09 April 2011

Why I Hate Spring

According to the calendar and the sun-watchers here in Canada, it is now spring. This is a revolting development if you ask me. I hate spring. And here are the reasons why (in no particular order):

1. Mud.
I live in a very rural area. The only roads for the next four kilometres are all dirt. In the spring, this means industrial-strength mud. I have seen tractors get stuck in the stuff. No lie.

2. Melting snow.
I love snow. I don't even mind driving through it that much (in fact, it's preferable around here to drive through snow because you can at least follow the tracks other vehicles have left behind rather than dry your eyes out trying to see the centre line that hasn't been repainted for fifteen years).
One of the most painful things in the world is to watch the lovely pure white snow melt. Even more painful is to listen to people callously say things like, 'hopefully the snow melts soon' and 'finally some sun -- maybe the snow will melt.' It's like they actually enjoy watching something so beautiful shrivel up and die a horrible lingering death (see also #4).

3. Standing water.
While admittedly fun to splash around in if you're dressed for it, when you're not dressed for it the only parking space you can ever find anywhere is right in the middle of a puddle deep enough to rival Lake Winnipeg.

4. Inanely cheerful people.
No offense to my dear friends who like spring, but collectively you tend to get very annoying very quickly. Especially on Facebook. Few things are more irritating than logging in and having to wade through posts from 72 otherwise fairly mature people saying 'Sun, sun, Mr Golden Sun, please shine down on me.' (See #8.)

5. Chronically warm housemates.
I don't care that the calendar says spring. That calendar was most likely printed in California. If you haven't heard yet, they have a completely different seasonal schedule than we do in Alberta. Do not tell me to put on a sweater; in case you haven't noticed I'm wearing seven of them already and in fact do not own any more sweaters to put on.
Furthermore I do not care that the weatherman says there might possibly, maybe, perhaps, if you're lucky, be one ray of sun peeking through the clouds for about ten seconds. One ray of sun is not sufficient to melt the thirty-foot high snowdrift on your yard, so stop squealing like an idiot. Nor is it sufficient to warm the air to the point where one can wear shorts and a t-shirt and go barefoot. I have a news flash for you -- it is still minus fifteen out; SHUT THE FLIPPING WINDOWS!

6. 'Fresh' air.
In the city, spring means fresh air. Like actual fresh air that I really don't mind breathing in because it's nice.
In the country, however, spring means fertiliser. Fertiliser means animal dung. Spread all over the abundance of fields around here. And trucked back and forth and back and forth across the roads you live on to get to said fields. Also, the increase of sun (see #8) means an increase of heat, which leads to an increase of smell.
Even more intolerable are the people who have been in the country long enough that their brains have been permanently warped by the smell and claim to enjoy it. These unfortunate folk will actually roll down windows, stick their heads out and breathe deep whenever they pass a fertiliser truck or a tractor fresh from the field. Then they will spend the next ten minutes asking if you were dropped on your head as an infant because you still have functioning olfactory glands.

7. Bugs.
I despise bugs. We don't get that many here in Canada (I'm told from those who have been Stateside), but the ones we do have are massive and seem to have an unnatural love for my bedroom. When you require three hours and a cement block larger than your dog to kill the three-inch-round spider on your wall, you have a problem. It's 1 to 4 am. You should be sleeping.
You also have a problem if a moth the size of a semi trailer gets caught in the fluorescent 'twisty' light bulb and literally burns half to death but can still fly fast enough to evade your cement block.

8. Brighter (and longer-lasting) sun.
I don't mind the sun -- to a point. However, when you spend an average of an hour a day driving into the sun, you get a pounding headache very quickly. Add to that logging into Facebook and finding an abundance of brainwashed robots singing the sun's praises (see #4), and it all makes you want to go out and buy yourself a firearm.
I'll admit that I'm one of those famed 'night owls.' I do my best work in the dark. The longer lasting sun forces me to stay up later to get anything of worth done and thus I oversleep the following morning. Mornings are bad enough without having everyone biting your head off because you're late for everything. (Also see #9.)

9. Daylight Savings Time. Enough said.

There are many other reasons why spring simply should be skipped over, but I'm sure you get my drift. Spring sucks, winter's cool, and that's all I have to say. Thank you for your time and attention to this very pressing matter.

6 comments:

Brittney said...

Hey! We don't go hating on you winter-folk for enjoying the cold, you should return the favor when spring finally comes around! :P
Although I have to admit that I agree with number 9. Daylight saving's time was/is a terrible idea!

Sarah-Kate said...

Actually I'm the only winter-lover I know -- shouldn't the outnumbered get a chance to defend their position? And actually I've had quite a lot of people hate on me whenever I say I like winter... I think you're one of the few who just deals with it.
To be honest, Daylight Savings Time is one of the lesser problems in my mind (although it sucks dirt the first two days) -- if I had to pick the worst one, I'd go with #5 (#4 being a close second).

Brittney said...

There's a difference between defending your position and complaining about everyone who doesn't share it... I'm sorry to hear that I'm one of the only people who doesn't mock you, but still, shouldn't you be the better person? Also, snow looks pretty for about 5 minutes after it falls the city...then it gets covered in sludge. When they go a whole season without plowing your street, driving down it starts to feel like off-roading. One lady even had to start parking at the base of the street and walking to her car because it couldn't make it to her driveway.

Sarah-Kate said...

It wasn't my intent to complain -- was that what it sounded like? I suppose I must have gotten frustrated... like I mentioned in point 4, I can handle five or six people being excited about spring, but it's really, really annoying when EVERY SINGLE PERSON you know just won't shut up about it. It's like, 'I understand you like it and I'm willing to let that slide, but please stop rubbing your seemingly zombie-like glee in my face. Just smile and leave it at that.'
I suppose you're right though, I should be more patient... even though it feels like I've been patient at the angelic level for years about this...
I suppose it's more likely that snow gets dirty in the city than the country, but even then, isn't it just along the roads? I would assume it's still fairly clean on yards and such. Also, I agree that the cities around here really should step up their snow-plowing next year -- every town I drove in this year was exactly like that, even on the main streets.
As I'm writing this I realise that the last bit of my previous comment was uncalled for and I apologise for the 'shot.' When I wrote it I didn't realise it could be taken that way. I really am sorry. I'll try to catch it and censor it out next time.

Brittney said...

Not really. People have to shovel their walks and all the muddy snow goes on top of the previously somewhat pretty snowbanks. Also, large trucks have a tendency to spray sludge every where.
Don't worry about it. I guess I just don't feel strongly enough about the matter for other people's opinions to annoy me. I've been trying to choose my favorite season for years, and winter is the only one I've been able to rule out. I'm sure if I had an actual favorite, I'd be annoyed by people celebrating it's passing, too. I'm just a little sensitive on the topic right now because the one season I don't like has taken almost half a year to pass.
I didn't get around to telling you that I found the rest of the post quite entertaining, though. :)

Sarah-Kate said...

True. I suppose that depends on the size of one's yard though... not that they give you much to work with nowadays.
I guess I'm sensitive on the topic too, just for different reasons (as previously mentioned). It's kind of odd -- after winter, summer is my next favourite season, followed by autumn, then spring. Usually I grumble until June about winter's passing, then the grass gets green and it doesn't seem so bad anymore.
Thanks though! I'm glad you enjoyed it in a way. :-)