Weather, Who Needs It?

A friend asked me one of those "would you rather" questions this morning.  I answered it offhand and was satisfied with my answer, but it's the kind of question that follows you around all day.  It was "would you rather have the four seasons each year with their variations or just have it 72 degrees every day the year round?"

We need seasonal variations for conversation starters.
My first inclination is to point out how hard it would be to start a conversation.  We all have this common ground--"Boy, that was some rain we had!" or, "wow, this is the coldest day this year."  If all we had was the same weather every day, we.d be stuck--"Yeah, it's 72 degrees again, same old, same old."   BORING! and probably not  very good way to start a conversation.

Then, let's talk about the alternative.  We'd have to jump right in with whatever else-"Why do you have those crumbs on your tie?" Not what you want?  Try this, "You like this weather?  I'd swear it was 72 just yesterday." 

We need seasonal variation to allow proper gloating.
How could I call my siblings and tell them about the cooler/hotter weather I am enjoying in Hilton Head vs. Chicago, in say, January.  Sure, it would be 72 here, but isn't it a lot more fun saying to someone dear to you whose teeth are chattering in sub-zero cold, "Wow, it really got cold here last night, it's only going to be 60 today."

Oh, when you think the summer might be overwhelming for people here, forget it.  I can walk the beach at 7AM if I want to.  The ocean provides a breeze and cools you off almost all the time.  If it was 72 degrees all the time, how could I say in July,  "Wow, I had to spend all day at the beach here today, just to stay cool." It just doesn't sound as good to me.

We need seasonal variation to kill the bugs.
Give us just two overnight frosts a year to reduce the bug population.  if we don't get them, we need the birds, snakes, etc. to eat up the bugs.  Me, I prefer the frost.  Not enough to require scraping the windshield, though.  I lost my last  ice scraper in 2003 when I traded in my car.  I haven't seen one since.  Oh, I suppose the area thrift stores like Goodwill where people give away their old stuff when they move here permanently; things like overcoats, furs, snow boots, wool scarves and mufflers, ear muffs, ski hats and masks, .  Occasionally a snow shovel will even show up. Anyway, a couple of overnight frosts will usually kill off enough bugs so we won't get carried off by several thousand lifting at once and taking us home as food.

It's all relative, cold just isn't the same any more. Now, as I reflect on it, I like the cool mornings we encounter here in the fall and winter.  I would miss those moments if we had no "seasons."  However, I am also reasonably certain that I don't need a ten below zero morning to appreciate that variation.  I guess the question wasn't fair.  My idea of seasonal variations has been distorted. I grew up in Chicago,  Here, I think winter has arrived when it's 45 degrees at 7 AM.  It's a tough life, but I can do this.