Snow in the South

Hello Readers!

So, for the past few days, I have been in North Carolina on business.  I am at a hotel that has spotty internet at best, relatively low water pressure in my shower, and mediocre food.  This trip has been so much fun!  I got here early to see my aunt, which was really cool because I hardly ever get to see her, so it started off on a great note.  I have a HUGE bed compared to my twin mattress at home, and two chairs to hang out in.  Here is a photo:

...whoops!  Experiencing technical difficulties (probably because the internet kicks me off constantly at this hotel).  I'll update these photos when I get back to civilization.

We've been in meetings all day, and then we go out in the evenings with our coworkers.  My coworkers are hilarious people who have worked aboard commercial vessels, as teachers, as field interviewers, and a bunch of other tough professions.  They have the most hilarious stories to share!  We geek out about fish biology, had an intense conversation about invasive species.  It's funny because information sharing whilst intoxicated can be a hilarious experience.  Every one of us was getting very passionate about a different species of invaders, and a topic near and dear to our hearts.  Not to bore you, but just to give you a rough idea of what we were talking about, zebra mussels and carp invading the Great Lakes, road building and logging in the Amazon altering the biota miles away, locals dying on Mount Everest because they are financially coerced into assisting foreign travelers, and the list goes on in a similar fashion.

This morning, I woke up to this:

We knew last night that there might be snow on the ground when we woke up, but 6 inches or whatever we just got is a LOT of snow here in the South.  The locals are freaking out a bit, apocalypse style!  All of us Northerners joke around about the silly white dusting they got and were expecting more of, but the locals are scared to drive (rightfully so, if you watch the news), and the entire state may be shut down.  They barely have plows down here in North Carolina.  I have a flight back home tonight.  We might all be stuck here!  The good news?  Work will reimburse us for some of our time.  The bad news?  I have to work up North tomorrow, and my other job is not going to be pleased.  Let's hope that the planes aren't too delayed, and we can all get out of here.  We've been hearing horror stories about ice and snow.  Here I thought that I was going to North Carolina, a place where it would be warm and I would finally get a much needed break from the snow, and it followed me down here!  Oh well, at least I don't have to shovel (do they even have those down here?).

Hopefully I fly home tonight.  Cross your fingers/say a prayer!

...Or don't.  It *might* not change my reality.  Cheers!

Waking up to Snow

Nothing beats looking out the window in the morning to discover that, while you were asleep, a dusting of snow crept over the land.  It's a Winter Wonderland!

The forecast looks like it is going to stay white outside way for a while, and I LOVE IT!

I still race to the television (or my computer/phone since I don't currently own a television) to turn on the list of closings.  My job is often listed on there, so it is almost exactly like being in the second grade again.  If only I could knock on the neighbor's door and ask him to come build a fort with me, or an igloo, or have a snowball fight!  I've only built a few snowmen in my day; I prefer igloos.  They are more fun.  We sure have made some extravagant ones, too!

I'm probably an oddball for still feeling excited about snow in my mid-twenties.  Most of my friends detest the snow.  ...and the sleet.  ...and the horrible New England drivers.  In their defense, many of us forget how to drive in bad weather until the very end of the season when it starts to warm up again.  It's a vicious cycle, really.  I, however, decided to never grow up (Peter Pan, are you listening?).  Yes, incompetent drivers annoy me (and often try to kill me).  Yes, I would much rather sleep in than shovel the driveway.  No, I don't like it when a "wintery mix" follows a snowstorm leaving nothing but the formula for a great big sheet of ice to battle the next morning (I detested that even as a child).  And yes, it truly does bother me that we are throwing massive amounts of salt and other chemicals on the roads, not only damaging the environment by adding toxins to and significantly altering the pH of our runoff, changing the flora capable of growing near our roadways, but also slowly eating away at our cars.  If I wanted to, I could go on about how "coping" with snowstorms here in New England is harmful to our environment and our economy, but I am NOT a pessimist.  That doesn't mean that I turn a blind eye to those problems (surely we can't think that salt and chemicals is forever the answer to nature's never-ending dustings?), but I don't get bogged down about it, either.

Snow is beautiful.  Plain and simple.  I swear, the cold wouldn't be worth it without the snow.  There are entire sports that wouldn't exist without the snow!  Some of my favorites, too - hockey, snowboarding, skiing, & ice skating!  I'm sure that people who are involved, competitively or recreationally, in those sports get just as excited as I do when they wake up and see a sheet of white!

Still, as exciting as the sports are, nothing beats the still silence of the snow falling from the sky on a crisp winter morning.   Close your eyes and picture it for a moment: The snow glistens in the morning light.  Sounds seem distant, creating more space to hear your own thoughts, or lack thereof.  Everyone in your neighborhood, or maybe even the whole state, wakes up and can't help but feel a tad more peaceful.  The weather literally forces you to stop in your tracks and appreciate the stillness.  Your morning beverage of choice, be it tea, hot cocoa, or coffee, somehow tastes a little better.  The blanket of snow covering the earth muffles every sound, as if Mother Nature just knew that we all needed a little more peace than usual this morning.  So, appreciate the still reminder, and the workout you will get shoveling yourself out this morning.  You are gaining strength of body and peace of mind, all because it snowed!

Message of the day: You can't control the weather.  Embrace it!

...Or move; just fly South, you snow-haters!  God knows you can't change the weather!  Cheers!

Snow Princess!

Gotta love snow days!

So, one of these past snow days, my landlord came out of nowhere & hit me with a snowball while I was shoveling!  He went inside too quickly to get him back.  Good surprise!

I had planned on just painting all day long, but it was such great packing snow that I took breaks from shoveling & made this guy:

/girl:

It's a double-sided snow prince/princess (bowl for a crown, broccoli for those gorgeous green eyes, tomato lips, and a chocolate nose)!

...and I didn't get any pictures, but I also made some snow angels!

What do you do on snow days to make you happy?

Message of the day: Play in the snow!

...Or don't.  It won't change my reality.  Cheers!

Icy Conditions

I'm alive.

You're alive.

We made it through today.

That is "positive" enough for me today, because if you live near me, that is quite the feat!

Kudos to you if you took the adult version of a snow day!  I should have probably called out of work, but I didn't.  Partially because my norm is being a work-a-holic, partially because I didn't feel like ruining a child's birthday, and partially because I figured there wasn't much better for me to do!

I woke up to a text from my coworker/supervisor saying: I heard the roads are really bad ICY!!! Be careful coming in.  Look at traffic reports - I heard the thru way is really bad.

As if that wasn't a bad enough omen, I went to the window first thing after getting out of bed and saw an ambulance rushing off somewhere.  The ground was covered, I mean COVERED in ice!  I could have (possible should have) ice skated to my car.  In fact, the only reason I didn't smash my car into another car today is because I've picked up a few evasive driving tricks and I'm not afraid to use my CVT transmission vehicle as if it were a standard!

Friends, please don't do what I did today.  Generally, when the roads are covered in ice, you shouldn't try to get in a big metal box with wheels that act quite like dull ice skates.  Dull ice skates slip and slide with only some control, much like rubber tires.  Even if you think you're a good enough driver to cope with the hazardous conditions, chances are all the other drivers on the road are not.  I distinctly remember trying to get to work a few years ago when a driving ban had just been lifted.  It took me hours to get there and, more to the point, I spun 180 degrees into a snow bank on the Interstate!  Staring at oncoming traffic slipping toward you in the snow isn't very fun.  Sometimes, it is better to just stay home.

So, just to recap, ominous text from supervisor, ambulance, crazy amounts of ice, and near-accidents.  Oh yeah, there were also about 15-20 cars stopped on the side of the road, 3 stopped in the middle of the road, 1 in a ditch, and about 5 accidents.  Next time, I think I'll wait it out indoors.  Please consider doing the same and, again, congratulations for being intelligent and staying home today if you did.

All in all, I had a great day, and a child had a great birthday party because I went to work.  I thank my lucky stars that my car and I are both in one piece.

Message of the day:  Respect Mother Nature, especially when she tries to give you a day off!

...Or don't.  But please, Please be careful!  Cheers!

Controlling the Sun

Ah... waking up to sunlight is the BEST!

No matter how we try to control everything around us, the weather often affects us more than we realize.  Oh boy, did I take advantage of today!  Not only did I wake up to sunlight this morning, but it pretty much lasted all day.  I mean the WHOLE day!  It was so amazingly bright and cheery out that I was extra (some might argue a bit too) bubbly.

I realize that I'm talking about the weather.  Sometimes I wish that I "talked about the weather" less, but sometimes I actually wish that people would notice it more.  When I lived on the border of Canada, it was pretty much gloomy and grey 90% of the time during the winter.  Waking up to sunlight was rare.  It made many of us grumpy.  When you live somewhere dark and gloomy, it tends to make you appreciative of the sun.  That warm glow can wake you, melt the snow, or keep you awake.  Or bring you peace witnessing it rise and set...

As a child, I woke up with the sun every day.  The light dancing across my face was a gentle invite to explore the world.  I recently heard about the most wonderful lighting system that can mimic the waking of the sun.  There is already have a patent in the works it: a light you can set to turn on and brighten on a timer.  That would trump any alarm clock we could invent, in my opinion!  How awesome would it be to wake up to brightness, every day?

Alas, I wake up to various sounds and jingles most days like everyone else, but mark my words, one of these day I will have an alarm clock made of light!

...Maybe it will look something like this... just a thought!

Earlier, I trailed off from my thoughts, mesmerized by the sunlight reflecting off of the frozen river.  At one point, my friend and coworker had to snap me back to reality.  She responded to my "the sun is shining" attitude by telling me that I pretty much view the world in a "sunshine and rainbows" sort of way and there isn't anything that doesn't make me happy.  To say that she was right is usually stretching the truth too far, but today, she was right.  And it's infectious!  Some days, I walk in the office and I get that 'So NOT in the mood for sunshine and rainbows; come back later' look, but most of the time when she tries to tell me I'm too positive, she does it with a twinkle in her eye! ;)

Message of the Day: Have a sun-shiny day!  ...and notice how marvelous it is!

...Or don't.  It won't change my reality.  Cheers!