Exercising My Constitutional Rights

In the years I was exiled living in rural Nebraska, I endured some very cold temperatures.  On one particularly memorable sunny day, I drove by the time and temperature sign at the town bank and it read -10 degrees. 

It was noon.

For anyone, let alone this California native, that's just damned cold.   To Nebraskans, however, it was just another day.  If I had ventured to remark upon the cold to a native Cornhusker they would have shrugged and then pointed out that it was colder back in '86 when the wind blew at 40 miles per hour and the temp was -15.  The people of that state had a remarkable ability to remain unaffected by any kind of weather.  I used to envision a  Nebraskan standing at the gates of hell with a non-Nebraskan, one who would remark that it sure seemed hot, only to have the Nebraskan respond.  "Hot? It's nothing compared to that July day in '95 when we had the Chicken Festival.  That was hot."

Here in New Jersey, people complain about the weather.  And by complain I mean a near non-stop whinging and moaning about conditions outside.  There is no dismissive response, no claim that it was worse back in the winter of '02.  Complaints receive instant commiseration.  Fact is, in New Jersey we have a right to complain.  It's right there in Article I of the Garden State constitution, "As misery loves company, it it the recognized right of all New Jerseyans to moan and complain about anything they find troubling."

Yesterday, I drove to school in a snowstorm, scraped a few inches of icy snow off my car in order to drive home on slick, slushy roads, and then had to get out the snow blower just to park in my own driveway, I was of a mood to complain.  And, God bless New Jersey, she was ready to listen.

My school called a snow day at 11 pm last night, with 6 inches of snow on the ground and the white stuff falling at a very steady clip.  This morning features a winter wonderland of rather epic proportions.  We've gotten a total snowfall of 18 inches in my corner of New Jersey.  The local news is reporting that it's the snowiest winter in 62 years.

It's actually rather beautiful outside; the sun is shining.  I have the day off and a snow blower, so I can probably get things set to rights easily enough.  Still and all, I wouldn't mind a few snow-free weeks as winter considers winding down.