Snow Day Thoughts

Here it is, the fifth of March, and I am off of work due to a snowstorm! At least it will soon be Spring and then Summer, and we'll be wishing it was cooler. I don't mind the snow and am enjoying a day to relax around the house and do fun projects.

This is our second round of snow days in two weeks and the last time it had me "house bound" for the better part of three days. I was pretty stir-crazy and ready to be around people by the time the third day rolled around. I think I am enough of an extrovert that I don't like to be by myself for that long of a stretch.

Another thing I am is structured. So when my daily/weekly routine is interrupted, it starts to mess with my mood as well. Even the uncertainty of whether the storm system will produce sleet or snow or nothing at all can make me anxious as I anticipate it. Turning off the constant speculating of the news media helps a lot, although I know we need the help of those professionals to some extent.

Having grown up in the Northeast, I am still somewhat annoyed at how unprepared we are in the South when we have to deal with snow and ice. I understand that we don't need to needlessly use resources since we get fewer winter storms, but the fact that I am not able to get to work safely with only two or three inches of snow on the ground is still mind-boggling to me. Thankfully, my employers want everyone to stay safe and don't expect us to get there no matter what.

A couple of weeks ago, I took a trip to New Jersey and New York and had a four-inch snowfall while I was there. My friends and I walked on the snowy Brooklyn streets to go to dinner and the next day, we were able to drive back to NJ on cleared roads. My flight out also departed on time.

I sure wouldn't want to live in the parts of the country that stay snow-covered all winter. I have gotten spoiled by living in the South and like to see just a few pretty snowfalls and then I'm satisfied for another year. I like to see my familiar places in all seasons and everything always looks pretty when it snows.