10 Things I Learned Today About Shoveling Snow
- Think of it as a free gym membership and all that great free exercise you’re getting!
- When someone offers to plow your driveway and walk for what seems like an exorbitant amount, calculate what two hours of your life is worth and suddenly it may look like a bargain.
- Get your kids, significant other, etc. to be out with you to give you that extra, “yeah, I’m the man, see how I take care of this puny snow,” attitude.
- Figure out more ways to help out your neighbor, (you know, the one with the snowplow), during the year so maybe he’ll feel indebted to you come winter. (Payback isn’t always a negative thing no matter how that saying goes!)
- Start with that big mound of compressed snow and ice that the snowplow left at the end of the driveway or else there’s no way you’ll get out. If you peter out after clearing that there’s at least a (slim) chance that if you gun the car hard enough you can force your way to the street.
- Whatever you do, and no matter how much of a groove you think you’ve gotten into, don’t look up and see how much further you have to go.
- If you think you’re getting too hot and should take your hat off to cool down some: don’t. Your ears will thank you later.
- Remember what it’s like so next time you think about not doing another preemptive shoveling because, “hey, I already did one shoveling a little bit ago and another one can wait until tomorrow, so am ahead of the game and can relax for now,” you’ll reconsider.
- Convince yourself that the neighborhood association is fine with your sidewalk only having a shovel-width trail cleared along it and a driveway that, after clearing it down to the last inch or two, you finished by just running over it repeatedly with your car, (hey, it looks pretty clear especially compared with the big mounds of snow lining the driveway).
And finally: Remember how blessed you are to have to deal with “burdens” like this and pray for those who don’t have the protections and comfort you will tonight in these frigid temperatures.