Report: After the Storm

Well the snow is melting and people are getting out and about. Here's some things I've noticed:

• If you have a flat roof and there is a heavy snow, scoop the snow off the roof. Most people in snowy areas probably already know this but in areas that only rarely get big snow storms, they usually remember this lesson after their carport/shed/barn/building caves in from the weight of the snow on the roof.


• I may be wrong about the economy. Before the storm, commerce in our area looked like it was at a dead stop. Restaurants were empty and what few shoppers were at the malls weren't really buying anything. Fast forward to after Christmas sales and after people had been stranded in their homes for over a week and EVERYONE is out shopping. Restaurants are full, malls are crazy, and people lugging shopping bags are everywhere. Whether this is from the after Christmas sales or due to severe cases of cabin fever, I'm not sure.


• A big snow storm (or other disaster that affects a wide area) can have lasting repercussions (see photo). I went to the grocery store today and although the snow had been neatly plowed to the side and lots of people were shopping, the shelves looked pretty sparse. According to the store manager, this was because pre-storm, people had stocked up on everything, during the storm, all of the delivery trucks were stuck and could not get to the stores, and post-storm, they were still trying to catch up on both stocking the shelves and waiting for more deliveries. This was less than a two week period and something as basic as access to food was severely disrupted. Yikes.


• People did a good job of helping each other out. Those who had a generator for their wells provided water to those who didn't. Many people were out on the road helping to push vehicles that were stuck in the snow. Neighbors checked on each other. People with backhoes and plow attachments for their trucks ran around the neighborhoods clearing snow just to help out, not because they were being paid to do it. I hope this is what will happen when something really big and bad happens.


• The buses were a hit or miss proposition. Very limited routes were being served and if I needed to get to the bus I would have had to hike a couple miles to a main highway since our off the arterial road was not being served due to the hills and snow. Although I think riding the bus for general purposes is a wonderful way to save money and stress, depending on it always being there won't work. Glad I have a car so I have a choice.


• Can one overdose on "Survivor Man" and "Man versus Wild"? Me thinks yes. But now I know that if I have to walk over a glacier all I have to do is slip off my socks and put them over my boots for traction. Hmmm.


• Worst thing I saw that had nothing to do with the storm--some guy in Southern California who was mad at his ex wife over their divorce decided to kill her and eight of her family members on Christmas Eve. At least he took his own life and saved taxpayers some money. This type of behavior is so frustrating and infuriating. There are plenty of people dying in hospitals and on the battle field who would really want to live if given a choice and here is some idiot taking lives for no apparent reason. Anger is temporary, death is permanent. Plus it seems like the worse you feel for what ever reason, the better things turn out in the end so why not chill and wait and see what is going to happen rather than going on a killing spree?