Snow storms and gun fights

Item one: I don't mean to come off as a snow-snob, bragging about how awesome I am because I learned how to drive in the winter-wonderland known as Hillsdale, Michigan, but you'd think Vermonters would be a little bit savvier about driving in the snow. Granted, it's Storm City outside right now, but everyone, and I mean everyone, completely freaks out when it snows around here. And we live in the freaking mountains. Seriously, people. The Mountains.

Now I've never had snow tires on any of my vehicles, so I've had to learn how to drive, you know, correctly, in the midst of snow and ice. And basically, there are three simple rules for staying out of the ditch:

1. Break sooner than usual / but not so hard as usual.
   
2. Accelerate slower than usual / with less gas than usual.
3. Don't overcompensate with the wheel when you start to slide.

And basically, that's it. I just solved all your problems, Vermont. You can thank me later.

Item one end.



Item two: There was a shooting three blocks away from my house! This is better than Chicago! And it was over the reefer, usually a "safe" drug. Seriously, the dealers around here are idiots. I could own this town in under a year.

Damn my ethics!

End item two.

A Juanuary Sanchez Post Full of Snow

There is snow out right now, but not much. January can't decide whether she wants it hot or cold. If she's not careful, God might spit her out his mouth. Or mouf. Sppppewit!

But here some December pictures of Rutland in lotsa blustery-snowiness. Also, downtown dies after 8 O'Clock. Bummer.


I work there! There is where I work!


My favorite fire hydrant! Fire hydrant #1!


Depot Park! The smallest, lamest park in Rutland; except in December when they light the trees.


During the summer, they close this road off sometimes and let lame bands play. In the upper right hand corner is the clock tower (blurry). It makes me want to scream, "The clock tower, Marty!" every time I see it at night.


Jonny discovers his flash! Use that flash in the snow, Jonny! Now you're cookin'!


Paramount Theatre! Home of just about everything in Rutland that needs a theater. (Except movies.)


Peaceful downtown Rutland, much as it looks from 7pm-5am every single day.


Just up the road. Also peaceful. With churches!


Same corner. Different night.


A side street in downtown. I guess it's not special enough for lights or decorations.


Another lame park, called Alley Park, I think. It's behind some main street buildings, and it's really just a smoking park. I like to call it Lantern Waste.


See what I mean? If I had geeky C.S. Lewis fans around here, they'd all call it Lantern Waste, too. I don't. So they don't either.


Some wicked graffiti by Lantern Waste.


Goodnight moon.

So that's more of my town. It looks much nicer under snow than it does during June. Cruel June! Why do you taunt us so!?

Mason Dixon

Remember how I said I took seven pictures on my autotour down to Tennessee? Here are four of them. You're welcome.


A storm in Virginia! I had to pull over twice during the nastier bits.


My parents new kitten. They named him Pumpkin.


Pronounced Pun'kin. Which is kind of stupid.


I'm alternately calling him Joey Ramone and Samuel L. One of them will stick eventually.

The ground is falling onto the ground. And onto houses, too.

Last week I drove to Tennessee to see my parent's new home on Paint Rock Road. I was going to take a million pictures. I took seven. So instead, here are some pics of what I discovered outside my house when I got home yesterday. A(nother) tree had fallen onto my building, this time on the opposite side of the house. It broke two of my neighbors windows.


So that's the tree. Safe as houses.


More of the tree. The leafy parts.


My front door. Eagle Eye Charlie's can spy my bike on the right of the frame, hidden by the fence on the porch.


My building from across the street. Two months ago.


My building from across the street. Yesterday. (One of these things is not like the other.)


And then this morning, only one day later. Look what's disappeared!


Spirited away overnight, I guess.