Bombogenesis
Posted on March 29, 2014 under Storytelling with no comments yet
Do you have obsessions? Sure you do. We all do in one way, shape or form. Some people just can’t get enough of Downton Abbey while others hang on every word coming out of Justin Bieber’s mouth. Politics does it for some while many of my friends are fitness fanatics. And of course, we all have certain foods that we simply must have on a regular basis. I used to be crazy about KFC until the Colonel kicked the bucket.
As I look at the calendar, I notice that it is technically spring … somewhere … but certainly not where we live. On the second official day of spring I walked to work and the temperature was a balmy -20 Celsius. No self- respecting crocus was poking its head up through the frozen tundra. And just a few days ago, we were treated to a rather significant storm, combining heavy snowfalls and high winds. A nor’ easter, to be precise. One of many snow events this season. People are downright grumpy.
But not too grumpy to talk, text, share and obsess about the weather.
There was a much simpler time when, well, weather just happened. You woke up in the morning and if the snow was piled to the rooftop, you knew that things would be shut down. You didn’t need to know this five days in advance. Weather forecasting was in its infancy, and if you did get some inkling that foul weather was around the corner (granny`s aching joints were a satisfactory bellwether), you prepared yourself. You made sure that there was lots of dry wood for the stove, you laid out the candles and matches and you filled the bath tub with water. Especially if you lived in a rural area.
When the power went out, you put on an extra sweater, went outside and did lots of shovelling and then cooked food on top of the wood stove and even in the fireplace. It was always a good chance to slow down and have a chance to chat with your family. Oh yes. We were warned not to touch the wires on the telephone poles when the drifts reached the heavens. We have pictures to prove it.
The hysteria surrounding the most recent storm was something right out of Armageddon. The 24 hour weather channels and every media outlet were once again trumpeting the “storm of the century“. They’ve even coined a new term: bombogenesis. According to the meteorologists, a storm that is forecast to strengthen explosively undergoes bombogenesis. I remember studying about genesis in the first chapter of the Old Testament. I guess the impending storm was of “biblical” proportions.
And how does our modern world prepare for the end of the world? By making absolutely certain that our computers, smart phones and tablets are all charged so that we don’t miss a nanosecond of “breaking news” on Facebook or Twitter, should we experience a power failure.
I drove over to the mall the day before the storm. It was like Christmas Eve, with long lineups at the grocery store and the liquor store. From the looks of the shopping carts, the key to surviving the storm included a combination of potato chips and Bailey’s Irish cream. #stormchips. #stormbooze.
The only thing worse than the lead up to the storm (“Do you have your storm supplies?”) and the storm itself, is the aftermath. And I’m not talking about snow removal. The post mortems after a winter storm can go on for days. “Terrible storm.” “Yeah, just awful.” If we didn’t have weather, good and bad, I swear we’d have nothing to talk about.
Spring is just around the corner. The first appearance of dandelions will unleash another round of whining and complaining. At least right now we don’t have to worry about them as we shovel ourselves out once again.
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