Maybe - just maybe - I'm not that bad

When I started this project last month, I was fully aware that there are people in this world who probably need something like this more than I do. Though of course it doesn't negate the fact I felt I could use a little personal growth.

Well, yesterday and today was our first winter snowstorm here in Canada's capital. And apparently, there's a whole whack of people out here who need a whole lot of personal growth.

I'm not a patient person by any means. My screaming and swearing problems are usually the result of lack of patience. I haven't addressed it yet, but I also have a little issue with curiosity - but anyone who knows me will tell you that's one hell of a challenge for me, so I'm not quite ready for it.

Back to patience: I often have none. Or at least I didn't think I did. Apparently compared to other people on the road, I'm like a freakin' buddhist monk in meditation (OK, that's a really awful analogy that I'll blame on this book I'm reading, Lamb, the Gospel according to Biff, Christ's childhood pal).

Seriously. When nearly a foot of snow falls in 48 hours, no one will make it to work on time. Accept it. Most bosses accept it. And even if yours doesn't, what can you do about it? The way I look at it, the two hours it takes you to drive to work on snow days is a gift! Honestly, tell me about another way you can get two hours to just sit there. No kids whining or fighting in the back seat. No boss breathing down your neck. No toilets to clean at home. Two hours where you get to just sit there, listening to your favourite tunes in a perfectly climate controlled environment.

It's bliss! I loved every minute of my drive in the last two days.

Apparently the folks in the cars in front of me, beside me, behind me - well they just couldn't agree less. In all my years of rush hour commuting, I thought I'd seen it all. I hadn't. I saw lots of the typical stupid rush hour behaviour (made even stupider by the weather): people who feel entitled to carpool lanes, passing people by driving in the oncoming traffic lanes, being the second or third car back at an intersection and turning left ahead of all the cars in front of you because you're angry they refuse to block the intersection. But here are some of my rarer favourites from the last 48 hours:

• A lady having a full breakie in her car - real plate and cutlery included. She was a passenger, mind you - but still unique, to say the least.
• Lots of folks texting and more people on their cell phones than not.
  
• One guy using his laptop.
• A handful of ladies - drivers and passengers - doing their makeup. Only one guy shaving.
• And someone who I hope was changing her shoes or putting on pantyhose. I don't even want to think of what else she could have been doing.

The only unfortunate moment in this morning's drive was when I was stuck behind someone who's MP3 radio transmitter was obviously on the same frequency as me - and I almost peed myself when my Dixie Chicks were replaced by some full blast soprano shrieking at the top of her lungs. I'm lucky my windshield didn't crack or something.

Anyway. Maybe tomorrow I should plaster this URL on my rear window. Then all the people with laptops and Internet enabled cell phones can do something productive while they're sitting there... Hmm.......