This week has been a rough one for us Chicagoans. On Sunday, we got pounded by one of the worst blizzards in our city's history. Bitter cold and snowfall continued to persist throughout the week. While it's easy for us to harp on the negative effects this sort of weather has on us, it's important to focus on the good things that can come from all this snow and cold. Let's brighten everyone's weekend and put a positive spin on the inconveniences this week's weather caused us.
Sidewalks caked with ice and snow When business owners and landlords don't shovel the walk in front of their property, it can make foot transportation dangerous and a pain in the ass. But from that danger and inconvenience comes adventure and excitement. Strap on your toughest snow boots and pretend you're climbing up a mountain. Glide across ice as if you're on an ice rink. And if you're looking to get out of your fitness resolution from New Year's, the treacherous sidewalk terrain is the perfect excuse for you to stay in and watch movies all day. You know, for your safety.
Shoveling The two feet of snow that fell this week was wet and heavy, which made shoveling an even more cumbersome task than usual. But think of the great workout you got from doing it. Lifting and throwing that heavy snow was great exercise for your back and arm muscles. And since you were most likely shoveling for hours on end, it was a great way to build up stamina, too! So if you shoveled at all this week, you can totally justify not going to the gym for the rest of February.
School and work cancellations Wait, people complained about this?! I had to trudge my ass into work every day this week, can I trade spots with you?
Driving The road conditions were atrocious this week and many of the neighborhood side streets remained unplowed for days. Where most people see hazardous driving conditions, I see Fast and the Furious–esque exhilaration. You get to hear the roar of your engine as you desperately try to get unstuck from a snowed-in parking spot. Once you finally get your car moving, the snowy roads are perfect for drifting, gliding into a parking spot between two cars. If you accidentally hit another car or object in the road, just pretend you're winning a game of bumper cars. That little bit of pride should take the sting off having to report an accident to your insurance company.
Bitter cold My grandfather always told me that walking around in freezing temperatures built his character. If that's true, than our city as a whole certainly built up a lot of character this week. Maybe with all this newfound character we have we'll start exercising more goodwill towards our fellow Chicagoans, develop the resilience and fortitude that we need to get through tough times and stop making snarky blog posts about the cold weather that occurs every year and is natural to the climate of our city and region.
But probably not. Only a couple more months 'til sunshine and warmth, everyone. Try not to go crazy.