Common courtesy.

Last night, during some of my many hours on the road, I figured out what was adding at least fifteen minutes onto most commutes. The law, and common courtesy, states that if you can't make it through the intersection before the light changes, you should not be in it. I.E. (id est, that is) if traffic is backed up all the way to the crosswalk, you shouldn't pull into the intersection as the light is turning yellow. Additionally, if the car in front of you does that, you should not follow.

However, at at least a dozen intersections, I noticed myself and other directions of traffic missing multiple lights in a row because cross-traffic was in the intersection for the entirety of the green light. That, in turn, caused the cars behind us to not move, which caused the cars behind them to not move, etc.

Two or three cars decided that sitting in the intersection sets of a cyclical building of more and more traffic.

I wouldn't be so annoyed by it if it actually did them so good. I can understand trying to make it past a certain point if a freight train is coming, or a bridge is going up, and you won't be able to move for 15 minutes due to external circumstances. But sitting behind the thick white line where you're supposed is not inherently worse than sitting in the middle of the intersection. You're not going to make the next light if traffic is backed up that far. The action did no good, while creating a lot of harm. Stupid.

I can kind of deal with jerks if they're at least getting ahead. But stupid jerks who gain nothing and hurt others in the process is just maddening.

Reduced functionality.

I fell down some stairs (13 to be exact) yesterday while at work. My ability to do anything has been reduced, and I am hating winter more and more.

I am a shill.

You'd think, having grown up in Chicago, and spending essentially my whole life in the midwest, I'd know a little about staying warm in the winter. But in reality, mostly I've just complained about it.

It wasn't until this year that I really started working out way to stay warm in our 5 month winter.

I think I mostly figured it out. Layers. It seems really simple, when you think about it, but I didn't layer quite like I do now. A flannelish lower layer of pants beneath my pants have helped a lot. As did a t-shirt below a thermal shirt.

But I was still cold. The core body would be fine, but my peripherals would still be freezing cold. Feet, hands, face.

Socks. I had previously just been layering 2 pairs of regular socks, and it was better than a single pair, obviously, but still not terribly warm. I got some SmartWool hiking socks (extra cushion), and my feet have actually been hot as I've been walking in the cold. They're pretty damn good with moisture (either snow, rain, or sweat), so even if your feet do get wet, they don't stay soaked and freezing all long. These are pricey socks, but I love the hell out of them.

Gloves. I'd always used gloves, but the clumsiness associated with them always annoyed me. This are extremely thin, and surprisingly warm for how thin they are. Dexterity is pretty high, as I can text while wearing them. If you're going to be digging with your hands in snow, they won't be enough. But for normal walking around, they're pretty sweet.

Face. Yep. I look like I'm going to rob someone. But my face is warm.
This is my general use non-robbery hat. It keeps your head warm, and if you start to sweat from being inside, it keeps the moisture off your head. Very nice.

Yes, I am a shill. But seriously, these three things have made my life significantly better when working outside.

Winter forecasting.

I've found that in winter, judging the day by the high temperature is pretty much irrelevant. The high temp for the day is usually between 11-3. Not a very long window to be planning your attire for. Really, if you're going to be doing any walking, or waiting for public transit, or anything like that, the low is the much more important number.

I left the house this morning, and it was 9. The high was in the 30s, but if only 4 hours of the day are anywhere near that number, then it doesn't really do us any good.

Unless of course the high is in the single digits, in which case you're fucked no matter what.