Sunday, December 27, 2015

5 reasons why we don't whine about the weather

I was having a perfectly relaxing day until I checked Twitter. Almost without warning, it was filled with apocalyptic predictions of a level of doom of beyond-epic proportions.

No, we weren't being bombed by our own regime. Or by someone else. We weren't being shot at. And we weren't fighting for our lives in some leaky boat in the middle of the sea.

But we were under assault. By Mother Nature, apparently. Because the very fact that Environment Canada has issued winter weather watches for large chunks of the province of Ontario is apparently the perfect excuse for people to lose their minds.

So here's why I won't be busting my spleen about the weather, and why I believe you shouldn't, either:
  1. You can't change it. Weather's going to happen whether we like it or not. And nothing you say or do will influence the outcome. Except the degree to which you choose to annoy those around you.
  2. Your definition of "difficulty" is wrong. Our grandparents walked eight miles to school through head-deep snowdrifts, uphill, both ways. We, on the other hand, whine if our cars' all-wheel-drive doesn't kick in before we start feeling the seat warmers.
  3. No one really cares what you think. Whether you find it cold, hot, or anything in between is somewhat irrelevant. The citizens of Facebookistan and Twitterburg aren't waiting with bated breath for your perspectives on winter storms. Or summer storms. Or any storms, for that matter. If you're not adding to the canon of knowledge related to winter survival, then it's probably best to keep it from public view.
  4. You look and sound like a doofus. No one likes a complainer. And folks who complain online are the worst. Learn some empathy and actually read what you write before you hit the Send or Publish button. This is your brand
  5. Harsh weather is good for the soul. Since you can't change the weather, you may we well change your attitude and embrace whatever's about to happen. Enjoy the fact that you're alive, that you were given another day to breathe it all in. It may be inconvenient and uncomfortable, but we can say the same thing about so many other things, too. The alternative is always so much worse, and your opportunity to create indelible memories for those around you begins now.
Your turn: How do you make tough weather fun?

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Well said, Carmi! In recent years, our news stations have lost their collective minds, reporting with headlines such as "Snowpocalypse" or "Snowmageddon" or whatever other brilliant combo word someone has come up with. They'll have special reporting with journalists out driving in the bad weather and someone filming where they're driving, just to show how bad it is (UGH! Get off the roads!). The grocery stores will be *insanely* busy the day before with people stocking up as if they were going to be stranded at home for the next week. Seriously?!? I'm not saying that *some* people might not need *something* but in the majority of cases, I would imagine that people could survive for a day or two IF (BIG IF!) they were actually snowed in. And we get far less snow than we did when I was growing up here. It was no big deal back then. We DID have a few days here and there when the town would shut down, but it was FUN!!

No matter the weather, SOMEONE will be unhappy about it. It's gotten pretty old. They need to just read your post and STOP IT. ;-)

kenju said...

while I am no fan of bad weather, I do agree that news people have turned it into a tragedy, no matter what happens. I do complain about it - and I might stop to think before I do that again.

Michèle et Jean-Claude said...

Promise to complain less but I am still going south!

Tony McGurk said...

A well said post. There's no pleasing some people. When it's hot they want cooler weasther. When it's cold they want hotter weather. When it's raining they want sunny weather. When it's hot & dry they want rain. Like you said our opinions & whining won't change nuthin'