Don't get too close, those people are crazy.

Yes, there are crazy people living in Chicago. There are people here who go to work and school, and drive, and generally live even though it is bitterly cold and there is snow on the ground; there are also truly crazy people (and I try to avoid them) who go for runs in freezing-snow weather.

You may be thinking to yourself, "But Amber, you are out there with them, obviously."

Yes, good point.. but I'm new. The snow and the cold are still novel to my Southern bones and eyes. I still love the the scarves and the hats. I still think the snow on the beaches of the lake are fantastic. I still think it's nice to see holiday windows with real frost on them. I still think that the first two minutes that you walk out of the heat and into the biting cold is 'refreshing'.. until I've been waiting for the El for 15 minutes, at which point thinking takes too much energy; energy that should be being used to keep yourself warm.


I'm new, that's my excuse. I don't know what those runners are thinking.

Baby, it's cold outside. Really cold.

But that song was obviously not written in Chicago. I don't think Chicagoans know what it means to halt for the winter. You don't stop life for a little bit of (freezing, snowy, icy) chill; I would almost guarantee that no female Chicagoan could be coaxed into staying an evening simply because of the weather... maybe if you just offered a beer and a Bears game?

Just don't get too close to the people running outdoors in this weather - those people are nuts.