Last week’s poll asked whether you used cash or plastic more often and, not surprisingly, most people responded that they use plastic more often with some people even agreeing that it’s a bit ridiculous that in 2011 businesses are still mandating cash. The only really interesting comments came from Kassie who said that she’s going back to using cash more often because it helps her budget better.
This week’s poll comes courtesy of Old Man Winter, an individual who I can honestly say I’ve seen more than my fair share of this winter. While I grew up through some tough winters with frequent snow piled over my head, this year has been the worst I have ever remembered. I’m tired of the cold, the snow, the long and dreary days, and especially the fact that it is so frequent. With the lows all this week reach into the negative teens and the highs in the single digits above 0, I have to admit that I am more than ready for this weather to go away–forever.
But some people seem to feel that winter, even ones like this one, are one of the best parts of living here in Minnesota (“Oh I love the changing of the seasons!”). To those who think that way I want to hear from you. What about this weather makes you love it so much? Why do you put up with this year after year after year and why do you complain when the winters are unseasonably warm with little snow? How about those of you that are in the same camp as me and are already tired of this year’s weather long before the groundhog has shown his furry little face to the cameras? Whatever you have to say about the snow and cold this year go and and vote on the sidebar and then comment on below as I’d love to hear what you have to say.
After you do both of those things feel free to check out our expired polls in the archive or read through the previous posts about polls here.
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January 16th, 2011 at 8:17 am
ummm, let me see, january, minnesota, cold weather, snow, xx amount of days in a row below 0c. what could possibly be wrong with this picture:)
bb
January 16th, 2011 at 8:53 am
There’s this collective amnesia in Minnesotans I’ve noticed: they all forget how harsh the last winter was. I think it’s nature’s way of keeping them all from moving south and causing the equator to buckle under the weight.
I love Minnesota, but I wasn’t born and raised here, which makes me immune, or at least, resistant. After about the hundredth “I can’t believe this,” I usually snap. “It was like this last year, and it was like this the year before that and the year before that!”
I love soup weather. I love it best when I can curl up inside, like today, and read a good book and do something crafty. It helps to know all my kids are safely inside, too, but I can’t control that anymore, so that takes away some of the fun.
I also love standing out in a quiet snowfall and just listening to the flakes drop. It does happen.
There are many things I don’t like about winter, but with another couple of months of it to go, we might as well embrace it.
January 16th, 2011 at 9:21 am
I typically don’t mind the snow as much as the cold although I do prefer the snow in larger bunches rather than these 1-2 inch events that snarl traffic and are barely worth shoveling.
What I don’t like much is really cold snaps like the one we are scheduled to get later this week.
With that said I do look forward with anticipation to spring and summer. January is my least favorite month but it is all better after this month ends. The shortness of February, the snippets of warmth in March and the full thaw in April are all just around the corner.
Add to that my upcoming 9 day trip to Costa Rica will be a welcome respite from the cold.
January 16th, 2011 at 11:01 am
Now that I’m a bus rider I really don’t mind the snow. I love to snuggle in at home, in my pajamas and a nice mug of chai tea. I hated winters a LOT more when I was a kid and had to wait at the bus stop for the school bus, then had to take off all the winter gear at school, the 2 hours later being forced to go out for recess then freezing our asses off waiting for the bell to ring. Compared to that shit, winters now are just a mild inconvenience and I think the snow is pretty.
January 16th, 2011 at 11:11 am
Except for those trying to get into your driveway since you’re too fucking lazy to shovel.
January 16th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
I agree, for some reason most MN residents can not remember much more that what happened last week. Easily evidenced by the complete lack of driving skills exhibited when we have the 1st snow fall or 1st spring rain.
The early large amount of snow has been irritating only from the perspecteive that the city and counties have done an absolutely terrible job in clearing it. There are still roadways today that are narrower by “feet” because snow wasn’t cleared to the curb. There are corners that I have to nearly have my car in the lane of traffic before I can see if it is safe to go.
Otherwise I love winter. I like it to be cold, and with snow. I don’t like cold without snow. I think the weather as it is right now is perfect for this time of the year. I just think it can hold off snowing for a month or so. We got plenty.
January 16th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
My only complaints:
- Having to inch your car out into intersections before you can see if anyone is coming. I won’t miss the 6-foot piles of snow at every corner.
- Similarly, having some moron just casually assume nobody is coming and blast out from behind a snow bank, forcing you to bail their pathetic, lazy ass out by taking Top Gun like evasive maneuvers. I’ve had/seen way too many near-miss crashes because of this in the last few weeks.
January 16th, 2011 at 5:03 pm
Let’s see, I’m tired of snow in January. I’m tired of snow in February. I’m tired of snow in March. I’m tired of snow in April. I’m tired of snow in May. I won’t bore you with the other 7 months I’m tired of snow.
I’m not just tired of the snow. I really don’t care too much about the snow. I’m tired of temperatures constantly below 20 degrees. I’m tired of watching fireworks on the 4th of July wrapped up in a sleeping bag as snow threatens. I’m tired of a 50 degree high one week and 90 the next, which could be just about any month from May through September.
Mostly, I’m tired of hating where I live. I’ve lived in the Upper Midwest for all but 2.5 very young years of my life. I’ve tried to enjoy it. I’ve put my best foot forward. I’ve told myself this winter a few times that I need to try to suck it up and find things to like about it. If I’m going to live here, I might as well like it, right?
Try as I may, I just can’t.
And Mrs. Marcos, my experience with the bus is the opposite of yours. Waiting for the bus to come is no fun, and even worse is the transfer on the way home, which usually takes 10-15 minutes. On many days, that’s a bitter, bitter cold wait and thanks to the weather, those bus schedules just aren’t as consistent as they’re supposed to be.
January 16th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
I spent 10 years of my life living in the temperate climates of North Carolina and Georgia. Even though I am ready to burn all my wool clothes and black turtlenecks by the time March arrives each year, I prefer Minnesota. The entire time I lived in the south, I was plagued by allergies. Since moving to MN 13 years ago, I’ve never needed even one dose of Claritin. My very flimsy hypothesis is that whatever triggered my year round allergies in the south is killed here by the tough winter. I don’t even mind the opportunity to semi-hibernate with my husband and kids for a few months. Also? I appreciate spring and summer a lot more after four or five months of biting cold.
January 16th, 2011 at 7:41 pm
Amy,
I never had bad allergies until I moved here. My buddy is the same way (he lived in Georgia for a few years while in the military). Whatever it is that we have here I have YEAR ROUND instead of just in the beginning of spring like most people do.
January 16th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Bill wrote:
Hey, STFU. My driveway is clear this year, youngest sister is dating someone that makes his living plowing. We’ve never met the kid but he plows every time it snows. Love him, considering proposing to him (on my sister’s behalf of course).
January 16th, 2011 at 10:10 pm
The snow is nice if you are 8 and have nothing better to do than play around in it. Now that I’m slightly older than 8 and have more responsibilities, it’s pretty dang annoying. Having babies has only increased my annoyance. Maybe some day I’ll get up the guts to actually leave. My husband would be THRILLED!
January 16th, 2011 at 10:10 pm
I love winter, the clothes are cuter, and you can always pt more clothes on, but you can only take so many off when it’s hot.
After last winter, and crashing my car 2-3 times driving in that crappy snow on my ridiculous drive, I have no complaints about this winter. Though that could likely be because I don’t have that long-arse drive anymore. And my neighbor has been snowblowing my driveway for me.
January 16th, 2011 at 10:33 pm
After living in Minnesota for 35 years we finally decided it’s time to leave the snow and cold winters behind. We’re moving to the west coast next fall and I definitely won’t miss the cold winters. Winter took on a whole new meaning when I started a family. Bundling the kids up becomes such a pain!
January 17th, 2011 at 6:40 am
I like the snow, so winter is fine with me. But I hate spring, especially late March and the month of April. While it is warmer then than during winter, the increased humidity makes for a special kind of cold that is more unpleasant than a 22 degree day in January. I’d take a snowfall over a cold rain shower any day. It’s hard to do anything outside then. Snow play is gone, but it’s too wet for golf, biking, etc.
January 17th, 2011 at 7:50 am
i love winter. The magnificent piles of fresh clean snow, the bracing temps that remind you that your alive, the symphony of the season the delight each one brings to the discerning eye.
The only season I don’t like in Minnesota- Spring. Spring here is like that girlfriend that would tease you, lure you into thinking all was good, than slap you you down.
At least in winter I have no expectations that aren’t realized.
January 17th, 2011 at 8:35 am
I’m OK with snow between Turkey and Santa times. After that, it can pretty much melt away and bring back the warm seasons to get outdoors for camping, biking and grilling.
I do get to telecommute 2 days a week, or when the weather makes it sensible since I do have a rather long drive, doubled when the traffic is bad.
If we didn’t have the snow, we’d lose a bunch more of our lakes without the water it brings in the spring.
The one thing I would not miss, is the ice dams and having the clear them off my roof. All in all, I can’t complain too much, if it’s too cold, I have a number of projects I can tinker with indoors to avoid the outdoors.
I will however make my complaint that right after I finish shoveling, the city plow comes by and blocks me in with a smile and a wave. Not everyone in MN has a mega-snowblower, I did, but I didn’t use it for two years straight and sold it.. oops. :)
If you want a single season, go to Arizona or something, just watch for scorpions.
January 17th, 2011 at 9:27 am
No, I am not tired of the snow and never will be. Give me more!!! These are the winters of my early childhood. The winters I dreamed of when I lived out east.
If it is going to be cold, it might as well be snowing. What I don’t like are the cloudy days.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Snow-Fine
Cold-I live in Minnesota-complaining is silly
What I hate is the part when all of it is melting and the whole state is dirty for about 3 weeks, usually around March. The abundance of snow this season is only going to make that season longer. Blech.
January 17th, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Does the Pioneer Press still do the thing where the rank the winter? They used to give it so many points for snow, cold, cloudy days etc.
January 17th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Ask me tomorrow after I drag myself over the snowbanks in below-zero wind chills tomorrow lugging a million pounds of books. Yes, the U of M is back in session beginning tomorrow.
I think my answer will be YES, I am tired of the snow.
January 17th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
I used to love snow and didn’t mind the cold that came with it, which was good since I’ve always lived in the upper Midwest. It was different when I didn’t have to worry about getting to and from work and could instead focus on things like skiing, sledding, winter camping, and so on, with the occasional snow day as a bonus.
I think in college my opinion started to change, what with the long walks outside to class (the U of M has tunnels, yes, but they don’t go everywhere), and then it started going downhill after that, when winter meant long waits at bus stops, digging the car out from snowed-in parking lots, and all the other nonsense.
Now, it’s reached the point where I’m thoroughly tired of winter, forever. I don’t care for the snow, don’t care for the ice, and especially don’t care for the cold. I try to find a silver lining when I can, and I’ll admit there can be the occasional moment when I appreciate the season, such as hiking through fresh snow in the woods or watching my dog play in it, but all in all I’m done with it. I wonder if getting older plays a role in that, not just due to having to cope with more things, but because you appreciate nice weather more.
January 18th, 2011 at 6:57 am
In the right conditions–if you don’t have to drive long distances on snowy roads, stand outside a the bus stop at 10 below, the sun is shining, etc.–winter HAS “nice” weather.
January 18th, 2011 at 4:59 pm
i’ve lived in mn for 27 years (duluth for 5 of those years). i’ve also lived 2 years in grand forks, nd.
trust me when i tell you that we have nothing to complain about.