Snow days: A sports writer’s blessing and curse

What am I going to put in the paper?

This column was my answer to that question, dear readers. As I began to type this and realized it all sounded better in my head (as most columns tend to do), I realized that maybe snow days aren’t that great. Sure I get to catch up on some of my favorite TV shows that I’ve fallen behind on this winter, but I also have to come up with something entertaining for the next day’s newspaper. Things are just as hard on the readers, as they are charged with the task of reading whatever it is I come up with.

Getting back to the snow day itself, I experienced the highs and lows on Thursday. I got to eat meals on a regular schedule (a rarity for the sports journalism community), watch some TV and read a few chapters of the The Hobbitt to gear up for the movie this weekend.

I also got to spend more than an hour excavating my car from underneath inches of snow. After doing that to return a movie that I nearly forgot was due, I thought about walking around town to get some cool snow-related photos to run with this story. After nearly falling three times within my first 15 steps, I decided to call that mission off.

But only after nearly falling on the pavement multiple times, I remembered that snow days are first and foremost about safety. For it being the first one of the season, this was a doozy of a storm. Seeing the problems it has caused across the state reminded me that it’s fine if I have to scramble for something to fill the paper with if it means people will just stay indoors and not force travel anywhere.

That being said, I wish everyone safe travels in the next week or so. I’ll be heading back to Illinois for a few days myself, so I’ll be among those that have to brave the elements.

At least I know this time around that if my dad wakes me up by saying “Snow day,” it really won’t have an effect. If anything, it’s just some extra material for the Airing of Grievances around the Festivus table this year.