Snow: Do you love it or hate it?

On the way to work this morning, my sister walked by a limousine stuck in snow on the corner of Bergen Street and Flatbush Avenue inBrooklyn. On her way home from work this evening, she passed the limo once again. It--and the people who started clearing the snow out from underneath it this morning--was still there.

Sunday night's east-coast blizzard hurt the city, hurt travelers and hurt businesses. The cold, dry, powdery snow made drifting so easy, and left roughly all five boroughs with two feet of snow. Flights cancelled, delayed and passengers slept at Kennedy Airport in Queens.

This afternoon, I walked outside my apartment on Fifth Avenue and 95 percent of shops closed on account of weather. Mind you, Fifth Ave in Park Slope is one of the busiest streets. What?! Completely astonished, I shook my head and walked back up the two flights of stairs to my apartment and made myself some chai tea. It still amazes me the difference between Michiganders and the rest of the country in winter. We [Michiganders] truly are a special breed. I suppose I could include the rest of the midwest and even Colorado in there somewhere. Surely, if Michigan had major lake-effect snow and whiteouts, businesses would be open the next day. And those that weren't...flogged, mocked until the end of time. In short...declared pansies.

It seems after several years of the city experiencing a storm similar to Sunday night, it would be better prepared. My sister, however, made a valid point: The city experiences an intense blizzard approximately 15 days out of the entire year. Michigan experiences this lovely element of winter six months per year. Economically speaking, it wouldn't make sense for the city to assemble an army of snowplows like those in several cities in Michigan. They are quite pricey--certainly not like renting a limo. But come on!!!! Two feet and one of the most powerful, influential cities in the world completely shuts down. Uuhhh...really?

The week before Christmas, several friends and acquaintances said they wanted a white Christmas. Well, you asked and now you've received my friends. It's quite funny to notice the transition of people wishing for beautiful, flakey snow, then despising the wet, dirty, pain-in-the-ass of it all. Yo New Yorkers, just be thankful you don't have to live with it for half the year!

Photos courtesy of Richard Perry of The New York Times.

"Women are crazy." Sound familiar?

Deep inside the core of the majority of women around the world, it's even a challenge for them to disagree with this statement--especially after having seen this undesirable behavior in films such as Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Basic Instinct. Some women go as far as making a joke of it with friends. We hear about female lunatics in daily conversations with family and friends who recount their horrifying break-up stories with either tears and incomprehensible sentences (a.k.a word vomit) or cries of laughter.

I suppose the predominant question of this post stems from the origin of this insanity. How did women acquire this adjective, which is so frequently subsequent the noun??

For this post, I think it's best to start with one possible explanation...small steps people, small steps.

Taking general relationships into consideration, it seems nowadays a woman is so concerned a man will leave her--ultimately shattering her heart (dramatics intended)--to the point she becomes insecure, emotional...even defensive. Eek!!! At the same time, a man is terrified at the thought of his partner taking a turn for the worst and becomes crazy or clingy--think Eduardo Saverin's girlfriend in The Social Network Movie--he, in turn, becomes distant, ultra sensitive and ultimately...hides in a cave or hunts for the next doe. Sure I might be generalizing a bit in my last sentence for my own amusement, but honestly, for the men who are reading this, have you ever experienced one or all of these behavioral changes at one time in your life? I'm merely curious and there's no judgement on my end if anyone answers yes.

According to some of my female friends (both single and in relationships), many confessed to me their greatest fear is of their boyfriends, husbands or lovers abandoning them or cheating. Although I optimistically await a rebuttal from my readers, after re-reading my post on men, women and relationships, the phrase "the grass is always greener on the other side" springs to mind. Cheating is as frequent as eating these days--pun intended. I think there's a cause and effect in here somewhere. Cause: The world figured out a way to increase sex appeal. Effect: It's easier to be greatly attracted to someone, thus increasing the likelihood of cheating.

And hey!!! Side note: There's nothing wrong with looking at someone attractive while dating or being married to someone else. After all, aren't we animals, too?? We, however, are animals with very capable minds. Minds capable of self control and I believe it's something we've lost over time.

With breast and butt implants, hair waxing, hair dying, makeup, push-up bras, tight clothes, low-rise jeans, high heals, and much more, it's a piece of cake for both sexes to appear attractive. It's certainly not like the 1940s or when turtlenecks were a fad and not just a stack of clothes piled up in GAP with a half-off sale poster in front.

Reflecting on the last decade, with all the changes--whether they were for the better or worse--I can't help but ask myself...Did we bring it on ourselves??

Of course, I do not believe all women are crazy; nor do I think all men are selfish and distant--just using those stereotypes to stir up a little commotion. But honestly, does anyone think these adjectives were commonly associated with these nouns in the 18th century? Or the 1920s? Thoughts?