Q: Why do people live here? A: If you don't like it, move.

Otherwise, quit complaining.

As I was walking from my car to the school this morning I said, "Good morning" to another teacher and she said, "ya right. could it be any colder?" Well first of all, yes it could be colder. Granted, -25 with a -40 wind chill is a bit chilly, but North Dakota has seen -40 with -80 wind chills before. This one cold spell isn't the first one we've ever gotten. Nor will it be the last. And second of all, if you don't like it here, move!

So my comment to those people who ask "Why do we live here" is, "I don't know. Why do you?" I live here for a mutlitude of reasons. The people are nice. The school systems are great. There's very little pollution. Living expenses are quite low. We have four distinct seasons, not just summer and winter. We have hot weather as well as cold. We have lots of natural resources. We have natural lakes and not just man-made ones, like....oh.....say, Nebraska for one. We have tons of sky that's not cluttered with buildings or smog. Our people are generally religious people. We have a reputation for people who work hard. If you're stuck on the side of the road, you can pretty much count on someone stopping to help you. All of this in addition to the fact that it's been home for many years to many of the very people who complain about it. Yes, it's home.

I realize that we take for granted the things that we are given, but all this negativity about a little cold spell is certainly interesting. Why can't that energy be put in to petitioning government, prosyletizing the masses, or fighting global warming? I'll tell you why. Because things are so good here that we don't even think about trying to make a change in our world. Maybe that's one possible solution. Mostly, I think it's because people have nothing better to do.

So to all of you cold weather complainers, I have a bit of advice. Find something to do. Or move to Florida. Or Tennessee. Or anything below the 30th parallel. If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen. If you can't take the cold, stay out of North Dakota.

p.s. I have been known to be quite the wuss in regard to temperatures below reasonable. However, complaining and shivering are two different things.