The Wild World of....Weather

This time of year is a curious and unpredictable one for weather in the life of Minnesotans. Your moods are inextricably tied to the volatile changes in climate and precipitation. You know to give people extra space on a day filled with snowy torrents, and that it's better to ask for favors on one of the rare sunny, warm ones.

I listen with interest every morning as I get ready for work, to hear what the morning news host will say on MPR. They seem to take this subject personally and often sigh audibly if the weather is bad or make a corny, happy joke if the weather is good. They also often throw around a phrase that's become one of my favorites - not for it's literal manifestations - but for the pleasing way it rolls off the tongue. "Patchy light freezing drizzle." It's a common condition that seems to be announced by the radio host several times a week and I love the sound of it so much, I even made up a jingle for it.

Yesterday was warm (50 degrees!) and the sun even peaked out of the clouds for a moment. Eric and I were giddy with excitement and everyone we passed on our afternoon walk greeted us with enthusiasm, which some will know is a rare thing in Minnesota.

Today, the last day of March, is a wet, snowy monster of a day. It makes you remember why you keep at least 2 seasons of wardrobe in your closet at all times. And during the radio forecast I heard a new weather phrase being thrown about: "Thunder Snow."

I think I'll have to write a new jingle.

A Last Hurrah

After working for the last six months at The Star Tribune as a part-time news aide in the evenings, I finally got the chance to write an article for the sports department on Saturday. Being that I know hardly anything about sports writing, they managed to find something I could write and actually care about. Adapted Field Hockey.

The kids that play this sport are split into 2 leagues, one for kids with physical impairments and another for kids with cognitive impairments. I got to watch and cover both and was moved by the energy and tenacity of these players. It was so pure and so inspiring.

So I spent the day watching these kids cheer each other on and then sped back home to churn out an article (my first in 3 years) in under an hour to get it in by deadline. I waited and waited for them to call me requesting more information, clarification or just to ask me what the hell I was talking about. But they didn't. And it appeared, almost untouched, in today's Sunday paper.

It was such a rewarding and invigorating experience and helped me remember my love for writing. So thanks sports guys for giving me a shot. I'll miss you.

To read the article, click here.

Say What?

A coworker of mine used a word yesterday that I immediately fell in love with: Janky.

Anyone familiar with this expression? Any guesses as to what it means?

This colleague went on to give me a somewhat fuzzy idea of what she meant, mainly by using other slang, but eventually I managed to get the idea.

I'd love to hear your guesses/experiences/opinions of this urban adjective. But for the true definition, click here.