is it just me?

It's snowing today. I know what you're thinking: it's February in Wisconsin. What do you expect? Surprisingly, we don't get that much snow. Or not nearly as much as I always assumed "Wisconsin" (wherever that is) got before I moved here, to the capital of all that is random about America. Anyway, it really doesn't snow that much. Um...until today. It is not just kind of snowing. I believe in is snowing multiple inches per hour. It is snowing in every possible direction. It is very windy. And, in an event I heretofore did not know was possible, the snow is accompanied by thunder and lightning. After rushing around getting ready, all the while wondering if I should actually go to work (schools are closed but not the University. They never, ever close the university. There could be a nuclear holocaust and you would still be expected to take your statistics exam), I decided to brave it. So I decided to go try to catch the bus, and there I stand, in the horizontal snow thinking "I could be in bed right now". After thinking that for a few minutes, I crossed the street to go home. But then I saw the bus. And you know what made me run and catch it to get to work? The shame of it all. Seriously. That is the world that I live in. Here it is a matter of pride that you actually show up even as the town is being buried. I am sure my bus will get stuck on the way home. It's almost inevitable. But everyone is here. And although I feel a small bit of pride that I, too, made it in to the office, I would really rather live somewhere where this kind of nonsense made everyone stay home where it's warm and drink cocoa and watch daytime tv. WHY? WHY did I feel compelled to prove my winter worthiness and come to work? what was I thinking? I need to move back to the southeast immediately.

One thing about the snow is that it makes me really judgemental about shoveling. This is kind of ironic because there is no sidewalk in front of my house, so it doesn't really apply to me. And my husband is from Minnesota which means he's good at shoveling so it is totally, 100% his job. I am not sure I have shoveled since I met him (which is, of course, as it should be. There have to be some benefits to marrying someone from Minnesota.) Despite that fact that I don't shovel and don't have a sidewalk, I was being quite harsh on my neighbors as I walked my dog around 7 am. I can tell you one thing: if I DID have to shovel a sidewalk, there is no way it would be done by 7 am. But this is Wisconsin. People get up early here. So they should have it clear by the time I am walking. And not some half-assed, virginia style one shovel-width path. No sir, the whole sidewalk in front of their entire property should be totally clear. I figured everyone around here had snow blowers, but that isn't really the case. Lots of people do it the old fashioned way. Which I admire. When done correctly and in a timely fashion. The bitch of it on a day like today is a lot of people did shovel this morning, lot of good it's doing them now. Several more inches have fallen, and it shows no sign of letting up in the least. And if they think I won't be checking up on them later today they're wrong.

I definitely need to move. If you have a room for rent in a warm climate please contact me.