70% is Almost Failing

Today's news announced that in the last 61 days, it has snowed 43 of them in Chicago. Not all of that was big snows, but some traceable amounts have been recorded in 43 of 61 days. That's 70%.

And is it any wonder that people get a tad bit crabby around this time? It FEELS like it should be Spring, the calendar makes us THINK it is around the corner, and turning back the clocks made it even SEEM closer than ever.

But I think we're all fooling ourselves.

Pretty hard to believe that Lake Michigan ever gets warm enough to swim in it—if you're willing to dodge the garbage and ignore the E. Coli, that is.

Photo taken in Waveland Park yesterday. I resisted the urge to lick the posts.

Mob Mentality

As I rode the slow bus south on Lake Shore Drive today, I couldn't help but stare out the west windows through the 1/2 inch coating of snow and ice and salt and smog and general urban grime that covers the bus.

As we approached the southern end of Diversey Harbor, I noticed something quite funny. Maybe it was just me.

There were hundreds of geese huddled on the patches of ice that floated throughout the water. Most of the harbor is solid, but there were huge parts that had either broken free, or never fully froze for whatever reason.

The geese were all crowded around, hanging out, just chilling along the edges of the unfrozen parts (in my mind huddling to stay warm), but I did see one or two lone birds swimming in the water. Remember, it was 0 degrees as I left for work at 7:30 this morning...not exactly a balmy swim.

The one or two lone birds—what's their story? Are they rebels? Early adopters? Polar Plunge '08 contestants? Peer pressured into taking a dip? Pushed in by the Bully Goose?

I could almost hear the other geese taunting them..."Go on, you funny-feathered wimps! Get in! It can't be THAT cold!"

It's Serious Out There

As a follow up to yesterday's post "Not So Magnificent," I just ran some last minute, lunch time errands on Michigan Avenue to finish my holiday shopping...

...brief celebration for THAT right here...

and realized that the melting snow/ice from the buildings is really gettin' serious out there.

It was like one giant game of Frogger—using real life tourists!

And, it is the best social analysis of the psychology of mob activity. If one person looks up, then everyone begins to look up.

Don't these people realize that if they look UP, then snow falling will hit them directly in the FACE?

I'd say keep your Frogger head down, and move quickly. When in doubt, carry a child on your shoulders for protection.

I'm just saying...

Not So Magnificent

So I was just escaping the work grind for a short break at the food court at Nordstrom, just down the Magnificent Mile from my office. After a quick lunch, I walked toward the front doors only to realize that there were cops there, blocking all traffic from exiting. Not one to miss a moment of the action, I stuck around long enough to realize they were shuttling all holiday shoppers out other exits, but you absolutely were not able to use the Michigan Avenue-facing revolving doors.

Normally, a girl with an affinity for shopping would love the opportunity (or excuse!) to be stuck inside a sale-laden, holiday-decorated retail venue, but this time was just plain baffling. You mean I can't leave? Mustn't return to work?

They had roped off the outside entrance and there were huge shards of ice laying broken in pieces on the sidewalk, surrounded by crowds looking up.

Apparently the sun had warmed the ice on the roof just enough to send it crashing to the pavement down below. This happens a lot here, and there was even a death a few years ago when a woman was hit by a huge slice of ice from above.

Who knew shopping could be such an adventure sport?