Yes, it snowed in Seattle this week and as with any winter which takes place here, you can expect there to be the usual hoopla, panic and over dramatization of the fluffy stuff falling outside. After all, it wouldn’t be Seattle if the Seattleites didn’t:
-all run outside to build snowmen at the first sign of snow
-record people driving and skidding then post these videos on YouTube
-talk about how it never snowed an inch at their house and how cheated they were
-mention cabin fever at some point
-harass reporters when they try to inform us about safety
And it wouldn’t be Seattle if the weather reporters didn’t…
-discuss how only in the 1930’s did Seattle have a similar winter
-use the words “record breaking” in almost all reports
-change their forecast several times a day
-miss the mark on which day the snow would hit
-refer to 2 inches of snow as “blizzard-like conditions”
And lastly, it wouldn’t be Seattle if the other cities in our country didn’t sit back and laugh at us…
Regardless of the fuss Seattle makes over the winters here each year and the snow that comes with it, we are absolutely allowed to be drama queens since many of our inhabitants are really not natives of Seattle at all, but transients. Not everyone is used to experiencing the white fluffy stuff so yes; this is a big deal for most here. Have you looked around our lovely city lately? We come from all sorts of states and nations where snowy winters are not always common. I think the reported 800 car accidents in a 24-hour period yesterday would help to support that fact, along with our unique infrastructure and make up such as lots of hills and the deceiving slickness of the roads during such storms.
Additionally, hello people – the panic is all part of the fun. Duh! We KNOW the world is not going to end because of this particular winter but we enjoy acting like it might and preparing for it and talking about it. You’ll find it never fails each year; we’ll act surprised, scared, panicked, or like a kid on Christmas morning, along with a lot of other adjectives and emotions when really, we know the roll and we know what to expect. After weather reports are issued you’ll find crowded grocery stores with people stocking up till next Christmas, busy gas stations and you can also expect a week off from work. This is just how it is and we get a kick out of this! After all, it’s extremely exciting for us to stir up some fun and thrilling chaos in this boring, dull and depressing city others outside of Washington think we live in.
BUT when the LA Times wants to talk smack about Seattleites being wimps in the snow… well I’d like to challenge them to a snowball fight and see who comes out winning… that is, if they know what a snowball is. I’d just like to know when was the last time they had 9 inches of the white stuff to deal with. Myself and several others would have probably joined in on the insults of the article in poking fun at ourselves if say the Sun Times of Chicago or New York Times wrote such a piece, but LA? I’m sorry LA but when your high’s are 65 degrees in the dead of winter, well, this conversation is over.
I suggest since most of the Los Angelenos will be moving up this way to live at some point in their lives (and partake in the freak out sessions), it’s best to stick to what they know best with their beaches, their palm trees and their botox and and not be iceholes about how we handle our winters up here…our REAL winters, we’re not talking sissy like omg it sprinkled a little bit of rain today winters either.
At this rate, we’re just never going to be friends that way…
Happy Snowmageddon, my wonderfully panicked Seattleites! Stay warm and be safe out there. LA, put a cork in it!
-Tanya
Photo Courtesy William Blumenstein share on Facebook
