First snowstorm of the season incoming

[selenay]

So, everyone who has been hearing about that huge storm that's going to wallop the eastern seaboard with snow today and tomorrow?

Yeah, it's not stopping at the Canadian border, despite international news reports that always forget about Canada. We're predicted to get at least a foot, with ice pellets and rain at the end, just to make the mess really hard to clear up. Yay us!

I'm buying in the storm chips. Recharging all the devices. Totally working from home tomorrow.

Hoping we get a snow day, so I can watch movies and eat my storm chips.

Hoping my power doesn't go out.

It's going to be fun!

I'm still mildly shocked this is my first big storm of the season. Most of January is already gone. Please can all winters be like this?

Comments

[havocthecat]

I have to admit, I didn't take a close look at the weather news since I had a busy weekend, but doesn't "eastern seaboard" also count the part of Canada that's on the east and the seaboard?

Good luck with the storm!

[selenay]

You would think! But the storm and its effects mysteriously stop at the Canadian border in all the news reports on every site except for the CBC. Which is par for the course, but still frustrating, because storms like this don't just...die...the moment they hit the border.

*sigh*

Thanks :-) My major concern is power outages. If I can get through tomorrow with my power on, I'll be happy. I've got enough food and so forth to last it I'm snowed in for a day or two.

[paranoidangel]

I am confused - if you can work from home, why would you get a snow day?`

[selenay]

If they close the office, most of our managers feel its unfair to make some people continue working when other people have been sent home. So we usually all get a snow day, unless we have a particularly mean boss who wants us to suffer.

In something like this, I feel more relaxed after they've called a snow day. My power is often unreliable during big storms, so if we're on snow day, I don't have to worry about anyone expecting me to drive into the office if my power is out.

[paranoidangel]

That sort of makes sense, but can't everyone work from home? In our NY office today everyone is working from home - no one gets a sneaky day off (same as here if there's snow).

[selenay]

Some departments--mail room, call centre, etc--can't do anything from home. And not everyone has VPN. We have a limited number of licenses so only people who really want VPN get it. Two of my teammates don't have it because they have small children at home and there's nowhere quiet for them to work undisturbed. A few people have Macs and our VPN software only works on Windows PCs with a really super specific configuration.

I'm pretty sure a few VPN deniers just don't want to have that much regulation put on what their home machines can run :-(

Just about everything in the province has closed down already. My office is one of the few hold-outs - I expect they'll shut soon, because they'll pull the buses off the road. It got really nasty, really fast.

[paranoidangel]

Oh. That is a bit rubbish. Our VPN is slow, but everyone has access to it.

[selenay]

Yeah, it's a bit rubbish. I'm considered critical so I get VPN. A lot of staff don't. And even ones who want it often have to go into a queue until a licence frees up.

[gonergone]

I'm in Boston and I definitely concur that the US news agencies mention NY, Boston, Portland and Down East Maine and then... nothing. International news seems to only mention that New York is getting hit. Good luck tomorrow!

[selenay]

We're used to it :-) But it is funny seeing all the maps and talk and then...the storm disappears as soon as it leaves Maine.

[medie]

What if we call the border and report the storm is carrying illegal fruits and vegetables? That should do it!

[selenay]

It would definitely do it!

[gmul.livejournal.com]

You'll be happy to know that Radio 4 did mention that the Weather would be paying a visit to Canada (in deference to no longer being called The Home Service, they didn't refer to it as British North America.) That mention and knowing how much of a faff snow can be for you is what prompted me to pop back on to Livejournal to see how you were doing. Which of course reminded me you were over here instead.

Anyway.

If it sounds like you have a proper attack of snow, I shall try and actually write the email I should have sent you around about Christmas time. Stay safe and warm!

[selenay]

Oh, yay, I knew Radio four were brilliant! :-)

Heh, yes, I moved to the more stable location :-) I owe you such a big email. I've been meaning to write since my birthday.

(BTW. You didn't by any chance send some books at Christmas and not put any kind of label on them? I have two mystery presents everyone denies sending me.)

If we get horribly walloped tomorrow, I shall finally pen that missive. We'll cross each other in the ether.