The mind tends to wander while shoveling snow. What cruel irony it was that the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue arrived Tuesday to taunt us with its visions of scantily-clad supermodels in tropical settings as we face frigid mountains of snow. Why aren't there small armies of kids cavorting in this winter wonderland? Are video games really that good? Who would want to be a local TV reporter when a snowstorm means that you get placed alongside a busy road and have to come up with journalistic nuggets like, "Yup, it's still snowing." Aren't TV weatherfolk tempted to do the entire forecast in a crusty New England accent after repeatedly using the term "nor'easter"?
The mind-numbing repetition of dig / lift / throw was relieved by a quick mathematical calculation. Once an engineer, always an engineer, I guess. My driveway is about 16' x 50'. Assuming snow depth is about 1.5' and its density is about 10 lb/CF, I'll be lifting some 12,000 lbs of snow. That's 6 tons.
My father and grandfather worked in the mines and averaged 10 tons of coal loaded per day How can I complain about a little snow shoveling when they dug / lifted / threw nearly twice as much every single day while underground in the dark? And they didn't even have the Swimsuit Issue to look forward to afterwards.
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