04 December 2008

Winter Wonkyland

Singing off-key like T-Baby, with my own little spin to it:


It’s so cooooold in the C…


It’s cold as a polar bear’s toenails here in Chicago. There’s just some sun and not as much wind that throws it off to make it look like a “good day” when in reality, we’re freezing something awful.


I hate winter.


I’ve blogged on this before. As a matter of fact, it seems as though every winter, I have a “Winter Hate” blog posted at some point. Last winter was THEE worst winter Chicago had seen since 1984…seriously. And this winter just doesn’t look like it’s going to be any better than last.


This past Monday was the first real snowfall here. And boy, did it fall. It fell so much and so thick, you’d have thought that it had been snowing for quite some time this year. Not so. It’s just the only one this year to actually stick. The official sign of Winter, no?


Now correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t winter supposed to “officially start” somewhere in the middle of December? I always thought so. Chicago is an area of four seasons and each season is supposed to last three whole months…supposedly. Spring starts March 21. Summer starts June 21st. Fall starts Sept. 21……..and as my calculations come out, Winter ain’t supposed to be here til…..December 21st. It came 20 days earlier this year. And I have a problem with that. A big problem.


I want to move.





I get in these moods every winter and every winter, I am reminded of the very real possibility that I may have S.A.D.*. You see, not only do I despise winter and everything about it, sans the holiday season, but my moods have a greater chance of changing and dropping…and staying “low” until Winter’s end. I’m more irritable, annoyed, and things tend to frustrate me a bit more easily. I am a very standoffish person most times and during the winter, it’s even worse.


So…I need to move.


Obviously a warm climate is better for me. But know what’s funny in this whole thing? I’ve lived in Chicago for about 98% of my life. You’d really think I was used to this winter nonsense by now, right? Wrong. Something in me just can’t get used to it and adapt as well as other folk. It’s crazy.


But just like everything else I go through or encounter, I analyzed this little factoid about myself to the very core. You see, I was born in Atlanta, Georgia. My mom had been living in Atlanta for about a year and a half before she became pregnant with me and since I was born in September (but was supposed to arrive in October), I figure the conception time and all that was around February…which furthermore means that while I was roasting in Atlanta and awaiting for my debut, the weather was awesome….for the most part. The last trimester (which is particularly important, by the way), was also encompassed by the warmth of summer. Furthermore, Atlanta doesn’t get much snow and they don’t really get “all four seasons” either. It’s a relatively warm area with colder temperatures during their “winter time” but nothing drastic at all. Nothing like how Chicago can get.


I think I formed to not be able to adapt to winter well before I hit this whole “Life” scene. It was in the cards all along. It all makes sense now.


On the flipside, I love Chicago. I’ve got Chi-Pride from here to Timbuktu. The best summers are in Chicago (Summertime Chi). There’s noooo city like MY city. I just can’t do this terrible traffic, lavish layers of clothing wearing, shameful snow shoveling, and immense ice and whirling winds and bustling blizzards and getting up a half hour or more early just so I can get the snow and ice off my car and warm it up so I don’t freeze to death while driving stuff at all. I’m not a morning person (remember) and furthermore, it’s just NOT me. It’s not.



(I can't do this bullshyt. I just CAINT!)


Na na na na

Wait til I get my money right




I’m getting a Winter house….in Miami.


Freezing my toes off,


Ms_Slim


*S.A.D. = Seasonal Affective Disorder, " A form of depression occurring at certain seasons of the year, especially when the individual has less exposure to sunlight." (as taken from: http://www.dictionary.com/SAD)

10 comments:

DLG said...

LOL! You're always telling me I should come to Chicago, I should re-locate there if I ever move. Every winter you convince me that Atlanta is the place I should stay lol!

It's been colder here earlier than usual too though. I think we had some snow Monday and I was praying hard it would stick (it didn't) cuz down here, that means the city shuts down lol. No school or work until the trucks can put the salt on the roads!

Maybe I'll visit Chi in the summertime... it sounds nice.

Diamond~Star said...

Girl what??? Cold is not my friend.
I got a co-worker who is from Chicago and she swears she is never going back there to live because of the winter. I know for fact I am not visiting anybody up that way no time soon because of the cold. I love spring and summer. That weather don't bother me cause I lived in it most of my life. I have a brother who livees in Detroit and he wants me to come visit. I tell him "try June, July, and August". I barely (if ever) see snow here and you bet to believe that if they THINK it's going to snow, then EVERYTHING IS CLOSED. No food, no bread, no nothing. We can't even operate if ice is on the roads. So I know for fact, I could not live in Chicago, Green Bay, Detroit, none of those cities.

Ms_Slim said...

Joy- Like Ye said, "Summertime Chi". I promise you there isnt a better place to be. It's like a whole new world here when we're in Winter though. Ugh.

I've always thought it was funny how things just shut down down there over one layer of snow. Thats normal for us. It's like I have Chi in my blood but an ATL state of mind; it's weird at times...

D-S: Girl you're makin me jealous, talkin bout your all year round spring time and summer weather where you are. Cut that out! lol

Naturally Alise said...

It is cold in the NC, and I was sitting here rememberizing (hush, made up words rock!) last December when I went to NYC for a week and I didn't complain the rest of the winter about my NC pseudo-cold, so like in The Color Purple "Celie, you have my deepest sympathies"

Ms_Slim said...

Hey girl. And welcome!

Yea people in the south and whatnot love to scream "COLD" when its like 52 degrees outside. I'm like, "you wanna know REAL cold.....Come to Chi" lol. Like you said, [Chi] makes tourists embrace their hometowns with a vengence when they come visit here. Compare the two and Chi always takes the cake...for coldest city in all of THEEE land" lol

Diamond~Star said...

I guess 52 would be springlike weather to you if you are up there in below 0 (or close to it). I am dreading leaving work tonight because of the wind chill.Brr!!!

Stefan said...

Just wait until the snow starts... ::cough cough:: this weekend :-P ::cough::

Ms_Slim said...

Stef, you just want me to feel bad...don't you? :-(

A Genius said...

I want to come to Chicago...but I don't know when. I look on the weather and it's dumb hot in the summer. Like, niggas die in the Chi...and not just because yall are hooligans. Then in winter it's stupid cold. How's spring looking over there?

I don't like winter either, but only because I don't like big coats. The winter bitched me last year...I think I left the house like 8 times.

Ms_Slim said...

Teef in Chi? Can't say I'll be surprised, considering....You just make sure you drop by to say hi or something while you're here, k?


Um....you get a side eye for makin a blanket statement and callin ALL of us "hooligans". LOL

But yea, in the summer it can get pretty hot. It's not THAT bad though; Ive been to MANY hotter places lol...Winters are ridiculous here. RIDICULOUS!!! Spring is a cool season, a LOT of rain though; but other than that, it's the best season out here, imo. Can I expect you in April?