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Thursday, January 05, 2006

Rain reigns



"If the rain comes they run and hide their heads.
They might as well be dead,
If the rain comes, if the rain comes.
When the sun shines they slip into the shade,
And sip their lemonade,
When the sun shines, when the sun shines.
Rain, I don't mind,
Shine, the weather's fine.
I can show you that when it starts to rain,
Everything's the same,
I can show you, I can show you.
Rain, I don't mind,
Shine, the weather's fine.
Can you hear me that when it rains and shines,
It's just a state of mind,
Can you hear me, can you hear me?"

-- Rain; The Beatles

I've lived in Seattle for 25 years now and I'm not sick of the rain. I'm just sick of people talking about it. Complaining about the rain in Seattle is like an Eskimo bemoaning the snow. It's pointless.

Oh, I could give you the Chamber of Commerce line about it really not raining as much as they say it does in Seattle. I could cite statistics about the average rainfall in Florida or Hawaii. But when it comes down to it, it does rain alot here. Or at least it is gray a great deal of the time and pouting about rain.

In a melancholy kind of way, I like that (which is a good thing since I live here). I've never had my colors done, but I can bet you dollars to Krispy Kremes that I'm a Winter. My favorite colors are gray, black and subdued blue. I prefer the dark to the light. I'd rather watch a horror flick than a comedy and, as some of you know, I was Edgar Allan Poe in a former life. Plus I am a double Pisces.

I don't use an umbrella. I think any true Seattleite despises them as props for tourists. What's the point of an umbrella? If you don't leave it on the bus, it will collapse from the wind. And you can't see where you are going when you use an umbrella.

I have yet to have anyone explain to me why it is so terrible to walk in the rain and get your head wet. These same people will stand in a shower for 30 minutes and then run shrieking when a drop of rain hits them. And don't clothes get wet when you wash them, too?

There is no logic to phobias.

I like thunder and lightening, too. Despite what Queen sang, I don't find it very frightening. I find it exciting. I loved it as a kid growing up in Idaho. I didn't need an explanation for it, either. I didn't care whether it was dwarves bowling in heaven or hot air masses cooling quickly. I just liked it. I remember one time jumping in the back of my brother's old pickup truck and driving out into the desert around Boise to chase the lightening. It was as alive as any other creature on earth.

I don't feel the same way about snow. It's cold, it's wet and it's too bright. Plus people in Seattle can't drive worth crap in it. Snow always makes me feel trapped.

Why the essay on rain? Because it's pouring rain in Seattle. It has been off and on for a couple of weeks. And I walked back in the rain after getting a haircut downtown this afternoon. I got a kick out all of the people under umbrellas scuttling about like crabs from corner to corner while I sloshed along in pure and soppy pleasure.

I like the rain.

9 comments:

morningstar said...

ummmmmm i guess a lot of likes and dislikes re weather has to do with where you live.. dontcha think?? i would much rather have snow than rain.. snow IS bright... it is advisable to wear sunglasses even in the winter up here in the Great White North.. more car accidents happen from the glare off snow than in the summer.. (oooooops.. maybe it has something to do with snow on the roads too.. )and snow is clean.. compared to rain which lands up washing mud over all the sidewalks and driveways.. mind you one does have to shovel snow.. i know cause i just shovelled a few centimeters of it off my walkway... rain has it's place.. in the spring time.. washing away all the snow.. and bringing back the buds on the plants..... and i always use an umbrella AND boots (for the mud dontcha know)..and wet hair means colds and viruses and all sorts of other evilness.. (cheeky grin)..

and all that rambling was to say i enjoyed your thoughts on the rain......

morningstar

Time said...

I agree with you morningstar. Our weather preferences tend to be guided by our location. Of course, we generally can choose where we are located, too. And I would expect as one of our neighbors to the north you would be more akin to snow. You also probably prefer the metric system and that baffles me as well. :) But you are welcome to ramble here any time!

Alex Pendragon said...

My preference for unbrellas is more functional than anything. I have this thing about my wallet and what I have in it getting water damaged. I don't care to get the cloth seats of my car wet. I don't want to have to change out of wet clothes when I get home. And I don't play a drowned rat very well. Come summertime when the rain is warm and I finally get a privacy fence up, I'll dance naked in the ran with glee. Till then, I'm not apoligizing for wanting to stay dry.

I was raised, and currently live in places that never see snow. The time I spent in Alaska with all that snow was the most comfortable place I ever felt being in. I miss it.

Lightning, unless you are just begging for it by being the highest object in the area, is Bob's greatest show on Earth, in my opinion. Nothing comes close.

Time said...

Dance, Michael, dance!

darlingina said...

smiles, i love the rain and storms too. Ummmmm, i like being wet...big smile Very nice post Tim ;o) Have a wonderful day.
Hugs,
~gina~

teri said...

I love the rain, snow, and thunder storms. I grew up in Northern California where it always gave you a good show. Here we don't get it very often and I miss it. To me when it rains it's as if all the crap gets washed away...even emotionally...(like a good cry). I need more rain.

Time said...

Thanks Gina, Glad to hear you appreciate a good rain shower. :)

And Teri, good to see you back! I've always thought of rain as the world weeping a bit.

R. said...

Yea, but can you drink five beers and write your name with "man's naturally endowed ink and pen" in a rain storm? I didn't think so.

Don't eat the yellow snow.

-R

Time said...

R. I can honestly say not. But I can relieve myself and walk down the street in a rainstorm at the same time. Tradeoffs.