ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME???

I think I'm going to scream. From Accuweather:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
349 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2008

...ACCUMULATING SNOW POSSIBLE LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY
FRIDAY EVENING...

.A STORM SYSTEM MOVING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WILL TRACK INTO
THE CENTRAL PLAINS THURSDAY NIGHT...AND AFFECT FAR NORTHERN
ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY.
A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STORM SYSTEM IS
EXPECTED TO TRACK ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS BY FRIDAY EVENING. HEAVY
WET SNOW IS POSSIBLE NORTH OF THE TRACK OF THIS LOW PRESSURE AREA
ACROSS FAR NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS EXTENDING SOUTHEASTWARD INTO FAR
NORTHWEST INDIANA.

Who gets burned in March?

What a day!!!!! First, we introduced Lauren to her brand new big girl room. Her reaction was priceless:

Oh ... it's beautiful

I never expected that great a reaction. Of course, the big test is how she handles sleeping in the new room over the next few days. I don't really consider tonight a valid test because of what else we did.
How could we not take advantage of the weather today? It was sunny and 78 with a nice breeze. The neighborhood was filled with kids running around and adults chatting it up, so we had to join in. Lauren had an absolute blast. We played with basketballs and baseballs, rode her new bike, and had fun playing with the other kids. She also drove one of those electric jeeps around. She had seen them before, but was never brave enough to try it out. Today, she got brave enough to sit in one. From there, it didn't take her long to slide into the driver's seat and go for a spin. Her smiles could not have been bigger. She just loved every minute of it. Guess I need to go find one of these bad boys for her this year.
There is just one problem. Living in Chicago, my skin has not seen hide nor hair of the sun for about 5 months. Immediately subjecting my skin to several hours of baking sun has produced this nice glow ... a nice red glow but a glow nonetheless. I never thought I would get a sun burn in March. My only hope is, when I go to work tomorrow, I am just one of many to have spent a little too much time enjoying the new found sun.

Idiots and Physics

I don't mind driving in the snow. It's actually kind of fun in that white knuckle, ass clenching, please dear God let me get through this kind of way. What does get me riled are the idiots out there who do not understand basic grade school physics when driving in this kind of weather.
Today, I came home early because I was the only member of my team to actually make it to work today. On the way home, I came upon some IQ challenged lady who felt the safest thing to do when driving in inclement weather is to go 5 miles per hour. I felt a sudden urge to stop my car, walk up to her window, and explain to her the intricacies of how her "driving safe" was actually more hazardous than if she was speeding. My rant has to begin with the concept of momentum. By traveling 5 mph, she has essentially no momentum. Even worse, when she hits those inevitable spots of low traction, her forward velocity is so small that there is a good chance she won't pass the low traction area to reach a spot of higher traction ... like what I witnessed in the middle of her left turn across a VERY busy road. Add to this debacle the fact people behind her are now required to brake far more than they would likely expect, I guarantee she caused an accident somewhere in her travels today. My only hope is she is actually involved and not some poor schmoe who actually understands how traveling 5 mph is not the best way to control a ton of metal.
I have no problem with cautious driving, particularly in inclement weather like today. I do however have a problem with those whose caution is so extreme as to create a road hazard for others. So when driving today, please be aware that caution is a good thing, too much caution will send you straight to a lecture by me on the fundamentals of physics and how they affect a ton of metal on a slippery road.

Perspective

It's been cold. We all know that. Our shivering, huddled bodies have recognized that the temps are slightly less than we would like. On the plus side, we have experience. We've seen this kind of thing before and know how to handle it. This was brought to my attention when, on Monday, Lauren stepped out of the garage and had this to say about the weather:

"My eyes hurt!"

I could not think of a better way to describe the current conditions. Bravo Lauren! Bravo!