A Winter Wonderland

There is a saying that is relevant to anyone that has lived in North Dakota, "If you can drive in North Dakota, you can drive anywhere."  Every winter I spend driving in this state, that saying becomes a little more true.

As I was driving to the Fargo airport around 11:30 last night and reaching speeds of around 75 mph as my windshield wipers whisked away the rain, I thought to myself, "Where is the snow?"  In all my years, and as far as both of my parents can remember, there has never been a year where there was no snow on Christmas day.  This thought is kind of depressing in a way, but I can live with one brown Christmas.  With temperatures reaching the 50s in late-December, and then plummeting overnight, the driving can be a little tricky in this area.  The weather can quickly circulate between clear, to snowing, to raining, and back to clear again in just hours.  As I neared Fargo, the road conditions drastically changed and I quickly began to see car after car in the ditch as I drove by.  I reached my destination eventually, but then had to turn around for the return trip.  The trip home was an entirely different story as I was only able to reach 50 mph for a short period of time before I was forced to slow down more.  Let me tell you, almost 60 miles at that speed is painstakingly slow.  Again, more and more cars pulled over on the side of interstate or in the ditch.  When I arrived home again, I began thinking about my years driving a car in this state.  This particular trip didn't seem that bad.  In my almost eight years of winter driving in North Dakota, I have driven in some extreme weather. (Probably shouldn't have been driving in most of them.)  However, once you have lived in this state long enough, you almost get used to driving on terrible roads in the worst conditions imaginable.  With a little common sense, it is really not that hard, but common sense is one thing that many people lack, including the person that wrapped their car around a light pole last night.  I would say they were doing 80 mph easily in an area where everyone else was going 60.  Common sense isn't common.

First

I am finally getting completely set up here and I figured I would throw out my first post to give all readers a little more information on who I am.  

I provided the basics (who I am, where I'm from, and all that jazz) in my profile, but in turn, don't really tell you who I am.  I was born and raised on a farm in North Dakota.  Yes, I know what everyone is thinking already as provided by the general stereotype of any North Dakotan, so I'll do this.  I am not a hillbilly-redneck, we DO have electricity, and no, we do not still use horse-drawn carriages as our primary mode of transportation.  Although North Dakotans do have a way about them, I will probably get to that sometime later.  Now that we have that out of the way, let's get to it.  I'm 22 years old, still live in North Dakota, currently a senior in college, and work on the family farm (for about the last 7 years) and I also work at a small-town, liquor store (for about the last year).  I am a man of many hobbies that range from hunting and fishing to restoring cars to video games.  I'll do just about anything that keeps me from boredom.  I am a pretty laid back kind of person and can get along with just about anyone, although there are few people that I am close with.  This is probably because most people are leery to approach me at all.  I'll explain.  I am really into metal music.  I just love everything about it.  As a result, I have gauged my ears (to the size of 00g to anyone that is interested).  Along with the buzzed hair, I feel people are literally scared to approach me in any way.  Maybe I just have that face? I don't know.  Truth is, I am probably one of the nicest guys you could ever meet.  I will not do wrong to someone that hasn't done wrong to me.  

I should probably wrap this up and stop procrastinating my actual work...

I'm not really sure what the future holds for this blog.  I feel like I have a lot much to say that I never say so maybe this will be a good opportunity for that.  Until then, I shall venture forth with life.