Archive: Opinions

I am starting to suffer from snow guilt.  My cousins in Massachusetts have been buried in snow multiple times, losing power and heat, while here in Tompkins County we have had relatively little snow all winter.  I could do without the cold, but I have been enjoying not being buried and losing power, or worse -- my Internet connection!

I thought my guilt would finally be assuaged Wednesday, when it was predicted  we would get about a foot and a half of snow, and then ice to top it off.  We ended up with about an inch and a half of snow, hardly enough to complain about (although I always reserve the right to complain).

My relatives have taken to posting pictures of snow and icicles on Facebook (when they have the power to connect), and they are mighty impressive with mountains of the white stuff covering everything that would have been in sight if it weren't so buried.  I could have taken some pretty snow pictures, but really I would have felt inadequate putting them on my Facebook page where my cousins could see them.

They would sneer with distain at my little weenie accumulation, and make fun of the fact that my all wheel drive car could probably get out of the driveway even if it weren't plowed.  They would rightly point out that school didn't really have to be canceled Wednesday -- cancelling it was almost wishful thinking, as I suspect local Superintendents are also suffering from snow guilt because their cousins who are superintendents in Minnesota or along the East Coast are forced to cancel school.  Or worse, snow envy.

I have said this before: global warming has been a big disappointment to me.  As I get older and really appreciate the warm and fuzzy feeling actual warmth brings, I have been hoping that global warming would bring us milder winters.  Instead we get increasingly more unbearable cold, and enough snow to keep the plow guys employed, but not enough to post on Facebook.  I feel this has been placing a wedge in our family.  How can I complain, which I love to do, when they are actually suffering and so gosh darned good natured about it?

Then again, maybe I should change my attitude.  I could post my pictures on Facebook and gloat.  But when I do things like that karma catches up with me.  The minute I did that we would certainly get 30 inches of snow, and it would be my fault.  Everyone in Tompkins County would be mad at me!  I couldn't take the pressure!

A friend once told me that his business was doing quite well but everone else in that shopping center was having hard times.  He didn't want to make them feel bad, but he didn't want to lie, so when they asked how his business was doing he replied, 'Business could be better.'  I'm taking my cue from him.  On Facebook I am quietly clicking the Like button when my cousins post that their power just came back on, and I'm posting not one word about the weather.

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