More Snow and a Rant on Entitlement

I have abandoned the play-by-play coverage of SnOMG 2010 because I’m sick of it.  It’s pretty amazing when you think about it but I haven’t had a second to enjoy any of it.  I’ve either been shoveling snow or trying to restore my body from shoveling.  And now, 16-24 more inches headed our way tomorrow and Wednesday. Great!

All of this snow has made clean up and clearing a bear of a job for everyone, not the least of which is our college campuses.  I had a conversation today with a college student about the dilemma of college students not being able to get off campus to get food and food service workers going home after staying on at work for 3 days straight.  One opinion was that the students shouldn’t have to go without food because food service workers decided not to come to work.  My suggestion was that if each student on campus volunteered 30 minutes to shoveling, the whole campus would be clear in no time and they could go wherever they wanted to get food.  My idea was considered hilarious and ridiculous by the student.  Things like, “there’s no way I’m touching a shovel”, “maybe the students who are getting a full ride can shovel”, “I would laugh at them”, “Well, they would have to give me something for shoveling — I’d need to get something out of it.”

I got so irritated that I ended the conversation.  To me, that response is entitled, elitist, self-centered and selfish.  All qualities that annoy the living hell out of me, by the way.  Here’s my thing — shoveling the snow is not for the benefit of the grounds workers — it’s for the students!  It’s so that they can resume their classes (the education they are paying for) or at the very least, be mobile enough to go get some food or just get out of the dorm and move about a bit.  I want to attribute this attitude to youth and be done with it.  Either way, it annoys the hell out of me.

Someone wiser than me once said that there are 3 kinds of people in the world: those who talk about what needs to be done; those who roll up there sleeves and do what needs to be done, and those who sit back and squawk about the other two.  Where are values like team work and contributing to the common good?  Why do we feel like we have to personally benefit from doing something that needs to be done in order to contribute to the effort?  Have we really raised such an entitled generation of brats? Honestly?

I busted my ass shoveling out my house this weekend.  Alone.  Because my parents can’t do it.  Did I whine about it some? Yes!  It was some of the hardest work of I’ve ever physically done.  But I did it.  Period.  Because it needed to be done and it will need to be done again tomorrow and Wednesday.  And I will do it again.  I don’t expect to be paid or thanked or even cooked for, for that matter.  It needs to be done — for my benefit and for theirs and therefore I will do it.

I honestly believe that there are plenty of college students who would pitch in to the common goal of clearing the campus and getting things back to normal — some because they are good natured and helpful, some because they are bored and what the hell, why not.  At least I need to believe that this is true.

I think what gets under my skin the most is the underlying, “that’s what I pay YOU to do” attitude that is just plain elitist and disgusting.  I went to high school at Sidwell Friends in DC — where the Obama’s go to school.  I only lasted one year.  Not because it was academically rigorous or anything like that — I held my own there.  I just couldn’t wrap my head around the entitlement all around me.  At the end of the year I just told my folks, “look, these aren’t my kind of people.  Save your money for college.”  That was the short version of what I am expressing in this entire post.  I felt it then, at age 15.  Some shit is just wrong in my book and not being willing to lift a finger to help get something done that needs to be done and that benefits YOU is among the wrong shit.

Part of me really hopes that a group will emerge and organize on Facebook or something that will be a community effort to clear their campus so that they can get back to the business of being in college.  It would do my heart good to be reminded that there really are “those who do what needs to be done”, just because it needs to be done.

[end rant]

P.S. – I am so in love with my heating pad at this very moment.

Live Blogging: SuperStorm 2010

5:57 pm

Snow has finally stopped. Thank God.  I am babying my body as much as I can because I am so not done with the shoveling.  I’m done for today though.  I don’t know the last time I’ve been this tired.

3:42 pm

Ugh!  24 inches and counting.  It is still snowing!  My effort last night to stay ahead of the game meant nothing when I woke up this morning.  After 2 and a half hours I am not even halfway done clearing the driveway.  The sides where I’m throwing the snow are almost taller than I am — which makes tossing displaced snow really, really hard.  My arms hurt.  I’m tired.  I just ate — I was starving.  Did I mention it’s still snowing?

Some idiot family got pulled over by police for driving their SUV dragging their kids behind it on sleds!  Really, people!?!  Are you fucking insane??

I need a warm drink, a hot shower and some restorative yoga.  That’s my plan for the moment.  I’ll be back.

2/6/10 – 1:04 am

I’m sore already.  This can’t be good for tomorrow.  In my brilliant master plan, I am awake at 6am, knocking out round two.  In reality, I just took bags of frozen peas off my knees and feel my biceps tightening up as I type.  I look forward to more pretty shots of the snow, like the ones I took of this weeks’ earlier snow.  I am not looking forward to any more shoveling.  I think I’m about to turn in.  I leave you with sunny pics from Wednesday.

10:46 pm

First round of shoveling is complete.  Whew!  This is much heavier than the last 2 snows, folks.  I highly recommend doing it in batches and not waiting until Sunday.  After completing the walkway, driveway and sidewalk….there were 2 inches of snow on the ground covering my work.  But still, I’d rather that than trying to move 24 to 30 inches at once.  And the DirectTV thing?  Thanks to friend of a Fb friend, Keisha’s advice to wipe gently with a towel.  WE. ARE. BACK. IN. BUSINESS.  Whoo hoooo!!!  I was worried I was going to have to walk somewhere to watch the SuperBowl!  Pics coming.  Stay tuned.

Oh, Chardonnay is now um…thawing…because I sorta forgot about it in the … ehem… freezer.  Yeah.

Before the first pass of the driveway there were about 6 inches on the ground.

This is what it looked like as I got started. It didn't stay that clear for long.

One hour later, just as I finished the first pass

9:25 pm

Chicken chili in the tummy.   About to put some clothes on and go out and show this first round of snow who’s boss.  A friend of a friend on Fb suggested wiping the dish off gently with a towel.  Dad “cleaned” it off the 1st time.  No telling how.  We’ll give it a shot and see if I can get some TV going up in here.  If not, they will hear my beats for the rest of the night.

8:14 pm

I haven’t been out to shovel just yet – doesn’t seem like there’s enough snow on the ground to make it worth it.  Blizzard like conditions are supposed to happen after 10pm.  We’re expecting 12 inches between midnight and 6 am.  My goal is to get up whatever is down by midnight and then hit it first thing in the morning.  3 shifts should do it, I’m hoping.

Meanwhile, DirectTV bit the dust by 4:30.  Useless bastards.  I am watching the live feed of WUSA TV 9 on my laptop.  Chicken chili is simmering on the stove.  One ice cold (wimpy) beer on board.  Chardonnay chilling in the ice bucket in the freezer.  I did receive the instructional DVD for my new djembe today.  Mwahahahahahaha!  My poor, poor ‘rents.

4:37 pm

The snow started around 1pm, but it was too warm for anything to stick.  Here are the first shot I took.

SuperStorm 2010

It’s been a very long time since the DC area has had as much snow as we’re having this year.  I admit that I love the snow and I love being employed at places that, for the most part, are inclined to shut down for inclement weather.  I have had a couple of terrible accidents in the snow and ice, so driving in this weather comes with its share of anxiety for me — but that part is getting better.  But this season’s snow is a bit of a different experience (whine warning!), here’s why.

When I was a kid, my brother, my dad and the kids in the neighborhood took care of the shoveling, car digging out, driving to rescue stranded family members business.  I was on chili, homemade soup, homemade hot cocoa duty.  I liked my duties.  Actually,  I loved them.  Our snowstorm rations as kids always involved the 12 pack box of Hostess Donuts (powdered, cinnamon powdered and plain).  The 3 plain ones were mine.  Everyone else could fight over the rest.  They were perfect for dipping in the cocoa I’d make from Dutch processed cocoa powder, real vanilla extract and whole milk.

When I got married, I don’t even know that we owned a shovel.  I guess we did.  Or maybe we bought one during that crazy snowstorm when I walked a mile for donuts (because it wasn’t a snowstorm without them), just to turn around and go back to the house and a mile in the other directions since the stores in the 1st direction were out.  The only car we had at the time was my 1996 Mustang GT.  Um…yeah.  A no-go in the snow!  Anyway, there was at least a foot of snow that time and I’m guessing Ex shoveled it because I certainly did not.

During the separation and divorce, I lived in an apartment.  The complex cleaned off the steps, cleared the sidewalk and parking lot and even dug our cars out if we really needed to go somewhere.  All in a days work for those guys.  Are you seeing where this is headed?

A year and a half ago I moved back in with the folks so that I could pay for school without having to take any more student loans.  I’m still here.  In the blizzard.  There’s no rental office and therefore no maintenance crew.  My dad has checks in the boxes in front of just about every chronic disease, not to mention arthritis in his hips.  Mom has arthritis and torn rotator cuffs  – and, even if they didn’t have these health issues, they’re in their mid-sixties.  The shoveling is up to me. I don’t mind having to do it.  I do mind having to do it so MUCH!  Seriously, this snow is beautiful.  But it’s WORK.  What do you folks in Colorado do?!?  My dad gets out there and usually knocks out the first round.  But he’s a wreck afterwards.  He also shovels after sundown. Yeah, I don’t get that.  It’s way too cold.  I prefer the extra help of the sun.  But this storm is going to require that we stay on top of it.  I just might be doing some moon light shoveling tonight. Shoot me now.

Blizzard warning is in full effect.  20-30 inches expected.  Fridge is stocked. I’m tempted to make one more beer run since I’ll surely be snowed in through the SuperBowl.

What’s worse?  The DirectTV guy basically told us, “look, it’s going to go out!”  Fan-tastic!

So, since I’m not eating dairy, transfat,  too many refined sugars or processed foods – I’m snowed in with tons of fresh vegetables to roast (my new obsession), good dark chocolate, brown rice in abundance, raw cocoa powder, hemp milk, plenty of whole foods to make just about any homemade loveliness I can think of.  I am excited about the feasting possibilities — except that this shoveling marathon is pissing on my party.  Big time!

I may liveblog and post pics of the storm to amuse myself.  We shall see.

Stay warm and off the roads folks.

Happy Blizzard!