I live amongst wussesFollow

I saw snow in Atlanta today for the first time in a good 4 years. It even stuck to the rooftops and streets some (before it melted 6 hours later). It was beautiful to look north over the high-rises and see everything coated in snow, even if it didn't last very long, with all of the skyscrapers towering over this white plain.

Though my high-school never did seem to cancel class that much, even when there was a few inches, it was nice when it did happen; ironically enough the greatest chance of cancellation seemed to come about with barely a frost, but I digress. They always say they close the schools for safety reasons and such, but I wouldn't doubt that part of the reason is giving everyone a chance to actually see the sh*t. As rare as it is, when it happens people deserve the chance to walk in it.

***

Conversely, one of my professors (who hails from Boston) threatens to throw me out of class whenever I mention how much I enjoy the snow. Fancy that.

Edited, Jan 17th 2008 1:55am by Pensive

It's the freezing rain that everyone freaks out about. Not only is it horrible/impossible to drive in, but it also knocks power out and they certainly never rush to restore that in a hurry. So, people stock up on water, food etc and wait to weather the storm. I have yet to see an actual freezing rain storm here but it's pretty funny when you come from a snowy place, to be sure, to watch the natives flip out over a little snowy mix.

that's the main thing my sister couldn't stand about NC - a little snow and the whole state shuts down for a week. Up here two inches of snow barely warrants a school delay.

Oh no, I am well aware that they have nothing to handle ice or snow of any sort. I just find it funny that hours before anything even started we had a 2 hour delay, and that they had made it out to be a huge storm. It's a bit chilly, and it's wet, but it's drizzling. Really nothing big.

I guess I am just used to the announcements of "major" storms up north, and the schools waiting until early morning to makea decision based on the actuality and not predictions.

Either way, I got to sleep in an extra hour

I'd use breath taking. A few years ago, we got pelted with a snow storm, that was followed up by a nasty freezing rain storm, so basically, thick ice formed over all of the snow. At night, with the lights glittering off of it was unbelievable. I'm not one to normally think much of the beauty of mother nature, but that took my breath away.

Ice storms, when done, are stunning. Nothing like a layer of ice to make you feel like you're living in another world. But nothing Im unused to either.

***.

Last night I got an email from a client who lives in North Carolina. She was going on about the impending blizzard and how the schools had responded. She said she went to the grocery store and that a rush had cleared the entire stock of bread and milk.

That really seemed odd to me; that there would be such a demand for bread and milk in the face of a catastrophic snow-hell.

She was writing me to tell me how her "Oregon Puppies" were prancing around like kittens with wet feet. I wrote her back with my best great big fake laugh.

This happened in Seattle last winter. We had a couple days of bad wind that blew from he oppostie direction, causing many many trees to fall, putting out power over much of W Washington. Then the snow came. I guess it only snows once every 20 years or so. Now its cold, no electricity, Seattle is unprepared with snowplows and salt, and there's a lot of mountains. The local HS was out of school for so long, the governor had to reduce the amount of mandatory school days because it was going to run over July 4.

Tire chains were flying off the shelves and we ran out of wool socks and heat packs at the fishing/hunting store I worked at. Seattle was pretty much shut down over snow. Lucily, coming from Chicago, I had snow chains and the necessary clothing to make it through. I had to pull my neighbor's car up the hill into the garage so they didn't have to park it on the street like a lot of people had to do. Gave rides to people because I felt bad; they had to par at the bottom of the hill and walk to the top, a good 30 minute climb on a nice day... probably at leat an hour with the snow and ice.

I feel your pain.

I live in a country where 2 snowflakes on successive days brings our entire transport system to is knees

Sorry 'bout your luck.

And WTF are ling johns?

Sorry, meant Long Johns.

Actually, its called Winnipeg, but it's actually Winterpeg, or the Mosquito capital of Canada. :p

Tell me about this Ca-na-duh.

Woosh!