Nor-Easter

It's only people in the North East that are pretentious enough to go name a natural occurance that doesn't even originate in the North East after themselves. I had the opportunity to experience my first "Nor-Easter" last winter. For those of you, like me, who have grown up somewhere outside of the North East, a "Nor-Easter" is not an early Easter or upstate New York's answer to the ambominable snow man. Rather, it's strong blizzard, usually making its way down from Canada, carrying lots of cold air and snow. This makes me wonder, if such a blizzard is called a "Nor-Easter", then why wasn't Hurricane Katrina a South-Easter? The El Nino affect should be a South Wester. A tornado in Oklahoma? That's a Mid-Wester.

Regardless of what you call it, the Nor-Easter sweeps down on the tri-state area, causing snow days, early dismissals, and traffic nightmares wherever you go. Last year, the governor of New Jersey actually proclaimed that we were in a "state of emergency." Oddly enough, despite this announcement, my office didn't release us until three hours later. According to my manager, any time there is snow in New Jersey, there is a state of emergency, "That's to keep all the wackos off the road." But, who keeps them off the road when there isn't snow?

In the excitement of my first snowfall ever, I rushed out the door to make a snow angel. Okay, so it was on the corporate lawn, but I don't think anyone but my Banana Republic pants really minded. I came home, cuddled up with my blanket, made hot cocoa, and watched the snow fall. It was just like what I remembered from the Christmas specials on TV. I woke up the next morning to go outside and see yellow spots all over the snow. So much for a "white" winter.