Are You A Weather Warrior Or A Weather Weenie?
Did you wake up this morning dreading the drive, or was your body pumped with adrenaline, looking forward to the thrill?
Driving In Michigan Takes A Little 'Sisu' Or Intestinal Fortitude
While I won't tell you I enjoy driving in a snow storm like we experienced this week, I will tell you that it doesn't bother me. Snow is a fact of life here in Michigan, so you just have to deal with it. Once in my car, I kind of enjoy the thrill of the adventure, not knowing if I will make it to work or not.
So, are you a winter weather warrior? Or a winter weather weenie?
The Difference Between A Winter Warrior And A Winter Weenie
Here's a comparative study:
The weenie thinks schools and government offices should shut down after two inches of snow fall. They watch the local TV weather reports full of fear. The term "lake effect" makes them break out in hives.
The warrior sneers at the weather reports. He or she will brag about that time in 1977, during the worst blizzard in Michigan history, they drove from Comstock Park to Gaylord without the luxury of four wheel drive, in their Dad's station wagon, just to get ice cream.
The weenie has a jacked-up 4WD Navigator, but will still uses their employer's liberal leave policy to get out of driving to work.
The warrior rides a motorcycle until January.
The weenie buys warm weather gear from top of the line stores, but still complains about how cold it is.
The warrior understands layering and how to shed layers, so that by the time he's done shoveling his driveway, he's wearing only his boxers and a good pair of Wolverine boots.
Weenies rush to Meijer at the first sign of snow, but stock up on things that don't matter like bread and milk.
Warriors go out in the middle of the storm because they've run out of liquor.
The weenie seeks a carefully plowed parking space, hopefully within walking distance of their destination.
The warrior knows how to parallel-park in snowbanks.
Weenies own snow blowers.
Warriors own winches.
The weenie will tell you how his knuckles went white while trying to creep up Fountain Street after a light dusting. He can do wind chill factors in his head and will use those stats to back out of plans to go skating at Rosa Parks Circle.
The warrior will tell you stories of surfing Lake Michigan the day the Edmund Fitzgerald went down, and how he survived the '76 ice storm by burning his baseball cards for fuel and drinking melted snow when the pipes broke. A 720 degree spin down the Michigan Avenue hill will leave him squealing with delight.
So which one are you?
The Scenic Beauty Of Northeast Michigan
Gallery Credit: Maitlynn Mossolle