Snow? In Toronto?! Say It Ain’t So!!!!
So I was making myself some dinner when I got home after work last night, and one of the things I like to do is turn the TV on while I am making my dinner. I don’t watch a particular program, I hardly even keep my eyes on the television but I guess I just like the background noise. So randomly I flipped to channel 7 City TV, and so started City TV News. Within seconds I realized why I don’t regularly watch City TV news because they miss one essential ingredient when it comes to reporting the news….newsworthy items. They open their news with “The Lead” the story that takes precedence over everything..Gord Martineau and Anne Mroczkowski quickly appear with serious faces, and Anne in her most determined news anchor voice utters “Get ready Toronto, snow is on the way!!” I thought that maybe a new comedic program was broadcasting on City TV, I mean aside from their wretched news, there are programs on City worth watching so I actually watched with a giant grin on my face completely dumbfounded. They spent five entire broadcast minutes on the fact that a winter storm from was on it’s way from Texas. While the reporters themselves were delivering this as if some terrorist attack was on the way, the people they interviewed weren’t concerned at all. The city workers who clear the snow were actually rejoicing ready to get to work. I often ask the question why it is that we freak out everytime it snows in Toronto, and I guess last night’s City TV New broadcast could very well be a clue. The fact that we could get about one foot of snow, which will probably be melted by Sunday took precedence over an abandoned baby, a doctor that was responsible for jailing innocent people, and even the irrelevant bait of Britney Spears making a second trip to the hospital was no match for the snow…though they did cover it within the first 20 minutes. Can I ask again….why do we freak out in Toronto every time it snows?!
This morning was no different for me than any other. I got up at five in the morning went to the gym, and then went to work. I don’t know what it is, but for me snowfalls during the winter are just a natural occurence what with where we live and all. I was actually away at school back when Mel Lastman decided to call in the army because of a snowfall, and laughed at Toronto with the rest of Canada. If they ever run out of ideas for future Die Hard movies there’s a premise right there. Can you picture it? Bruce Willis as John Mclane with a stained wife beater shovelling snow at the corner of Bay and Front. I’m sorry, but frankly we deserve any and all criticism and jokes levelled at us simply because of the way we react when it snows in Toronto.
I remember as a kid, whenever it snowed it was awesome. It either meant a vicious number of rounds of snowball fights, or some kick ass tobboganing to be had. I still don’t mind the snow, I mean if I could afford a house in the U.S. Virgin Islands I’d move there, but I am not going to throw myself off a building because a storm front is moving in. Actually I think snowfalls can be quite beautiful and peaceful at times. I shake my head everytime I hear people say “Can you believe the snow?!” I think it’s amazing how one snowfall has the power to make people suddenly forget how to drive…mind you I think most drivers in Toronto are stupid regardless of the weather which is why I don’t drive. I guess with Global Warming insueing some warmer weather during the summer people just feel inconvenienced when Mother nature extends her natural arm during winter.
Of course another aspect to this ridulousness, is showing up to work in the morning to find half the staff not there, and of course since you were one of the people that “braved the storm” your workload goes up. I know if I were my boss I’d have a hard time keeping a straight face as an employee calls in and says “Sorry, I can’t come into work because it’s snowing.” Yeah, the snow is a hassle, but not the end of the world, and if you can’t get into work because you live in Ajax…well you decided to live in Ajax…why do people live in Ajax anyway?….I guess that’s a topic for another time.
I remember the Toronto Poetry Slam back in December when we had another big snowfall. I remember thinking that it would be open season because there wouldn’t be many people there. I was wrong, but I wasn’t disappointed, it was so cool to see everyone show up and enjoy the slam, and have a good time. That’s the kind of spirit I like, just because we get a large dumping of snow, doesn’t mean your lives have to end. Trust me I have been through some insane weather, I survived the ice storm back when I was living in Ottawa. But you know I think our reaction to a snowfall is a slap in the face to people that have to deal with seasonal things such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. I know I’m gonna sound like Don Cherry when I say this, but so be it: Yes, it’s snowing out, yes, it’s a hassle, no, the world is not ending. Suck it up!!! Put on your winter coat, put on your hat and mitties, and stop being such a candy ass.
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