Wacky winter weather (in Iowa)

We all need a sense of humor when it comes to the weather. (Calvin & Hobbes-Bill Watterson calvinhobbesdaily)

It’s no secret that Iowa weather is wacky.

In my 50 years living here, I have pretty much seen it all. It doesn’t faze me anymore when it’s 50 degrees in January one day and then drops to below zero the next.

It isn’t just here in Iowa, but we seem to take it more personal. It’s become a running joke with us: “Don’t like the weather in Iowa? Wait a bit; it’ll change.”

Jeff Foxworthy has even made up jokes about our wonderful states. “If you have worn shorts and a parka in the same day…you might live in Iowa.”

But let’s get serious. Is Iowa weather more wacky than other states?

The Polar Vortex has its grips on the mid-section of the country. The northeastern states has gotten ungodly amounts of snow. And what about the South? They had tornadoes in December. As we speak, the west is dealing with extreme drought.

It seems as though the entire country is dealing with some form of extreme weather.

But at least there is an end in sight; it’s only 51 days until spring (as I’m writing this). And while I’m curious about the kind of spring Iowa will have, I would rather not try to predict it. It’s too risky, and I’m usually wrong.

And I’m not sure I want to believe the Farmer’s Almanac either, because they call for Jan. 25-31 to be mild, with rain and snow. Temperature’s tonight will be below zero with dangerous windchills of close to 30 below! Rain? I don’t think so.

Last year summer began in March. The above average temperatures (80+) were just the beginning of a very hot and dry summer. I remember hearing someone say they wouldn’t complain about how cold it got this winter.How soon we forget.

 Could the wacky weather be the result of climate change? Many scientists believe it is; others think it’s simply  a changing weather pattern that comes around every 20 years or so. 

Iowa has had strange weather for as long as I can remember. And I have found that the best way to deal with Iowa weather is to accept it and adapt to it.

If it’s cold, wear a coat. If it’s raining, use an umbrella. If you see a tornado, seek shelter. And if it’s hot, sip a cold beverage or go swimming.

It really is that simple.

Contemplation-looking back on a great year

How many people do you know can wake up on New Year’s Day and say, “I hope this year is as good as the last one.” There might be a few people out there who can relate. But most people I know couldn’t wait to get on with the new year-a clean slate with hope for a better year. Some of my past resolutions included promises to quit smoking, quit eating, quit drinking, more exercise….blahblahblah.

My resolutions were often forgotten a few weeks into the new year. But last year I decided not to make any resolutions. And I have to say,  it was the best year of my life.

It wasn’t great because I opt out on the whole resolution thing. It was because I started listening to myself. It wasn’t easy. My parents, my kids, my friends, my siblings….everyone’s voice echoed in my head, “Be this, do that.”

Happy New Year!

I don’t think they were doing it intentionally, but I found myself trying to be everything to everyone and it just wasn’t working. It was hard for me to say no and I often did things for people because I didn’t want to disappoint them. I ended up running myself ragged and the stress took a toll on me physically. This is something I have been working on for quite a while, but it was only last year when I was finally able to tell people, even those I love dearly, “No, I’m sorry, but it just won’t work for me.” (Sounds easy, doesn’t it? It wasn’t.)

I love helping people, but it’s a double-edge sword. I cared for others so well that I forget about me.

And then I started questioning my motives. Was I helping people because I want to or because I felt obligated? Was it a lack of self-esteem or over-commitment?

What I found out surprised me. It wasn’t all black and white. Sometimes I helped others because I wanted to. But there were a few times when I just didn’t want to let people down.

That’s when I realized I needed more balance in my life. I did some soul-searching and came up with the realization that it though it’s not my responsibility to make others happy, I really liked helping others when I could. But if I didn’t want to do something or if I just didn’t have the time, I could say no without feeling guilty.

I’m not perfect. I will have setbacks but at least I’m on the right track. I have a feeling a lot can come from this small action. As I have heard many times throughout my life, it all begins with one small step. You just have to know which direction to go.