First Snow of the Season

January 20th, 2008

Categories: Life

They forecasted a little snow earlier this week, but it never came. So when they forecasted it for yesterday, I dismissed it as a probability. Cowgrit told the boys about the forecast, and got them all excited for snow. I felt that was a little cruel, as I really didn’t expect anything.

Then at around 3:00 in the afternoon, it started snowing. Small flakes at first, but lots of flakes. After half an hour, the flakes were bigger, just as many, and started sticking to the ground.

I took the boys out walking in the snow, and they loved it. It usually only snows one to three times a season, here in the South (unless you live in the mountains), so we don’t have real snow attire for the boys. The boys ended up just like I did when I was a kid and it snowed: cold and wet. Cowgrit and I have some good snow clothes, because we’ve been skiing a few times (West Virginia and Colorado), and we are past growing out of what we wore two years ago.

In this area, if you buy snow clothes for young kids, they’ll grow out of them before they actually have a need to wear them. Cowgrit bought Calfgrit7 some good snow clothes several years ago (when he was Calfgrit3-4), but he only wore them one or two days ever.

The snow only dusted the ground this time. There’s really nothing to play in. One of these days we’re going to take the boys to the mountains somewhere and let them see and experience “real” snow.

We get an ice storm about every other year, and a blizzard about once a decade. If snow actually stick to the roads in a noticeable amount, our cities pretty much shut down. Transplanted Yankees think this is funny — that people down in the South can’t handle a little snow and ice. But it’s not that we as a people can’t handle it, it’s that our infrastructure is not prepared for it. I read an article in the local newspaper a few years ago (during our last blizzard) that said our entire state has as many snowplow trucks as the city of Chicago has.

I remember seeing a Christmas episode of In the Heat of the Night (80s TV series with Carroll O’Conner) where it snowed on Christmas day, in Mississippi. That must have been a Christmas miracle.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

Social

January 19th, 2008

Categories: Life

Tonight, after work, several people from the office got together for a happy hour at an Irish pub & restaurant. I wanted to go just to socialize a little, and get to know my coworkers better. I showed up late, but they made room for me. There were around 15 people in the group, and I did get some good conversation.

I stayed about an hour. To leave, I had to walk past all the people waiting in line for tables. The restaurant has less than 20 tables, and our office group was taking up five of them. A woman in the waiting line stopped me, and said, “Can you ask your group if they’re just having drinks, can they go next door to the bar?”

She surprised me, and I looked around at the waiting line and the tables. “I’m sorry,” I said, “I’m the new guy. So I can’t ask them that.” I wasn’t about to damage any good will I might have just established by asking the group to move.

The woman’s husband then asked, “Well who’s the guy in charge in the group?”

“Sorry,” I said, “I don’t know.” I was telling the truth — I had no clue who a leader might be among my coworkers at the tables. Out of the dozen people left at the table, I only really knew one, and only just learned the names of a couple others. The others that I knew had already left — that was mostly why I was leaving at that time.

“Why don’t you know?” asked the husband. But then he answered his own question, “Because you’re the new guy.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Sorry.” I zipped up my coat and walked out.

Hey, I feel for those folks waiting in line for a table. I understand it can be frustrating to wait for a table when you know there’s a big group who probably won’t be breaking up soon. But they’re paying customers. Even if they’re not eating, just drinking, they’re probably spending as much money as a diner. And in this case, the wife and husband team in the waiting line just grabbed the wrong guy for their mission. I truly was the new guy in the crowd — the least likely to take up their cause.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

Nerd Shoes

January 18th, 2008

Categories: Life

I have a pair of simple tennis shoes that I bought for the single purpose of wearing in the office. They’re about a year old, now, and since I only wear them in the office — not in the yard, on a walk, or anywhere else — they’re still in new-looking condition.

I thought they looked neat. They’re basic white and black, so they can go with jeans and just about any shirt. I don’t love them, but I like them just fine. Cowgrit thinks they look nerdy, and she calls them my “nerd shoes.”

Now, I admit that I have some strong geek qualities (I embrace my geekiness). I’ve also usually thought of myself as a nerd, although I’ve never really dressed that part. I never thought these shoes looked nerdy or made me look nerdy.

But then I was at a local high school for a few minutes, while wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and these shoes. A group of teenagers walked past me, and I noted their dress. These kids were dressed better, more sanely, than many teenagers I’ve seen, and I didn’t look too different. Except for my shoes. I immediately noticed how my bright white shoes stood out among the crowd. I was the nerdy old guy. I hung my head in embarrassment.

I will concede to Cowgrit’s fashion wisdom, and I will get some new shoes. I’ll go back to my tried and true Nike brand. I’ve worn Nike’s for as long as I can remember, except for one year when Reeboks were the style, back in the late 80s. These nerd shoes were just the second non-Nike sneakers I had ever bought. They’re not even cheap knock-offs — they’re Champion brand.

Cowgrit tried to save me from my own fashion-stupid self, but I didn’t listen. I usually take her advice on any and every thing I wear, but this time I ignored her. And I walked around for a year looking like a nerd. At least she still hung with me. She loves her nerd.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

Star Wars

January 17th, 2008

Categories: Life, Movies

I met someone I didn’t think existed: someone who has never seen any Star Wars movie. I can understand not liking Star Wars (I don’t really like the latest three episodes, myself), but I’m really surprised that any adult in America has managed to go their whole life without ever seeing even just one of the movies.

Star Wars is a cultural phenomenon, whether you appreciate it as such or not. I’ve heard Star Wars references from people I had thought wouldn’t like the movies. I’ve read Star Wars references in sources completely unrelated to the movies. Star Wars is as American as baseball, apple pie, and . . . and whatever the third thing that goes with that list is.

I don’t like baseball, but I’ve seen a game. I love apple pie, and I’ve had lots of it. I’m sure I’ve experienced that third thing I can’t remember, too.

To never have seen any Star Wars movie? That’s inconceivable. When I learned this fact, of someone I had relatively just met, I had a difficult time trying to relate to him. He seems like a nice guy, but he dismissed the movies like they were some cancelled TV sitcom. He said they don’t interest him. The Nanny never interested me, but I’ve seen an episode.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com