As I was stepping out of Costco in the 95 degree sun, another customer rolled up headed to his car and said, “They say it’s going to be 70 on Sunday?”
“I beg your pardon,” I responded.
He repeated it, only this time it was a statement, “They say it’s going to be 70 on Sunday.”
“That’ll be good,” I said.
I marvelled at the way perfect strangers will strike up a conversation over the weather, usually a complaint, without even so much as a “Hello” first.
We love to complain and spread misery, and the weather is a perfect target.
Complaining about the weather always amazes me since folks act as if they have no choice in where they live, and they seem to complain no matter what the weather.
People complain about cold and hot weather alike, as well as different degrees of cold and hot.
On a discussion board, for example, one commenter said
People who think that Denver [h]as harsh and difficult winters have absolutly[sic] no idea of what they speak off. [sic] You should be grateful that you leave[live?] in a[sic] area that [h]as 4 seasons witch[sic] include mild and temperate winters,that are fallowed [sic] by hot but pleasantly dry and comfortable summers!! What more do you want for crying out loud!!!
Here in the hell hole of Montreal where i live we get 200inch. of snow per year,the average temp. in Dec.,Jan.,Feb,Mar. are 28F,23F,21F and 32F respectively. However in these averages you will find built-in a minimum of 21 days in dec-jan-feb that are of the sub-zero kind meaning anywhere between 0F to-10F…REMEMBER YOUR FREEZER IS AT -04F!!!
Evidently this Montreal resident is chained to Montreal and perhaps his frozen fingers explain the many spelling and usage errors in his comment as well.
Each year when it floods in Missouri, my relatives complain about the damage, but never move.
Likewise, beautiful beachfront homes in Malibu, CA, sometimes celebrity homes, suffer severe damage, even destruction, but victims of these disasters often build again in the same spots.
Then, there are folks who like to play one-up with the weather in their city.
When I was headed to the Inauguration in Jan. 2009, for example, various passengers on the plane were discussing how Californians were going to be in for a shock in Washington, D.C.’s cold weather.
I commented to my seat buddy, “I think I’ll be okay. I grew up in cold weather in St. Louis, MO.”
When he stopped laughing, the guy said, “St. Louis? That’s not cold. Cold is Minnesota. Until you’ve been in Minnesota in the winter you haven’t seen cold.”
Meterologist, Jeff Haby, compiled this list of the top ten weather-related complaints.
1. Global warming–any weather condition folks don’t like gets blamed on global warming.
2. El Nino–any blame not directed at global warming goes to El Nino.
3. Too hot or too cold–complaints typically have to do with how both of these send utilities bills sky high or how miserable it is to be outside or indoors
4. Drought–complaints are usually about having to ration water and of course the damage to vegetation
5. Ice–comments usually have to do with the dangers from driving, inability to get to the store, possible power outtages
6. Hurricanes–pick any famous hurricane of the past and folks are still complaining about it
7. Humidity–difficulty breathing is the most common complaint here
8. Dirty air–when the airplane is descending over L.A. and other urban cities, the pollution is easily recognized and reminds of us what we’ll soon be breathing
9. Wind–people seldom have anything good to say about wind since it picks up dust, makes driving difficult and can even cause damage
10. Rain–those folks who were complaining about the drought earlier are often glad to see rain at first. But if it continues then the complaints begin. The most common complaint about rain occurs when it slows down the commute to work or ruins outdoor events such as weddings and sporting events.
So, there you have it. The full array of weather conditions to complain about, or is it? Was your favorite weather on the list?
Let us hear your weather complaint.
Go ahead. Get it out of your system.
After all, it’s Weather Complaint Day!
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