The Texas Ice Panic

[AFpheonix]

Cute- I don't have traction devices for Steve either, and although he didn't slip once, I had to try 4 different routes to work before I finally found one that was open

Once I did get in there, it was pretty dead. I spent the last 2 hours looking for projects to do, but it's the good overnight pharmacist's week, and he'd already done most of the little piddly jobs. We were supposed to get a truck from DC but it hadn't showed up yet. I'll be surprised if it shows up by tomorrow, although I'm hoping it does, because we're completely out of both the Albuterol MDIs (they're now discontinued) and the HFA inhalers, and so are 3 of the closest stores in my chain.

We did have a good time pointing and laughing at the SM because he was yelling at everyone that they "had" to come in, bad weather was no excuse, but apparently on his way home he hit a pole How's that karma, big guy?

[batmoody]

I live in Salem, Oregon and yesterday morning I had to be at work at 6am. The driveway was slick from freezing rain and I almost fell on my ass trying to scrape the ice off my windows. The roads were worse. It took me forever to get to work and I was late. By 7am it was full on snowing. The state police were saying if you dont have to go anywhere,don't. Alot of people called in saying they werent coming to work. It was chaos. About 2 hours into it, I decided that all the smart people did stay home, because 90 percent of my customers were just idiots! (And yes, I admit, that makes me a stupid one too)
We only got a couple inches of snow, and hardly anyone even knows about the freezing rain, which is what scared me the most. Now its almost 2:30am, I have to be at work at 3am and all that slushy snow is frozen. I hate the ice. Snow? No big deal. My Jeep handles it pretty well...but the ice? The ice makie me nervous.......

[Hemily]

i love winter, now stop stealing my snow! i want slippery roads! it'll make my drive to work more fun, RWD and no anti locking brakes, and a whole lotta sideways fun! wheeeee!!

i dented my first car doing that held the brakes as i skidded, bad idea, no ABS = no steering while braking, so i hit a tree, backed out and went to fill gasoline, old volvo's are indestructable...

the Mustang II i had, sucked on snow, then again.... i only had summer tires on it, now i have a huge RWD Buick stationwagon from 1980, 1.8 tons of american steel, i so wanna try it on snow!

we only get rain latly *cries* and even Texas gets snow? *sigh*

[Lace Neil Singer]

Over here where I am, people tend to do that buying up the whole store thing... over 2 inches of snow MAXIMUM. Then the next day, it'll be dead. -__- Once when we had snow predicted on a Wednesday night, the place was cramful up til about 6, then people left to tuck themselves in with all the food they'd bought. The place was DEAD. However, only 2 inches of snow fell, and I was perfectly able to make it home on my motorbike. The next day tho, all the snow froze and the roads were impossible. I had the Thursday and Friday off, so didn't have to go in; by Saturday, every bit of snow as gone.

[Salesmonkey]

One thing I love about my old bosses at the hotel was their enlightened approach to ice and snow. They HATE the cold, and refuse to go outside when it's cold, so they don't think anybody else wants to go out either. So whenever the weather guy says an inch of ice is coming, they throw "snow parties" for the employees as a lure to get us to come into work before the nasty weather hits. They cook a big pot of chana masala, fry up a bunch of samosas, and give everybody their own room to stay in. This was good for us, since we didn't have to worry about dying in a firey crash while sliding on the ice trying to get to work. It was also good for them, since they had a captive workforce for the next 2 or 3 days til the thaw came.

I'm using the ice storm as a chance to clean out my freezer. I've moved all the food into a box on my balcony, and I'm letting the fridge thaw out before I wipe up all the grody frozen drips that have been there for years.

[Becks]

I LOVE when people buy a year's worth of supplies for a snowstorm that either doesn't come, or drops half an inch of snow.

What boggles the mind, though, is when a snowstorm DOES hit (overnight) and the exact same people who bought a billion dollars' worth of stuff HAVE to come shopping again as soon as the streets are plowed.

[Food Lady]

I used to date a guy who moved here from northern Michigan...he just couldn't understand what all the fuss was about...

I don't get it either, and I'm from CALIFORNIA. But I've been in WI for 4 years now and while I don't like ice or snow, I just bundle up, buckle up and drive slowly. I've already been in an accident in an ice storm, that totalled my van, so now I can relax. I have to say that rain in SoCal is the makings of hilarity. The news is on it all day long and they interview 86 people who all say the same thing, "Yeah, it's wet out there" or something similar. I don't know if it makes people shop more.

[Noelegy]

I'm weird...I love this weather. There's hardly anyone at work today. It took me an hour and fifteen minutes to make what's usually a half-hour drive to work, but that was because I took it slow and easy and didn't follow too close. I didn't skid once until I was pulling into the parking lot at work. Whee!

What I dislike about living in Texas, besides the fact that we hardly ever get weather that would do the concept of "winter" justice, is that once the temps dip below 50 Fahrenheit, on come the heaters to glass-melting temperatures. I've gotten nosebleeds at work before because the heaters are running so high, and forget about wearing sweaters. I'll be walking around sniffling and miserable, and someone will say it's because it got cold, and I'll tell them, no, it's because I'm being forced to breathe hot, dry air, and they'll look at me like I'm crazy.

I feel better in cold weather (hyperactive heaters notwithstanding). I must have been a Siberian in a former life or something. Speaking of Siberians, I couldn't get our Husky mix to go outside and do her business this morning. Spoiled dog...

[protege]

After getting caught in a few blizzards (damn paper route!) whatever we're currently getting is nothing to me. I'm used to it. Growing up, my bedroom was *always* cold. Not so much because of the weather...but simply because my parents wouldn't turn up the heat enough. 30 years on, it doesn't bother me much.

I still don't know what the big deal is about snow. It amazes me to no end that people act like the end of the world is coming. They'll go out, risk their life and limb over bread in a snowstorm? Give me a freaking break. Even during (and after) the 1990-91 blizzards here, I could still get out. Since the streets were impassable (sp?), I threw the snow chains onto one of the Radio-Flyers, and walked to the store. Of course if the tail on that swung out, you got hit by it.

Idiot drivers are a rant all to themselves. I was always told that a good driver knows how to handle bad situations. Those who can't should stay the hell home. I mean, going slower is a good idea...but when I'm in 1st gear and creeping up on you, it's annoying and dangerous. I *can't* go slower than I already am, folks! If I do, I'll either stall the car, or slide.

Along those lines, what's the deal with people waiting until I'm right on top of them before pulling out in front of me? Don't they realize that I can't stop on ice?

[Kilamon]

Then you get the tourists that are all, "I thought it was Florida, the sunshine state? Why is it cold? Where is the sun?"

I went to Orlando for Thanksgiving (Disneyworld was only at 40% capacity!) and while it was a fantastic, sunny 83 F, I had to fly home where the news reported snow and ZERO degrees. Naturally, I had not packed a sweater or other cold weather gear cause I was going to Florida...just forgot I had to go home.

And just so that everyone gets the latest from Denver, we still have snow from Dec 22nd, my lawn is under at least a foot of snow STILL and my back yard is ... well, I know it's there. The roads are only icy in the mornings, at least. Still not motorcycle weather, but soon!

[sprspike]

Wait a second! This is ridiculous! You're telling me bread ran out BEFORE beer? I am shocked to say the least.

:P

[BookstoreEscapee]

Speaking of Siberians, I couldn't get our Husky mix to go outside and do her business this morning. Spoiled dog...

Try getting a chihuahua to go out onto grass covered with icy snow! This one doesn't like grass when it's warm and dry--I think it tickles his belly; Imagine when it's covered in ice...he's a short-hair and his belly is almost bald! (You want spoiled? When he's at my house he gets his dinner served to him on the footrest of the recliner, and when he's done eating his water bowl is brought in to him My parents trained him to do this in the 8 months he lived with me and now whenever he visits he still expects it. Doesn't get that treatment at his home, I'll tell you that much! He does eat in his bed, though...won't eat on the bare floor, there has to be a cushion or mat of some sort. He's a strange little dog but very entertaining ) You can just see his little face in my avatar.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Wait a second! This is ridiculous! You're telling me bread ran out BEFORE beer? I am shocked to say the least.

:P

It always amuses me when people buy stackloads of bread and milk, cuz surely if there really was a blizzard, they would go off too quickly to be of any use? What do people do with all the excess bread and milk they panic bought when the expected blizzard doesn't materialise?