Friday, March 26, 2004

One of the realities of business conversation that always seems odd is the incessant talk about weather. When there’s an important call I need to make, I sometimes tell my client I’m going to skip the vapid prattle about how much warmer it is there than here, and they seem to appreciate it. After all, gentle reader, at the end of the day neither of us gives two shits about the other’s weather. Yeah, it’s common knowledge that weather in Chicago is a harsh mistress, but do we really have to celebrate the fact?

I’m realizing, however, that weather plays a greater role in shaping people’s moods than not. With five solid days of rain looming ahead of us, there’s a tangible decrease of energy in the office. It’s not like everyone’s weeping and short-circuiting their keyboards, understand, it’s just the general atmosphere is more lethargic than last week. Right now, it feels like Old Man Winter just stepped out of the gym, which is to say damp and nasty. Thank goodness I’m such a frickin’ sunbeam with sugar on top.