Day 5 - 30 -- Decisions

Snow Day!  This can provide time to catch up on things while at the same time putting other things behind schedule. I missed a lecture and a lab today. The former can be managed with some finagling; the latter is a bit trickier. I did build in some wiggle room for such an eventuality, but it will mean being out of sync with the other lab sections. I'll discuss this with the other lab instructors and see what might work best. The storm brought snow and some wind. Shoveling went well as it was fine, lighter snow. As the afternoon wore on, though, freezing rain and ice pellet warning abounded. I'm glad I was able to shovel the pathways before that began. It can saturate snow gluing it to the ground beneath and form thick ice layers on top of the snow making it difficult to break through to move. Being inside looking out on days like this works best for me. Much paper work and grading helped keep me suitably occupied -- all done to the tune of heavy equipment moving snow, the occasional chain saw for what I can only imagine are downed branches, and lots of back up beepers.

Interestingly, regardless of the decision to remain open or close for a storm, people will find fault. I often hear, "oh, it wasn't that bad" when a close decision is made. Yet, there are just as many wondering why when the decision to remain open is made. Roads can be slippery and icy and visibility obscured in some areas and not in others. Storm lines wobble and move changing the amount and type of precipitation. I would not want to be the one making that decision. Knowing that some people will be vocal no matter what happens must make the process more frustrating. Armchair quarterbacking comes from an odd place, it seems. Rather than second guessing with such blustery bravado, it would be great if we could just accept the day for what it is and make the best of it. For some people, though, learning to live in the grey zone -- not the simple dichotomy of black and white, right or wrong -- can be impossible. I hope to be able to breathe and walk away from such conversations this week. <smile>

A song line came to mind while thinking of potential reactions to the weather. The singer and song are legendary. I've shared the original version for the quality of that younger voice. Enjoy!

Respect -- Aretha Franklin