The Five Stages of Blizzard

The emotional paths experienced in a giant storm are very similar to our responses to fierce loss.

No, c'mon. Really. Just look!

Denial
Historic, Crippling Blizzard Ahead? Oh please. It’ll be nice to have a Snow Party though.
Time to hit Stop&Shop for more more ‘Crippling Blizzard’ Snacks!

Anger
No electricity? No heat? What the hell! We pay good money for these utilities -- how dare they piss off at the first sign of a little flurry! (see -- Denial is still in there)
And this is REALLY gonna mess up my triking schedule, dammit. I need to get out there every day. How will I get my exercise if the streets and sidewalks are under three feet of snow and ice?!

Bargaining
OK, I’ll never, ever make fun of weather.com’s use of exclamation points and bold face if they’ll just ix-nay the pummeling wind and stop those baby tsunamis from leaping over the seawall.

Delusion is mixed in here -- thinking that weather.com actually controls the elements We all know the forces of nature are directeded by a convocation of wizards in the Orkney Islands. They gather at the Ring of Brodgar a coupla times a season -- work up a sweat, cast a few spells and then head to the pub at The Stromness Hotel for a pint of Skull Splitter (yeah, that's seriously the name of the ale and it IS fabulous!), some cheddar from Erland and Marcus Woods’ cows with Stockan’s oatcakes.

Oh yeah, mama -- I’ll be over to join them as soon as this damned storm ends!

Depression
OMG, we’re having a planet destroying attack from the weather gods! My house will wash out to sea. My CATS will wash out to sea! And I can’t hear the wind howling -- how am I gonna know that it’s screaming of my impending doom if I can’t hear it?!

OK, there’s a big layer of panic over top that depression.

Acceptance-ish
This’ll be over soon. We’re going to be just fine. Just look at how pretty the snow is and it’s pretty cool to see such big, strong waves.

Oh look! The power’s back, the sun’s coming out and we don’t have to go to work today.

OK, a sixth stage -- Post Storm Annoyance
There’s icy, slushy, soot covered snow piles everywhere -- gross! My feet are wet and frozen, the drifts are still covering all the bike lanes -- I want to trike today. AND the three story high snow piles are taking all the decent parking spaces in Quincy Center. This blows.

God, it’s hideously messy out. Why won’t it all melt now, now, NOW!?

Yup, I’m just a real peach to be around right now.