Breaking the Box

You know it’s spring when your lowered car window allows you to enjoy music from  cars in the next lane. This week, while driving through the city, I heard what sounded like Rap music drifting from the vehicle. What was the driver’s ethnicity? Right. An Asian man. How old was the driver? Right. About thirty years old. What kind of car did he drive? Right. A Lexus. Maybe you missed most of those answers. I usually picture middle-aged people owning luxury cars. We can easily stick people in boxes if we  guess who they are or assume we know their preferences based on our predispositions. See if this surprises you:   

                                     https://youtu.be/ZvNwCRujeFc

 It surprised and entertained me. If we assume a Catholic person is going to behave in a particular way, then we’re limiting our thoughts, and maybe our treatment, of them. Have you ever been prejudged? Try to fill in this sentence: Just because I _________, doesn’t mean I _______________. Have you ever prejudged someone else? What mischaracterization have you made, but will avoid in the future?     

Out of Control

Is there a month-long April Fool’s joke going on? It is officially spring; the daffodils are blooming, the rabbits are hopping, but the weather’s not reflecting the season. When snow flurries landed on our car this week, I told one of our kids that it was unusual to have the bright sunshine along with the snow. A winter-weary voice from the backseat of the car moaned, “Ugh, I feel like the weather is mocking me.” To make matters worse, weather forecasters predict more flurries for the weekend.

Given all the meteorological technology weather people use, we’ve been fooled into thinking that they know what to expect. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, this is the year to expect the unexpected. Let’s be glad we’re not dealing with this:

 

    https://youtu.be/jkOTCKLi89Q

Imagine if we had to spend a year without summer. People would threaten sit-ins and protests—but against whom, against what? Scientist would appease us by accelerating their weather-controlling experiments. I’m sure some expert is already working on it. Think about the lives saved and the damage avoided if we could prevent storms. We’re such plucky folks, trying to control everything. What have you finally decided not to try to control?   

After the Plunge

Believe it or not, we’re winding down on the remaining weeks of winter, and in these parts, it hasn’t been that cold. Oh sure, the polar vortex visited, but only for a day or two. In fact, the last time it blew through those of us who like to take a dip in the ocean on a cold winter day did so. And, that amazes me because I get chilled during a summer breeze, so I can’t imagine doing the Polar Bear Plunge. Although this winter dip usually raises money for charity, it sounds like torture to me. Last week when they took the Plunge, I heard the barely bearable cold required that extra emergency staff be on hand. That’s one way to experience total body frostbite. Weird things happen in the cold. Like this:

                                     https://youtu.be/wsDvFMVU0hc

Unexpected storms stop people in their tracks. We had a moderate squall blow through last week, and I ended up cancelling my travel plans. It’s one thing to prepare when you know a storm is coming, but it’s another thing to get caught right in the middle of one without forewarning or protection. The storms of life come in all shapes and sizes, with some lasting longer than others, but eventually, we get through them. What kind of “spring” (benefit) have you experienced on the other side of your biggest storm?      

Still Relevant

While watching TV, I spotted a young girl on the show dressed in an “unusual” outfit. After spending a lot of time with a relative, Jasmine began dressing like her family member. The clothes looked so awkward on her that I remember mumbling, “What is she wearing?” That’s when I realized two things: she was imitating her grandmother’s style and I owned a similar outfit.

Here’s my backstory. I received that outfit about five years ago. These days it’s my “house outfit,” which means I only wear it outdoors if I’m taking out the trash or making a quick grocery store trip. Even though I saw the outfit in a store this past winter, I don’t think the style caught on again. These styles might catch on faster than my old outfit:

                                              https://youtu.be/unwCVLNE8Lg

Who doesn’t enjoy a colorful outfit? Styles change over time. One day your pants are in style and the next year you’re willing to donate them or wear them for a laugh. If we bought a pair of shoes last year, we’re ready to throw them out this year. If you do decide to keep them, you’ll have a hard time getting the heels fixed. Although people rarely get shoes repaired anymore, I still own several pairs of shoes that I’ve had for decades, including snow boots from middle school that I wear every winter.  Sound and sensible things last. What’s something you thought might not last, and then realized that it’s still useful and relevant?   

   

The Reawakening

Welcome to the season when hibernating creatures reappear. A family member spotted this warning on a hotel door up north: watch out for bears in the parking lot. So that means forget about hiking for now. After such a brutal winter, promise you won’t complain about bears or the drenching spring rain showers, and I’ll try not to complain about the newly-awakened creepy crawlers. Here’s the important the question on everyone’s mind (or maybe it’s only on mine): Will our snowy winter guarantee fewer insects this spring? Bug experts say it’s a mixed bag, depending on the species. Overall, bugs have lots of ways to adapt to harsh temperatures so we shouldn’t expect unusually low numbers. That’s fine, as long as we don’t get these:

                                  

                                               http://youtu.be/HVeNX-uWIGA

Spring brings bears, and apparently bug swarms. As you can see, this man has a bit of a problem. On the bright side, experts say the boxelder bugs should disappear within a few weeks. Despite these types of challenges, the season still gives us a lot to appreciate. As we bask in nature’s beautiful reawakening, which aspects of spring are you grateful for?          

      

What's The Weather?

Oh, it’s not that cold outside. That’s what I thought a few days ago, and I had to laugh. When does twenty-two degrees feel comfortable? Answer: when you’re used to the daytime temperatures hovering around the single digits, with below zero wind chill factors. You know there’s an arctic freeze in town when veteran Chicagoans close schools for two days. Brrr! The past two mild winters failed to prepare us for frequent visits from polar vortexes, but nothing on earth compares to these temperature fluctuations:

                                               http://youtu.be/aDYRa74G-_Y

We can forget how much we need and depend on the sun. Someone stated that if we’re floating in space where the sun shines, we would feel boiling temperatures. If we’re on the dark side of earth, well, that’s where we’d turn into human icicles. Does it make you feel better to hear spring arrives in less than eight weeks? I suspect we’re all anticipating warmer days when we can bask in the sun. How will you celebrate?