Ice Is Not Cool

Texas tries to get in on the winter season at least once or twice a year. However since it doesn't get the consistent winter like symptoms as the rest of the world, the attempts at a random ice storm, or a spontaneous 2 inch dusting of snow ends up being more annoying to me than magical.
It kind of reminds me of that kid in school that would always bounce up and down around everyone, trying to fit in till you were like,
"Yes Peter, what is it??"
With all focus now on Peter, it would quickly become apparent that he didn't really have anything pertinent to add, he just wanted to be part of the conversation.

All over the world there are reports of record breaking snow, cold temperatures, and ice storms taking out power and closing down freeways. Texas hears this, wants to get in on the action, but that dang southern current keeps us from fitting in. So the minute that Canada blows us a cold front, our meteorologists are in a complete frenzy. They bundle up in parkas and load up in vans to go report "live from the scene" of the winter weather.

(Sigh) "Yes Texas, what is it??"

They start going on for 20 minutes, pre-empting all other news. Using phrases like "a wintry mix is upon us." I'm sorry, what does that even mean?

Here, we get an ice storm of sorts and everything shuts down. Schools are closed, shows get interrupted with constant updates about how you are a fool, a fool, to be on the roads right now. I agree with them on that. You are in serious danger from all the people on the road who don't know how to drive in it.

And because our ice and snow are so hit or miss, we lack the skills to deal with it. Case and point, me getting out of the car today at the Yoga studio and promptly slipping on the ice. Oh I'm fine, I'm fine. More annoyed really. It's very possible slipping on ice wasn't really in my line of thought, given that three days ago it was 80 degrees.

It was also unfun to run errands yesterday and come to the horrible realization that 25 degrees is officially my flip flop wearing threshold. Toes. Frozen. Off. Flip flops, boots, make up your mind you blasted state! We don't care that we don't make the news with all our winter misery. I've lived it growing up. I promise. It's not all it's cracked up to be. Sure, there were the snowball fights, the snow forts, armies of snowmen, the building of snow ramps to do wicked sledding off of...aww, good times...but-whatever, I promise, warmer is better.

Snow, ice, wintry mix...bad. Sunshine and 80's..good!

Don't worry Pet-Texas, we love you just the way you are. (Until August when I can only guess that you are trying to melt us.)

P.S. No offense to the name Peter. It's a lovely name.

P.S.S. This will not go over well with my native Texan friends. You don't make fun of Texas. Not even joking. Not even a little bit.