Time for the annual rant about winter People try to tell me, "Oh, it's not usually like this in December." But that's a bunch of crap. It was like this last December. Why should I believe them?

Worst things about Chicago winters, in order:

3. The cold.
Last night Colliculus and Vivs and I went out to see Zoolights. It was 7 degrees outside and the world was paved with ice. My coworkers told me I was crazy, but what are you gonna do? Not see Christmas lights?

Bright side: Today I went to work and it felt springlike, like who needs a hat and gloves? I looked at the thermometer on Michigan Avenue and it read 22. And all senses, including my mental sense, relaxed as if I had gotten off the plane in Florida.

2. The ice.
It snows around Thanksgiving. Then the snow freezes and slicks over and stays that way for three or four months. Today it snowed 6 inches so now there's snow on top of the ice.
Bright side: Months and months of rain-free weather. It sounds like a joke, but it's actually kind of nice to put away the umbrella and wear khaki pants whenever I want.

1. The clouds.
It's like I don't even have a window at work, because my office is in a cloud all the time. How did I ever quit coffee, a year ago tomorrow?

This is really the worst. A bright side can be found only via schadenfreude, so here goes: I'd rather have three months of clouds and six months of cold than nine months of clouds, like Seattle. And when all else fails, there's always Buffalo.

TLC, who visited from the Queen City last week, won't believe it, but she missed this particular boat.

There are a lot of cities that call themselves the Queen City, Google says. 

¶ 10:31 PM