Oh, About That Petulant Snit...

...it has matured in to a full on, Andy Rooney-esque bitch fest about something that I cannot control.

First off, read the facts about the winter we've had in Southern Wisconsin here.

As those who know me well know, I have never been one to complain about the weather. Quite the contrary. I have always taken great pride in the fact that I grew up and live in the Midwestern United States where we get it all, weather-wise. Freezing cold, stifling heat, pouring rains and, yes, even some nice days now and then.

I have even been heard to remark that Midwesterners could, because of their experience of climate, live just about anywhere and get used to it.

With all of that, it is hard to imagine that I even have a limit when it comes to extreme weather.

I'll admit, it's high. But it is there.

What's more, folks, we have almost reached that limit. We are mere fractions of a mile from the border between "Grin and Bear It" to "Toxic, Screaming, Super Freakout That May Involve Guns."

No, I am not exaggerating. It seems that I am not the only one who as about had it.

I am sick and tired of living in boots, wool socks, long underwear and pound after pound of other protective clothing. I am tired of constantly being cold and/or wet. I am weary of constantly looking at the ground to adjust my gait so that I don't fall and break something. I am in pain because I have actually already fallen (that I can count) six times. Oh, and you know the old saw "the bigger they are, the harder they fall?" It is absolutely true. A kid falls down, he's light and doesn't have far to go. I fall down, and the better part of 325 pounds has to fall several feet.

I am also fed up with the temperature, getting just warm enough on occasion (and these have been rare) to melt just enough so that, come evening, it can re-freeze and turn deadly again. I realize and appreciate how hard clean-up efforts have been, but I cannot help but think that some proactive measures (plowing before things are buried and impassible) may help sometimes. I am still pissed at UW for closing only when all of the tens of thousands of us were already on campus.

I want to wear regular, dry shoes, no sweatshirts and no sweaty stocking cap. I want to breath in without my nostrils stinging. I want to air out my apartment which bears the smells of a hundred dinners, cigars, spilled beers and so on. I want to walk without the fear of broken bones constantly. Most of all, I want a short time before cold weather that can kill you turns to hot weather that can kill you.

Is this too much to ask.

Probably. But I'm asking anyway.