February 20, 2013: Anticipation and Expectation

The Carly Simon song "Anticipation" keeps floating through my mind as I hear constant, by-the-minute reporting of the encroaching Incredible Blizzard of 2013. The kids have been talking of the expected impending snow days (yes, days...two are expected) since Monday. Classes have been canceled and flights have been changed. Omaha is ready to shut down.

A colleague from Ireland just flew in to our fine city. After spending a half a day hearing storm system updates at every meeting of the day and the presumed timing of it's entrance, he asked a good question. "Do you not typically get snow in Omaha?"

This came after a lengthy discussion at the attorney's office on calendar adjustments with tomorrow being cleared with the delay of the snow delay. When I asked our attorney on their tomorrow schedules, the answer was "I have it blocked for Snow Day."

I next advised my Irish colleague to consider changing his flight out of Omaha on Friday. His response "Do you not have snow plows at the airport?" A good question of which I didn't know a better answer than "yes, but this storm is going to be a BIG one."

My kids are less skeptical than my Irish friend, planning overnighters with buddies and anticipating a four day weekend. My e-mail inbox has been clogged with messages on canceled sporting events and rescheduled presentations.

And now we wait. It feels a bit like Christmas, wondering when Santa will be spotted and we will either see him come down the chimney or instead wait to find the snow-capped presents in the morning. My friend from Ireland will be a believer too after experiencing such a snow marvel.

So soon we will see...a Grinch or Santa? Anticipation, anticipation....it's making me wait...