Get A Grip
A fellow blogger created a post about a week ago regarding "How Powerless Humans Really Are" when it comes to a particular weather event. Please do visit Marvin's blog, as not only does he have a unique writing style, but he also gets *it. For me, the topic ignited a pretty specific response, as the topic of weather--particularly snow--as it relates to an individual's defiant inability to simply consider the non-magnitude of its presence--has been and will continue to irritate me up until the very last flake has evaporated into the sky.
And so, some of this post is copied directly from my response to Marvin's original post, while I will go ahead and apologize for pulling what some may consider a repost or perhaps some sort of backwoods plagiarism even though I did in fact create the response myself. I apologize, I do-- however, I don't really mean it.
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I completely understand that a blizzardlike event can slow up or even halt human beings in their tracks. It can be difficult to navigate about a wintery environment when you're not accustomed to doing so.
That said, I've lived in NY for most of my life and I can tell you that snow can slow things up quite a bit. It can be messy and inconvenient; however it's snow and it's February. In fact, winter, for the most part, is not going to kill you.
Our local news networks bask in the glory of a snow event in that it provides an opportunity for manipulative producers to create an event out of a non-event. They love to panic the local residents and they know damn well what they're doing: crying wolf.
It's snow.
I completely understand that a blizzardlike event can slow up or even halt human beings in their tracks. It can be difficult to navigate about a wintery environment when you're not accustomed to doing so.
That said, I've lived in NY for most of my life and I can tell you that snow can slow things up quite a bit. It can be messy and inconvenient; however it's snow and it's February. In fact, winter, for the most part, is not going to kill you.
Our local news networks bask in the glory of a snow event in that it provides an opportunity for manipulative producers to create an event out of a non-event. They love to panic the local residents and they know damn well what they're doing: crying wolf.
It's snow.
...It's not cancer
...It's not a death in the family.
...It's not a life-altering event. It's snow.
In fact, fiscal arguments aside and aside from the unexpected/expected accidents that may occur during a messy commute, a snow event is not the type of experience that qualifies as a disaster. And yet the media makes it seem as though the apocalypse has finally arrived. Individuals who live down south and speak as if the end of the world is upon us need to understand that I understand: it's snow. It's messy and if you're not used to it, somewhat overwhelming. However, southerners (and believe me, many, many northerners who dare quibble about winter in February) fail to look at the bright side or gain perspective for what really matters.
Yes, we may be talking about a few feet of snow, but you're not buried underneath a pile of fallen cement in Haiti; your home has not been swept away by a tornado; a tsunami has not leveled your home and carried away your loved ones.
Yes, we may be talking about a few feet of snow, but you're not buried underneath a pile of fallen cement in Haiti; your home has not been swept away by a tornado; a tsunami has not leveled your home and carried away your loved ones.
It's --> fucking --> snow. Deal with it. It can be cold, blustery and even inconvenient, but for the most part, it's not going to kill you. Stop whining, make a cup of hot cocoa, drag your kids out to make snow angels and/or snowmen and thank your lucky stars for this particular strain of weather-related inconvenience.
Belly in the sand. And yes, I have since cleaned the lens.
Southwest
Nature's Confection
Adjust your perspective and attempt to embrace the beauty.
*it: whatever you need it to be, Marvin gets it.
jenji
6 comments:
You have NO IDEA what you're talking about. This is not merely "snow," this is a storm of EPIC PROPORTIONS! There is the vague POSSIBILITY of three entire ***flakes*** of snow falling! Of course Taco Bell will close down before the first flake will hit; of course every store will be sold out of bread, milk and eggs; of course schools will close in anticipation of snowmageddon.
Snow *IS* most certainly a disaster!
"Warm" Regards,
The South
;-)
"It" is Jenji Time! I love me some Jenji Time. Not nearly enough of it in the world.
Thank you for the props, you're so kind.
I stopped watching The Weather Channel when I moved to Florida and realized that, according to The Weather Channel, we could die at any moment. I got tired of the manufactured hysteria.
But my head is FREEZING in this snow!! I can't feel my ears!!!!! Do I even HAVE ears?!! I can't feel them!
Oh. Here's my hat.
That's better.
Never mind.
:)
Precisely. Snow is no big deal, people. Get some perspective. It's no cause for panic.
Out here in Southern California we have the only reason for the media to think in apocalyptic terms: a light sprinkle!
There's water falling from the sky! Run for your life!
O the humanity!
(O I wish I were kidding.)
Snow makes people freak out.
Jenji, you and Marvin are right. It is winter and it's just snow. It's part of life--so deal! We get so caught up in our lives that we see something like this as an inconvenience. Snow has been falling for millennia, and it will continue to do so long after we are gone. We need to appreciate its beauty while we're here to enjoy it.
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