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Opening Arguments

Old man winter

Whew.

Through a combination of holiday working ahead, short staffing and fighting the weather, it's been a struggle to keep up. I feel like I haven't blogged in forever.

I got up yesterday morning, bundled up in about four layers, scraped off the car and headed slowly out through the frigid air and blowing snow into dangerous streets. Somehow, I managed to make it to work and back with body only slightly battered and car unstuck -- I think maybe it was just blind, dumb luck. I sat down after unbundling and feeling halfway warm again and thought, "Wow, that was just plain stupid."

It was the kind of reckless chance with treacherous weather that the young take and then tell ever more exaggerated stories about. When I worked in Michigan City, my wife and I bundled up and walked the four blocks to the newspaper office through the great statewide blizzard some of you are old enough to remember. It took us half an hour to walk those four blocks. We told the story for years, and the last time I think we said it took us hous and hours and we got turned around several times and almost died within spitting distance of the office and nobody would have found the bodies till spring. Look at us, we're tough! No silly little blizzard was gonna keep us home!

Now I sit on the couch and thank the fates I survived my stupidity. Since I made it in to work yesterday, I worked ahead enough so I could stay home today. This old man may succumb to a reckless impulse occasionally, but he ain't stupid. I earned my day off. Besides, my car has been plowed in, and I'm waiting for the teenage boy across the street to earn his money by digging me out. In the meantime I get up once in a while to look out the front door and yell at the snow, "Get off my lawn!"

Stay warm and dry, friends.

Posted in: All about me
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