Blizzard of 2010 -- photos coming soon!

This morning was a commuting nightmare.  Thanks to the Blizzard of 2010, the Q train suspended service leaving me with only one subway line, the N train.  Of course, my stop - an outdoor platform - hadn't yet seen a shovel so this morning's throng of commuters were straddling the back metal wall for fear of slipping onto the tracks.  Misery breeds a weird sort of camaraderie between commuters and though trains were late and we were packed tighter than Adam Lambert's jeans, everyone seemed to just go with the flow.  I didn't really hear any complaining except for a singular outburst at the 59th street station when someone yelled, "Stop pushing."  Pretty tame for New Yorkers.

So here I am, at my desk and clocked-in five minutes late - not bad considering the 25 inches of snow on the ground.  But no matter, my floor is basically empty with only a few analysts and a handful of assistants at their desks.  I smell a long day of net surfing and online shopping. 

As for the rest of my holiday weekend, Saturday’s blizzard warning prompted mom and dad to adopt a wait-and-see stance before heading into the city.  I didn't want to get stranded in NJ for the rest of the week, so I headed out Sunday morning just as it was beginning to flurry - or as my malapropism-prone mother likes to say, flourish.  I guess everyone else had the same idea.  The NJ Transit bus was packed and already running 20 minutes late.  At least I didn't have to stand for the whole trip unlike some of the later boarders.  Exiting the NYC side of the Lincoln Tunnel it was clear the meteorologists got this one right - Mother Nature was gonna' take a massive dump on us. 

From Port Authority I opted for the subway rather than a cab in anticipation of some horrific weather-related traffic.  I'd already gotten a sneak peak on the bus ride in - four car accidents in less than 10 miles of highway between Union and Newark.  By the time I was finally off the subway and walking the last few blocks to my apartment there was at least an inch of snow on the ground.  Ignorant of the storm predictions, I had only packed smooth-soled dress shoes.  So you guessed it, I slipped and fell flat on my ass right in front of the Dunkin Donuts on 30th Avenue.  On reflection, this was probably a sign from God to stock up on munchkins and Boston crèmes for the long winter hibernation to come.  But as is often the case with divine revelation, I was too pre-occupied with anger, cursing and embarrassment to notice.  The moral of the story? - God wants me to eat more doughnuts. 

By six, it appeared I would be trapped in the apartment (alone - mom and dad wisely decided not to travel into the city) for at least the next day, so I threw on my boots and trekked to the Rite Aid for important supplies - toilet paper and Lindt chocolates.  Don’t judge.  They had the special Christmas flavors (of chocolate, not toilet paper - that would be just plain weird) at 50% off!  Obviously, God had given me a second chance to stock up on useless calories and at half price.  Can I get an "Amen"?

I also made a detour to Radio Shack to buy a memory card for my new video camera.  As soon as I figure out how to use it, I will post my blizzard photos.

I woke up Monday morning to a winter wonderland.  It was like a crack house threw up all over the street, only colder and without the syringes.  Ignoring the weatherman’s pleas to stay indoors, I strapped on my boots to see whether any other other idiots decided to venture out.  It seems Astoria is full of idiots because the streets were brimming with activity.  Sidewalks were being shoveled, cars were being un-buried (pardon the passive voice), dogs were shitting and kids were playing.  Plowing Queens (that sounds dirty) is obviously not a priority for the city since the side streets (i.e. my street) appeared impassable.  A few abandoned cars - I imagine the drivers got stuck in the snow and just gave up - created lovely arctic snowdrifts smack dab in the middle of the street.

I was surprised to find both the Key Food and Rite Aid open though under-manned.  I took this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play King of the Grocery Store and shop the abandoned aisles.  This must be how Paris Hilton feels when they close the Cocaine Emporium on Rodeo Drive to the general public so she can shop un-hassled by the paparazzi.   Shopping completed, I headed home with my bags filled with ingredients for a big pot of homemade chili.

I spent the rest of the day lounging in my underwear, scoffing bowls of chili and watching an all day marathon of “Living in the Time of Jesus” on the National Geographic Channel.  The three-part documentary was actually pretty interesting and oddly secular given the title and subject matter.  Don’t worry, I’m not heading off to Seminary anytime soon.  Every other channel was showing blizzard coverage or re-runs of Oprah.  

Sadly, the snow day was wasted because I had already taken the day off from work.