"It's Groundhog Day!"
The radio presenter’s voice booms from Bill Murray’s clock radio as it ticks from 5:59am to 6:00am.
It’s 2 February.
Again.
I’m not suggesting my colleagues on Morning Ireland are anything like their Pittsburgh counterparts in the classic 1993 movie, but 2021 might just be the closest we get to a real-life Groundhog Day.
For many of us, the current restrictions are tiring and tedious. The short and dark winter days have made this third lockdown feel like it's never going to end.
But, beyond the weather, there are plenty of reasons as to why our current circumstances might be more difficult to manage than last year.