Not Picnic

So, there's a lot of hysteria over a coming winter storm. So much, in fact, that some idiot actually published a forecast that projected 30" of snow for New York City. That's not going to happen, kids. On the other hand, for some other places, especially in New England, it's going to be at least that much if not more.

While tracking the storm yesterday I spoke with a co-worker and we reminisced about the blizzard in January of 1996. She proudly recounted how she'd just moved to New Jersey and insisted to her husband that she'd get to work in New York City no matter what. She did. Shortly thereafter her office closed because the storm was so bad. I nodded and smiled and appreciated the story.

I am a fan of people who work hard. I really am. I hope we don't all have to work so hard that we can't also play hard but, especially when you're doing something you love, and this woman was, I am pro-hard work. However, I'm also pro-community responsibility which is why I'm about to tell you what I'm about to tell you.

Stay fucking put. Don't be an asshole.

If you live in a place where the weather is going to be bad please think at least twice before you go out in it. We're lucky to work at a time in history when many of us can work from home. Do you really think you need to go to that concert/show/art opening/party? Can you walk to and from it? And I hear you saying, "I'll be fine. I know what I'm doing." To which I am obligated to reply, "Not everything is about you." Weather is unpredictable and we'll all have to wait and see how bad it gets out there but imagine that you head out to work/concert/show/party and it's bad but not so bad. By the time you're good and ready to head home it's much worse and, through no failure of your own skills, you wind up in a ditch or smashed against a wall or tangoing with a casino bus. Now all sorts of first responder experts have to come dig your ass out of the snow bank instead of checking on the elderly or helping to bring the homeless inside or tending to a heart attack victim who shoveled too much. You won't mean to be part of the problem but, by not being part of the solution, you will be.

Rent some movies. Download a book. Dust off all the old monopoly pieces and hunker down. It's the responsible thing to do.

Deal?

Photo from the actual 1996 Snow Event. Dogs were ecstatic but even they didn't stray more than half a block from home.