It Was REAL, and It Was FUN...

But all this snow wasn't REAL FUN...not one damn bit!

It was (dare I say it?) ENTERTAINING, though. I said to my wife that I should go out front with a cold beer, sit my butt down on the step, and watch all the people trying to do what I had already done (much better) hours before, because I practice a little self-discipline and get up early regardless of the weather.

Hey, I was up before 0600 clearing my sidewalk, and even got to chat up the paper delivery guy. THEN I found out FWCS cancelled today, so my wife didn't NEED to have the driveway cleared (it was done anyway...so sue me). But since everyone ELSE seems to stay in bed until the sun shines on their ass, whether there is school or not, and since everyone ELSE around here doesn't hold down any sort of JOB to speak of (which explains all the time they have on their hands), I tend to "buck the trend" in this neighbohood.

Yeah, I'm the anomaly here.

What was humorous was the manner in which people were cleaning off their vehicles (while the sidewalks and steps leading TO those vehicles were totally ignored). Many use the wipers to clear the windshield and trust that Mother nature will take care of the rest. That'll screw up a wiper motor REAL fast, but it's best to let them find that out all on their own. Some used their hand (gloved or not), and I wonder WHY they didn't stop at almost ANY store, and grab themselves a cheap-ass snow scraper/brush when they got their gallon of orange drink and Andy Capp Hot Fries?

One "family" was actually using SNOW SHOVELS to remove the snow from their car (nothing says "typical ghetto behavior" QUITE like that, does it?) and their kids did everything BUT clear snow away, but did find time to climb on the HOOD of the car to get the roof cleared off. Another house was using a square spade garden shovel for snow removal (and we all know how MUCH snow you can get on one of those, don't we?), while I stood there watching them, and was pleasantly bemused.

It's also funny to see people TRYING to use a snow-blower. It's not hard to figure out that hardly any of these folks graduated high school, have been "guests" of the Allen County lockup numerous times, and are probably on some controlled substance NOT approved by the FDA, so what is the FIRST thing YOU would do in THEIR "condition"?

Yeah, that's right...operate complex machinery. To them, anything above a twist-off cap, or a soda can's pull tab IS "complex"...trust me!

And beware...they WILL be out on the roads today.

There are some days where I am just NOT at a loss for physical humor, especially when I look out a window. It does tend to minimally balance out all the crap (read "neighbors") that I would otherwise have to be dealing with every single day around here.

Then there are the boomcars. Ah, yes...they are becoming quite like the USPS; Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor gloom of night can stop THESE MORONS from keeping us awake (and the plaster cracking in our homes). Used to be a time when they would at least have a modicum of civility when it came to inclement weather.

Not anymore.

They have to exercise their intimidation and testosterone in ANY weather...all the time. Gotta love those city ordinances they never seem to enforce, don'cha?

And lastly, we have the snowplows...those orange trucks try and rooster-tail all the snow from the street back ONTO our clean sidewalks (lazy-asses aren't fazed by this) because they go down the streets TOO damned fast. Slow up, guys...get the job done RIGHT.

There IS a lighter side to the plow trucks, and that's when all the people that don't think the plows will come, (and do NOT use their own DRIVEWAY or GARAGE to park their vehicle, but instead defer to ON-STREET PARKING) are PLOWED IN when the trucks go by. Then they gripe their ass off and struggle to get the car dug out (hint: without a shovel, that's one daunting task). Seems these people might ENJOY a good struggle (to hear them speak about oppression that happened ages ago, and has NO bearing on their status in life) anyway, so they should quit bitchin', and start shoveling. Exercise is good for the soul, bru'tha!

I must say that whenever the plows DO arrive around here (which is usually a day or more after the snow stops), they DO a good job. And they don't come down the streets as fast any longer (maybe they're reading this blog?). Then again, we saw them last night after 9PM.

The police radio's been abuzz with the obligatory slideoffs, police chases, fights, accidents, and sundry other weather-related (and ghetto-related) behaviors. Cripes, even the officers in blue don't even get a let up in the "action". Doesn't matter what the weather is, some dumbass will always want to commit SOME crime...somewhere. Yet I know that with certain calls on the air, you can even tell THEY manage to find a little humor in some of this.

Some of the worst problems which will linger as long as we don't get a lot of days above 32 degrees, are the residential intersections here. Most of them are "low-lying" compared to the streets, ponding the water like there's no tomorrow.

And all that WATER turns into all that ICE when the temps drop below freezing (like last night). It's not bad if you don't plan to STOP at all, but the manner of driving that many of the locals exhibit demands you approach EVERY intersection with more caution than usual, even if it's a stop sign (for them).

But, all in all, it wasn't such a bad day.

It could have been worse (and most likely WILL be so soon enough).

Hey, it's the south side....whaddya expect? Whispering Meadows?