Living on Minnesota Time

A co-worker of mine reminded me the other day that I wasn't living on "Minnesota Time." She'd given herself an hour to get to work, when normally the commute takes 20 minutes. I just made it on time, running in the door and completely out of breath. It seems that everything depends on the weather: from the clothes I put on my body to the amount of time I allow myself to get to class, work or an appointment. I don't have it down yet. I'm often still running late. I'm getting better, but she was right. I'm not living on "Minnesota Time."

I look at the weather report first thing each morning. My entire day is then scheduled around the day's forecast. I used to check the Star Tribune's website for the weather forecast, but I've recently installed the Forecastfox addon for the Firefox Web browser, which updates regularly.

Each morning I go over a check list:

[X] What is the temperature? From the low 30s to mid-20s - it's hoodie, long sleeve shirt and gloves weather, without the need for long johns. In the teens, winter jacket is a must, and depending on the wind chill, it might be a long john day. Once the thermostat reaches 10 degrees or below, long johns, long sleeve shirt under a short sleeve shirt, gloves, winter jacket, and winter boots are all a must. In the single digits, more likely than not, I'm also wearing a hoodie under my winter jacket along with the rest of the attire.

Also, depending on the temperature, it takes longer for my car to warm up. My Honda Civic doesn't like winters. The Civic handles the winter better than the Nissan Altima I owned when I moved here. There have been times when my car won't start, but for the most part, it takes a good 15-20 minutes to warm up before it's drivable. This extra time must be worked in to travel time.

[X]Is it snowing? Again, many things vary depending on "type" of snow, how much snow has come down, have the streets been plowed, extra time is needed for the commute (either by bus or car), extra time needed to scrape the snow and again time for the car to warm up.

I'm two plus years in now and I'm finally getting better. You'd think I'd be less stubborn and adapt to the seasons. The first thing most Minnesotans ask me regarding the transition into Minnesota is how I'm handling the winters.

Really, though, the winters aren't so bad. I know. I know, they've been mild the last three years. I've heard it before. Winter just seems to last forever. Once you figure out the "Minnesota Time" it's just a matter of layers and coordinating your outfit. I've got the the layers down. Now if only I can start living on "Minnesota Time" my life would be much less stressful.

Sent from Blackberry Pearl: Love the winter/Hate the winter

Rebecca and I are going sledding on Christmas after watching Sweeney Todd. Today it's a balmy 32 degrees, with wet Lake Tahoe like snow.

The car on my left spun out and just missed hitting me this morning. He is on the side of the road. I came to a complete stop after sliding at 35 mph on the freeway - 8 minutes late to work, car in one piece and unhurt.

Two years ago I flipped my recently paid off Nissan Altima on the same stretch of 35 NW. I'll never forget climbing out of an upside down car. It was all in slow motion, just like in the movies. No one that saw the accident stopped to help, especially the trucker who ran me off the road. Several concerned citizens that saw the car upside down on the embankment did stop to help me climb from the wreckage.

At this point, I'm just happy to be in one piece.

Ouch: Punched in the Chest - Yet Again.

Last night my best friend Johnny arrived from San Francisco. I did my best to prepare him for the cold he'd experience when he first stepped out of the airport. He watched yesterdays video blog and for the most part was ready - or so he thought. Driving through downtown Minneapolis was chaos. Streets seemed to be closed at every turn for snow plowing, which only delayed my picking him up.

Still 15 minutes away, Johnny calls to say he's arrived and that he feels as though he's been "punched in the chest." He goes onto ramble about this being the coldest thing he's ever experienced, will alcohol absorb differently, can we stop for long johns, if he lived here he'd drink constantly to stay warm.

I couldn't help but laugh. My friend in the car stared at me while I comforted Johnny. After pulling over at the gate and popping my trunk for Johnny's bags, with ice sealing covering my trunk, he struggled mightily, the winter sting spreading across all exposed skin, before finally getting his bags in the trunk and his body in the warm car. It reminded me of my first Minnesota winter experience three years ago. I'll never forget the burn in the pit my chest when I stepped off the plane, in awe of everything around me. In the Bay Area we had basically one season year round. Of course, there are slight variations with increased temperatures in the summer and more rain in the winter. But overall, the Bay Area does not have real seasons as we know them here. I've learned to enjoy the seasons here the longer I've been here. This past summer felt less humid and last winter felt less cold. The weather is easily manageable. It just takes a few more or few less layers.

Johnny had the basic top layers covered, but his hands were still exposed, and Johnny's lungs burned with the temperature flirting with below 0. After brief introductions between Kathy and Johnny, his first words in the car were, "I need some long johns." This afternoon was spent searching for long johns at Costco. before finding them at the Twin Cities own Target. We should have gone to target first, but Johnny's second comments also motivated the trip to Costco. "If I lived here, I'd drink whiskey all the time. Do people here drink a lot?"

Whiskey now in hand, new thick socks providing one more layer his pair of classic Converse tennis shoes and long johns protecting his lower regions, Johnny is venturing out tonight again with me for Mel Gibson & The Pants, a Twin Cities favorite of mine, at Nomad World Pub, which Rob van Alstyne previews here.

Show and Tell: Winter Clothes