I've made it to March

[Tobin S.]

without crashing my truck or hurting myself while unloading it in the snow and ice. I'm not totally out of the woods yet, but I'm starting to feel some hope. March 1st is like Trucker's Independence Day to me. Warm weather will be here soon and my job will become tolerable again. I do my trucking in southern Ohio, clear across the state along and under I-70. And while there are better places to truck in the winter, I'm certainly thankful that I don't do all of my trucking in places like Minnesota. I think Trucker's Independence Day occurs July 1st up that way. :D

It actually hasn't been too bad this winter and I really shouldn't complain. I think we've had about 12 days when it snowed enough to make the roads hazardous and we've only had two brutal cold snaps. No ice storms so far and I am very thankful for that. Those are the worst.

One of my favorite times of the year is mid-spring when nature is really starting to get green and leafy, signifying the banishment of winter for a while. It seems that all is right in the world at that time and that anything is possible. The seasons really affect my state of mind, and I love them and the way they make me feel except for Old Man Winter. I could do with out him.

[mopinko]

1. do you do what i do when it starts to get warm-

drive with the heat blasting and the windows open? i love it.

[Tobin S.]

2. I do that when it's cold and snowy

When you drive for long periods of time in the snow you will get ice build up on the windshield. I crank the heat on the defroster all the way up and turn the fan on high and then roll down the window to keep from baking. It's weird but it works.

[Terra Alta]

3. I know exactly what you mean about the seasons affecting your state of mind.

Winter always depresses me. I LOVE Spring and seeing things coming alive, etc. I start getting really depressed around September/October with the days getting shorter and Fall arriving. My therapist said I probably have Seasonal Affective Disorder. I am really looking forward to Spring's arrival this month!

[Tobin S.]

4. Well, shit. I managed to make it to March without getting a cold and now I have one

I hope this is not an omen! We have had snow in early April here before. I'd like to tell that ol' groundhog to stick it.

Yeah, I think the seasons affect a lot of people's states of mind. You know how they say the frequently cloudy and rainy northwest has a higher suicide rate than the rest of the country. I don't know if that's a real correlation, but it sure is suspicious.

[EFerrari]

5. That happens to me when there's a sudden weather change.

I think there is a correlation because countries that get the least sun seem to have higher rates of depression and alcohol use, iirc.

When the sun comes out after a storm, I feel physically different. It's really odd.

The rain is greening up our dusty brown hills and the wild flowers are popping up all over the place. Seems sort of early. I remember May being the months where they really bloomed but maybe that's wrong.

I'm supposed to be shopping for one of those gro lites for people. I'll let you know how it goes. Come on, Spring!