I don't think I'm receiving any bad shit from the universe, unless you count the end of daylight savings time as bad shit. I always get a bit more hermitty at this time of year because of the weather. Oddly, in Vancouver it doesn't happen until January and then it's full-on depression. Here, once there's snow everything is bright and exciting again. Hooray! I knew snow was useful for something.

But I do think that it is the time of year and the weather, as my response to your post. People feel gloomier this time of year. There's nothing exciting to do until Christmas and that is one big stress-inducing mess in most cases. So it's the beginning of the time where we bide our time until Spring. And Easter candy.

If it makes you feel any better, Dean got some free money at work because he kicked so much ass in his store. So that's pretty good. :)