"It Must Be A Guy Thing!"

It's no secret that winter time has arrived in Northeast Ohio this week. Snow, and more snow depending on where you are. No one really likes it, but we try to find a silver lining where applicable. And many guys find that lining in the fact that they get to pull out the snow blower and go to work in the driveway. Me included.

Oh, I'm not alone. I have gotten calls, and seen it on Facebook, many postings on the thrill of the double auger flinging away winters best shot with the greatest of Briggs And Stratton ease. It's two stage, 12 volt heaven. Especially if you have a good machine, and the right blowing clothes to wear while out in winters wrath. Like an insulated Carhart jumpsuit that's warmer than an amber colored lamps at McDonalds. But, listen to me.....all geeked up over my show blower and all the ancillary items that go along with it. It's ridiculous right?

"It must be a guy thing!" Those are the good natured words cheerily spoken through a big smiling face this morning from my partner Sue Wilson as we talked about it off the air. All the while making fun of me expressing my snow evacuating exuberance. In years past we've also tackled this important matter on the air. And you know what? Sue is 100% right. Embarrassingly, it is a guy thing.

Most guys are giddy with glee on the day they get to fire up the snow blower for the first time.....or any time. Heck, I'll turn it on in August if you want me to. Guys talk about it openly at work, or at home.... anyplace. And be be more than honest, I've never heard that same conversation taking place with the same zest and zeal...with a woman. But guys are easily entertained. We're a mess!

A snow blower is a great tool. It makes you look like you really know what you're doing, even if you don't. Although a machine to be respected, if you can read and squeeze two handles, you're qualified to run one. Probably more than qualified. But that's just the basics. I take into account the wind direction, where I want to snow to pile up, and what part of the lawn I want to most snow to sit on all winter. This is important stuff. You just can't go flyin' off out there and indiscriminately start tossing unsuspecting snow around just because you can. C'mon a little decorum!

Then there's the size of your machine. This year I'm sporting a new 11.5 horsepower, 28 inch self propelled snow eating monster of a machine! Long gone are the namby-pamby days of the 5 horse two stroke single stage child's toy I had for 6 years! I had to actually PUSH that rolelr skate around. I have no idea what I was thinking with that tinker toy. But, it did the job. But this new one.....I simply laugh away the minutes, throwing snow against my neighbors house 20 feet away with a machine finely tuned for angry arctic action, and one that's not even breathing hard to do it.

And speaking of the neighbors. Having them look longingly out the window, or enviously leaning on their wooden handled shovels is a good feeling too. And I have found that they won't even complain about how early your choose to snow blow.....if you do their driveway...they'll zip it! It really is a relationship builder. It's gas powered group therapy with electric start. Now, how beautiful is that? Then when you're done...you get to do the same thing you do after a good lawn mow. You just look at it. And admire a job well done.

So as the winter months roll on, snow blowers will be rolling right along with it. You'll find guys on the bridge captaining the greatest power tool known to man. The greatest winter time invention since the electric blanket. The mighty snow blower!!!

For I am the master of my fate...
I am the captain of the snow.....

(Apologies to Invictus........)

Sue is right, it is a guy thing!