Do as we say, not as we do
You know it is a terrible winter when born and raised Chicagoans are complaining. You can hear them all over the city and suburbs. I know, Julian Crews knows and Marcella Raymond knows because we have been going out to get those reactions every time a storm is coming and/or Paul Konrad talks about dangerous conditions and his map says frigid rather than just cold. Frigid has never been a good adjective, think about it. It is definitely not a compliment.
Granted, thanks to my being a feature reporter, Marcella and Julian have done most of the freezing out there. But in my 11 years as a reporter, six of them as a general assignment reporter in Chicago, I have frozen my butt many times. But this winter takes the cake.
I say all this to pose a few questions, as viewers; do you enjoy watching other people complain about the cold weather or the snowstorm? Does it make any sense to you that we stand outside in “frigid” temperatures or “dangerous” conditions when we are telling you to not stand outside? Don’t we look foolish saying “any exposed skin will suffer” and there we are with our exposed faces saying this?
It probably makes sense to you. As viewers, you probably love to hear others agreeing with you about how horrible this winter is. That is why all the newsrooms send the their reporters to do the same thing during extreme weather conditions. You’ve seen plenty of reporters holding on to a palm tree or a lamppost during hurricane season.
We complain, we question it but we do it because it’s part of a job we love. The yearly bronchitis is a badge of honor in our journalist resume. But you know what would make us feel better, if once in a while weathercasters would head out there. What a better way to tell us about the cold temperatures than feeling it for yourself.
I love you, Konrad, but it wouldn’t kill you and your comrades to give us the forecast from the outdoors once in a while. You love cold weather. You don’t even own a coat. I know, I know you have to be in the weather office updating your maps because, believe it or not, Mr. Konrad is a one-man band. No employee of the month and no interns or producers for him either.
Oh, and by the way, all of you who told me October was a great month to have a baby are crazy. Amelia has not left the house for a week at a time this winter. Every time she leaves it, you can only see her eyes, which get watery when the sunlight hits her. You should have seen her sleeveless and sock less in Puerto Rico. She didn’t know what to do with herself in the warm weather. And too think she has to wait three more months to get enjoy her hometown
Comments
I had two babies in Jan. and winter is definitely hard to have a newborn in. I would suggest April for your next one. That was, by far, my favorite time to have had a baby.
Posted by: Debbie | February 10, 2008 2:24 PM
As a born and raised Chicagoan, I've survived 36 winters, and I'm thinking that this is my last winter in Chicago. The desert might just be worth a shot.
Posted by: Fitz | February 11, 2008 1:22 PM
I had a baby in October and one in March. (7 years apart)The October baby was a breeze to bundle up and put in her carrier since she was not mobile or autonomous at all. By the time the March baby needed cold weather gear, it was like her legs could not bend to get into the snowsuit and she kept trying to take it off once I had her crammed into it. No matter in what month they were born, spring stroller walks were the best.
Posted by: Denise | February 12, 2008 1:11 PM
I often had the sneaking suspicion that the beleaguered reporters that I see either freezing solid on live tv or sweltering and melting into a pool of polyester while informing us that "Yes friends, it's smoking hot out here. It's not your neighbor's barbeque grill, it's my suit jacket, or possibly my weave." have lost a secret ballot somewhere, and that the "Top Drawer" newscasters should have to do their shows from out on the porch periodically, in their pajamas on one of those "Artic, nor'easter, lake effect" days and on of those "Lord, I'll do better, if you'll just get me out of purgatory" days in wool suits. It would give them a touch humility to have them lip-frozen to their microphones or stewed in their own juices for the edification of their veiwing public.
Posted by: Dana | February 13, 2008 7:40 AM