By now you've heard of the horrible event known as "SnowJam2014" that happened here in Atlanta. As someone who was trapped in an 9 hour commute I can tell you with all seriousness. It was way worse than you can know.
Let me address a matter that most people don't know about. Here is some inside baseball for you. Ready? Here it is. "Most teachers are praying for snow days". Let me explain using this most recent debacle here in Atlanta. I'll use a time line and my own experiences for fun.
12 pm- Tuesday snow is starting to get a little thick, but you know you can make it home.
315pm- you realize EVERYBODY in the metro Atlanta area must be going to your house for an unannounced cookout! What gives.
316-1145pm you want to just DIE!
5pm - Robo call goes out that school will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday). Well if these people don't get out the way we'd have class on the side of the road!
1146 pm - 3am you debrief the crazy adventures you and your wife just experienced. You're glued to TV and social media to check on others that you know. You're sad that so many people you know are literally sleeping in their cars on the highway. Nothing you can do, but pray.
11 am You roll out of bed realizing that you've slept most of the day away. You immediately try to find out the status of your friends who were sleeping on highway. Nothing has changed. You make calls and do what you can to help.
12pm. Where's my wife's car? Oh yeah she abandoned it in a subdivision near by. Guess it's time to brave the elements. A friend comes over with her two girls. They had to sleep in her school last night. Stopped by your house as a midway to going home.
5pm Robo call goes out that school is cancelled Thursday. Dancing in the streets ensue.
511pm *Pretty long dance break. Then it hits you, "I have a free day to catch up on somethings"
520pm You start making a list of what you want to get done on this most wonderful day, Snow Day # 2.
The rest of the day you're just doing life, enjoying family, texting co-workers about not seeing them tomorrow. The bets start on if we'll have work Friday. You don't care you know you have Thursday off and that's all that matters, now.
The rest of the night is spent enjoying the new national pasttime, cleaning out the DVR. Who recorded this stuff anyway!?
7 amThursday, you wake up LATE! You jump out of the bed. You only have so many precious hours today to get all your things done.
703am "Those streets don't look cleared"
"I guess that's why God created DVRs"
Noon you've done all your house work. Even taken the time to feed the kiddos. Boy, they eat a lot!
2pm I haven't been outside yet to get some of my other lists done. I wonder if we'll have work tomorrow? Naw, they can't close another day...can they?
4pm You do venture out. These streets are crazy! It sure would be nice to not have ro risk my life to have to go to work. Oh well, it is what it is.
430pm Your phone rings. It's the same number that's been calling you all week about the weather, the Blessed Robo Call. You fall in to a snow drift and make a snow angel. God has heard your plea Snow Day #3
In an attempt to show thankfulness for a third day off you start promising "today I'm going to grade papers, fill out progress reports and do those anchor charts". What really happens is;
You run to the super market, pick up dry cleaning, meet some friends at Starbucks, hit the gym, run errands. You look up and it's 10 pm! Where did your snow week go?
Do they expect me to come work Superbowl Monday?
Recap
Snow Day 1 mental health day "That was the worse day ever"
Snow Day 2 relax from mental health day "I need to just chill"
Snow Day 3 Errands and to-do list day "I got so much to DO!"
*This formula usually applies to any vaction time as well.
