On Weather

The United Kingdom is currently having what it is fair to call a 'shit-load of weather'. Scotland has it worst with extreme damage to people and property and down here in England we are taking the sloppy seconds. But I quite like sloppy seconds; in weather terms, I mean. There are some pretty fierce gusts, rain and a general dank feel around and while I will complain bitterly when coming into contact with it, I heartily enjoy it on the whole. That's with a W, sicko.

Feel free to ignore the fact that this is what 6 year-old children would write about for school essays - here's why I love crappy weather.

It makes me feel all schadenfreude-y.

There was an old Garfield comic I read in my youth that I identified so strongly with that it has stuck in my mind mostly all my life. When I say 'stuck' I don't mean to imply that I can remember the exact words, but I can paraphrase it;

(Panel 1) Look at this Monday morning rain.
(Panel 2) All those poor saps out there have to go to work.
(Panel 3) I'm so glad I'm in here with my lasagne.

I hope that approximation isn't too offensively stereotypical but it does contain the three main elements that comprise your standard Garfield comic: a) Monday reference, b) lasagne reference c) not being funny. Anyway the feel of it struck a chord in me that rings delightfully to this day. The pleasure I receive from watching people walk past on a rainy day while I'm all tucked up in my nice warm house borders on perversion; how common I hope the feeling is being the only thing that disqualifies it as a fetish.

It connects us.

While I consider a pointless waste of air most topics that are considered 'small talk', I do find a discussion about the weather to be tremendously cathartic. It's something that everyone can relate to as it's an inescapable part of living on the same ball of rock - its atmospheric systems something that we cannot hope to fully (or in most cases even partially) understand, but that we can all experience easily. Happenings in the sky so much bigger than ourselves, output a net result that we have evolved to analyse without any real conscious thought.

This does tend to come with an assumption from others that I have run out of other topics to discuss and they will frequently move away from it as to say "don't worry, I've got one" but really, I just like talking about the weather. I realise that is sad but I am not sorry, so suck it. Go on, suck my sadness.

So... yes, the weather connects us. Look! A bear!

It gives me a greater appreciation of things.

I have rarely if ever come home from a blazing beer garden, thankful to be indoors away from prime access to sun, beer and burgers. But in crap weather every return home is a welcome one. Even if it's somewhere you chose to go yourself for actual pleasure, getting some wet on you will make arriving all the sweeter.

Cups of tea and coffee are tastier; showers and baths more soothing; nude house striding is a bit less comfortable, I'll grant you. But even sounds, from the gales throwing rain against window down to the click of the heating turning on, make me appreciate things a little more - although mostly things that are keeping me warm and dry at the time.


None of this precludes my love of a sunny day of course but most people do; to say what's great about those would be like reiterating why air is definitely the best substance to breathe.  I know that I'm certainly not alone nor the most ardent supporter of so-called "bad weather" but I am in the minority. Try not to oppress me - I may be different, but I'm just the same as you. Except different.