I lived in South Carolina from July 2016 to December 2016. There are a whole host of reasons I didn't stay longer than that, but one thing I will never forget is how freaking how I was all the time. All the time. The whole time.
It didn't help that my car air conditioning broke while I was down there (and the car was too old and we were too broke for me to fix it). It didn't help that it was one of the hottest summers on record (at the time), and that in November there were wildfires to our north in Tennessee.
I was working at Clemson University while I was there, and the students I worked with were cute. They heard I was from Buffalo, so they all pulled out pictures on their phones of the snow from last winter. It was maybe an inch of the wettest snow (what I affectionately call "snowing slush" around here) that I have ever seen, but there they were, making muddy snow angels and snow-people the height of my dachshund-chihuahua mix.
Then I showed them the picture of my PT Cruiser that I swore was under that mound of snow on the street.
I think about how hot I was in South Carolina on days like these, when the high temperature hasn't hit 20* in a few days now, and probably won't for at least another week. When I haven't properly seen my driveway since the beginning of the month. When my dogs are staring at me, hoping for a walk and assuming they'll never get another one again. When 200 million of us are under a winter storm warning, and I know I'm "lucky" enough to only get a foot of snow instead of having to deal with ice.
And I am feeling a little lucky for that today. Maybe it's because I have some thoughts for my business, the business I just started working for, and my husband's business all because I attended a small business seminar yesterday. Maybe it's because I hung out with some friends last night and am feeling a small sense of community today, all because we laughed about stories from my wedding and how one of the women's kids was hiding their vitamins in the couch instead of taking them. Maybe it's because I have a job now.
What I know it definitely is from is that in the winter, you do sort of have the chance to slow down. I woke up today with no agenda because I knew nothing was expected of me because of the weather. I expect travel advisories and bans to go up soon. Lots of small businesses decided their people are worth more than their profits today, and I suspect larger businesses will send their people home early. My whole day consists of trying to figure out what to have for dinner since I've done little planning this week because of the new job, writing this blog post, and snuggling with the dogs.
That's it.
But now I'm going to turn political.
As I write this, it is 10* out. I haven't spent any kind of prolonged period of time outside in at least a week. But you know who has?
The people of Minneapolis.
They are dealing with the bitter cold, snow, and ICE all at the same time. They are out there protesting and protecting their neighbors despite the fact that hypothermia is a real concern. They are being the village that they want to see, even if they wish it wasn't happening for this reason.
I am horrified at the murder of Alex Pretti. I haven't watched the video because I can't bring myself to, but I heard the audio from it. My emotions range from sadness for him and his family, despair at the people who will never get over the trauma of watching him be executed, and disgust that his fellow citizens didn't just shoot him, but shot him point blank and multiple times even after he died. The cruelty is the point, and disgust is the only word I have for it.
If you found this blog from one of my socials and you disagree with this take, you should unfriend and/or unfollow. My opinion will not be changing.
I don't know what to do about all of this. Truly. I gave up calling Senator Schumer because he is a spinless leader with no control over his caucus and ignoring his constituents. I love the idea of a general strike, but social safety nets are not in place for enough people to commit to that. We would have needed to have funds and networks in place during his first term in order for them to be functional now. I stay informed and try to be the village I want.
The only other thing I can think of right now is to work on the Liberal Businesses of WNY document that I started. It isn't much, but I am good at being organized, so it's what I can contribute these days. I hope you support the businesses in it, and submit updates for it here if you know of any.
To Alex and Renee - thanks.
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