All Hail Hail

Weather is a gift to the conversationally inept. I have no problem with those who use weather as a discussion crutch, and Michigan is probably the best place in the country to take advantage of this assistance. I emphatically support all those who do not feel comfortable in casual conversation to come to Michigan and take advantage of one of our most readily accessible social tools. Today was an absolutely perfect day to represent the brilliant variance in our weather - or as I call it, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Copyright and Trademark, Me.

I woke up this morning under gray but moderate skies and a temperature around 50 degrees. At 9am, the dork on Fox 2 News Weather told me that there was a good chance that at some time today I would be seeing 60 mph winds and corresponding frigid temperatures. I left home for my daily run at noon, ran the first three miles in brilliant sun and 55 degree weather, and ran my last mile in ice rain falling from the sky and crazy winds. The weather gods are clever and enjoy irony, so my very brief cool down walk was a return to 50 degrees and bright sun with another blast of rain on the last half-a-block before my home. That was all a bit random, but not as unexpected as the marble-sized hail that fell from above for 5 whole minutes immediately after my shower. I've never seen hail like that before. 1 hour later, the skies cleared, the sun found its place again in the sky, and my car thermometer read 57 degrees on my way to Sunday bowling fun.

Some people do not like this level of randomness in their weather, but I find it to be another spectacular component of our state. This is one of the many reasons why my mom always makes sure that I never leave home without my football helmet. Other people despise cold weather, but they are forgetting the advantages of cold weather in helping people identify that their fly is in the down position. This is a serious benefit that should not be overlooked. Perhaps most importantly, extreme variations in weather give you something to talk about with your barber, pedicurist, coworkers, neighbors, public servants, and ents (read a book. I won't tell you which one, you'll have to pick from the 10 available). This would simply not be an option in San Diego. "How about that weather?" "It's nice today." Boring.