tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532039821274584783.post7721801676753145719..comments2014-04-27T10:10:22.321-07:00Comments on Conversations Between the Rivers and the Freeways: Deep WinterA K Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09576762576954514511noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532039821274584783.post-31040773904371636092014-02-11T09:16:42.056-08:002014-02-11T09:16:42.056-08:00The Midwest should be renamed the frozen tundra la...The Midwest should be renamed the frozen tundra lands. I think winter flat out sucks there. Sure it gets worse in certain areas of the Midwest, but once you get to it’s friggin’ cold. . .well it's friggin’ cold no matter how low the temperature. Looking back on my arctic experiences, I appreciate them now. At the time I wanted to curse all hell for allowing temperatures to be able to drop to that range. I remember having water in my hair freeze after showering for work and walking outside to my car. It was that cold. But there's survivorship in it. Having gone through the process of living and making it out alive without becoming a solid block of ice is one of those badges you put on your board of life achievements.<br /><br />An oddity I realized, in my experience, is that the cold has an unusual effect of breeding niceness. People in extreme winter states tend to be nicer. Maybe they see the bitter bite of coldness and have plenty of stories about falling or crumbling bumpers, so they figure they can even out the world by infusing more kindness to the fellow man. <br /><br />Having moved to sunny San Diego, where the weather is more often perfect than not, I notice that people take it for granted. In places like Missouri or Illinois or Minnesota, there is a momentum behind summer and good weather in general. Most likely because you can feel your fingers again, but people know what the hellish alternative is and make an effort to really enjoy every last ray of sunshine. When it becomes so commonplace, it’s expected rather than enjoyed. So brave the winter, stay warm enough, hibernate aka Midwest for getting all your house projects done, and remember it could always be worse. . .we could be on Hoth.travel_feverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12602776748552144789noreply@blogger.com