Panic at the Disc-Snow.

Saturday it snowed in the DC region. And, as is typical for this area, it prompted a calm, collected response from the natives:

It’s snow, people. Which we get here.

Every. Single. Year.

Granted, it was the first time since 1979 that it snowed in October and it was fairly “heavy” for this region. Several thousand people were without power and some schools were actually closed.

But calling it things like, “Snowtober“?

Come on.

Wacky names aside**, the fact remains that the fluffy stuff seems to catch people off guard every time. It doesn’t matter that the National Weather Service gives us a heads up, we still seem completely incapable of wrapping our heads around the fact that it will, in fact, snow here (and occasionally we get a lot of it). Many locals drive like maniacs on wet, icy roads either out of denial or refusal to admit the weather people were right. Yes, your Porsche is sexy. Just not when it’s off the road and up an embankment. Or spinning out on the shoulder.

Just sayin’.

Then there are the locals on the other end of the spectrum who panic whenever we have a slight weather “hiccup.” Or as I like to call it, “French Toast Snow.” The second the Weather Channel calls for a light dusting, these intrepid survivalists clean out the eggs, milk, and bread from the grocery store. What I want to know is why, of all products on the shelves, do they pick some of the most perishable? Why not hoard cans of beans, veggies, and Twinkies? You know, stuff that will last a nuclear war.

But as nutty as we are, we love to hate our snow. Give us an inch and we’ll shut down highways, buy up shovels and generators and the hardware store, and provide the media days worth of ratings. All while sipping hot cocoa (or, for some of us, Irish Coffee) with a smile.

So here’s hoping for a weather-filled Snowvember***.

*Retrieved from:
http://www.zimbio.com/member/clintprexis/articles/6wfu3oBdOEC/Annoyed+Toddler+Tantrums+Screaming

**Including other media favorites like “Snowmageggon”, “Snowpocalypse” and “Snowicaine.”

***Coined!!