The windchill is -5° (using the wind charts and the lying wind data as it's much windier up here, it's probably actually lower by a good 10°) and it is snowing. Alas, it's not snowing hard enough to really call it a good storm - yet. But, it has signs of becoming one.
It's not really a good blizzard until the house starts rumbling and visibility is measured in feet.
Winter is here, even if the calendar disagrees.
I am honestly amazed that I'm not dead! After all those years of living a punk rock life and making bad choices. I'm pretty sure the only decisions I made were bad decisions. I am not quite sure how I made it out with a clean record.
Right?
A long time ago, when the mountains were still new, I worked at the brig as a transportation officer (I was a Marine). Between the secure zone and the barracks, there was a decidedly non-reg sign that was made in needlepoint. On that sign, it said, "There but by the grace of God go I."
I'm not a religious man, but that quote has always stuck with me. Man, it could have been such a small thing, one slight change, and I'd have been on the other side of that door. The only difference between me and the others is just one bad choice AND getting caught.
It has helped to keep me grounded, and still does - all these years later.
I don't know how old you are, but cops were also a lot more lenient when I was a wee lad. Good thing, too. More than once have I been told, "Drive straight to your destination and if I see you out here again tonight, you're going to jail."
I almost feel a little bad for the kids today. Being allowed some leeway back then really shaped me as a person.
And I don't have a clean record - I just have no felonies on my record.
A teacher in highschool once told me "Don't do stupid shit!" It took many years of bad decisions but it has finally sunk in.
The cops these days are horrible, especially in my small city. If I had ever been caught, I know for a fact they would have thrown the book at me. I was known for sneaking out at the right time, or just straight up running faster than them.
My parents told me stories of my dad getting off on a drunk driving charge because my Mom agreed to drive home home, even though she was way more drunk.
The lack of leeway from the cops has really shaped me into disrespecting law enforcement.
I can relate. I was a functional drunk for years and years - and my very job insisted I drive all over. I have more miles than many long-haul truckers. Almost none of them were sober.
These days, after a very tumultuous time, I actually don't drink much. I also refuse to drive when I'm drinking. I've never been busted and I'd like to keep it that way.
It's amazing the shit we got away with, eh?