, Jan. 10, 1-4 p.m.), baking cookies for families staying at the Lewis Rathburn Center (Monday, Jan. 11, 7:30-8:30 p.m.), Martin Luther King Drive litter cleanup with Asheville Greenworks (Monday, Jan. 18, 1-4 p.m.) and knitting or crochetting hats for newborns as part of Buncombe County Health Center’s Community Health Program (Sunday, Jan. 24, 2-4 p.m.).

—Alli Marshall, A&E reporter

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.