77 Things To Do When You’re Snowed In, By Avi Aaron

snowed in doorway coveredIn today’s fast paced technologically driven society we have all become victims. Victims of a world that is insistent upon doing everything faster. We have become slaves to distraction and captive to the feelings of insecurity. We all crave recognition and feel real lonely by ourselves. We have become so insecure afraid of not being in control.

So what happens?! Along comes a blizzard and we are thrown into a panic. We simply can’t cope. It’s Armageddon! No distraction, no recognition and definitely no control and we’re just not comfortable with that.

So what do we do if we desperately need the distraction, want the recognition and, most of all, crave the acceptance?

We vent!

But where can we vent on a crazy day like this?! Oh sure, the blogs. Let’s post comments knocking the mayor, ripping the Dept. of Sanitation, scolding the cops, berating the school that didn’t take my kid, and threatening to boycott Home Depot for not having any more rock salt.

Chill out and for once deal with your day off!

Y’know, as homo-sapiens there was a time in our history when we moved at nature’s pace totally submitting ourselves to the will of Hashem’s weather forecast. No, there was no advance notice to flood the stores and buy out every last shovel, bottle of milk and cappuccino cheese muffin. You woke up in the morning; you looked out the window and said rather candidly to your wife, “Honey, it looks like snow.”

(Pick up Roman Wishniak’s book for a shocking revelation of what it was to live life 75 years ago)

What a beautiful opportunity this winter wonderland has given us. A day to stop and marvel at the beauty of Hashem’s creation, a chance to rejuvenate and to realize that we are never in control so it’s much better to stop the complaining and enjoy the ride.

Here are 77 ways for you to kick back and enjoy the finer things in life. Feel free to add your own but whatever you do…shut off the Blackberry, slow down the soundtrack, take a deep breath and have a marvelous day!

    1. Make a snowman with your kid. Yes, just like you used to do when you were a kid – carrot and all
    2. How about an innocent snowball fight with your neighbor
    3. Write that speech/vort you have been putting off writing
    4. Take a minute to dwell on your life’s goals; where are you heading and how are you getting there?!
    5. Bake some cookies (yes, dads you can, too)
    6. Open a new sefer that you’ve never looked at before
    7. Draw a maze for your kid
    8. Shovel your walk/driveway
    9. Play a game of Pictionary, always a lot of laughs
    10. Roast some chestnuts
    11. Help your wife do the laundry
    12. Draw a picture
    13. Learn some Chumash & Rashi
    14. Clean the garage
    15. Say Iggeres HaRamban
    16. Help a neighbor clean their driveway
    17. Make a bracha with extra kavana
    18. Play tic-tac-toe with your kid
    19. Cook up a pot of hot cocoa and throw in a marshmallow
    20. Call/email/text a friend you haven’t seen in a while
    21. Check on an elderly neighbor and invite them over for some of that hot cocoa
    22. Call up Partners in Torah and offer to become a mentor
    23. Teach your kid to play Chess/Checkers/Boggle (NOT on your Blackberry)
    24. Share a cup of coffee with your wife
    25. Catch up on your shnayim mikra
    26. Close your facebook account
    27. Help your neighbor dig out his car
    28. Learn something interesting with your kid
    29. Catch up on some work, with stress on the word “some”
    30. Build an igloo. Yes the Eskimos actually live with snow year round with no Department of Public Works to blame
    31. Make hot pretzels. Try drizzling sugar & cinnamon, yum!
    32. Say Parshas Hamon
    33. Try your hand at a new hobby
    34. Take a couple of extra minutes to bentch with more kavana
    35. Help your kids create an arts & crafts project
    36. Learn a little mussar. Try Derech Hashem for a real eye opener
    37. Play scrabble with your wife
    38. Start a new business
    39. Toilet train your kid
    40. Organize your desk
    41. Learn a Mishna
    42. Record a new voice mail message for your cell phone
    43. Teach your kids how to play monopoly. Never too young to learn some good old fashioned business techniques
    44. Offer the Chaverim volunteer, helping the many cars stranded in the street, a hot cup of coffee
    45. Look at your wedding album. Yes, Yehuda, Totty used to have hair…
    46. Resolve to do two halachos of shemiras halashon daily and start today
    47. Look through your bills and make sure they are all paid. It’s definitely not fun sitting in the cold & dark in the aftermath of a blizzard
    48. Call your parents/in-laws and find out how they’re coping. Misery loves company…
    49. Encourage your wife to make your mother’s kokosh cake
    50. Try your hand at scrapbooking
    51. Start a new organization
    52. Take a nap
    53. Start a gemach
    54. Write a poem
    55. Learn how to play soduku
    56. Clean up your dresser/closet
    57. Stand at the window and marvel at the beauty of snow and the chaos it can cause : )
    58. Fix that broken/squeaky……
    59. Say some tehillim
    60. Kick back on the recliner and listen to a favorite song
    61. Read a book to your kids…or spouse
    62. Enrich your vocabulary
    63. Take a bubble bath
    64. Play hot & cold with your kids
    65. Make esrog jelly for Tu B’shvat
    66. Polish the silver
    67. Do the daf
    68. Rearrange the seforim shrank. Matching colors, size etc. only kidding
    69. Clean out the fridge
    70. Take another nap
    71. Start cleaning for Pesach
    72. Play Geography
    73. Make a Kiddush Hashem by NOT posting a negative comment on a blog
    74. Arrange your CD’s by alphabetical order
    75. Put the new cookbook your husband bought you for Chanukah to good use
    76. Start learning how to lein the megillah
    77. Say thank you to the DPW driver when he plows your street…
    Happy Snowday!
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24 COMMENTS

  1. I spent hours trying to get through to our childrens’ school snowline numbers.Once I heard the unhappy news (schools were closed), I wept.
    Then, my children spent HOURS dialing and redialing the numbers to listen again and again to the lovely message.

  2. This was written very well. It is beyond true. We seem to always be in a rush to do NOTHING! Unfortunately we have to be reminded to spend time relaxing, organizing, spending time with our children or siblings.

    Thank you so much,
    much appreciated.

  3. Bottom line? We actually just THINK we are living. We’re so busy with meaningless stupidity these days that we forget about the things in life that can actually give us nachas and real satisfaction. Well written. Thank you.

  4. Ideas # 1, 7, 18, 23, 28, 35, 39, 43 and 64 involve children, unfortunately we are still waiting. I guess that leaves me with only 68 ideas. But for idea # 69 – spend the extra time at home crying wishing you had 77 ideas. 🙁

  5. just recieved a call from my husband he said something happend at the corner of kenndy blvd and route 9 does anybody know anything i can’t find anything on line. if you have any info please post it. thank you very much

  6. #10 i give you a birchas hedyit that you should iyh have your hands so full with many healthy children that 77 things wont be enough things to do on a snowy day! ….davening for you!

  7. Very nice! We should all make good use of this time. It doesn’t happen that often. Well, with the exception of last year – three major snow storms. Everyone, including me, needs to relax; we’ll get out when we get out.

Comments are closed.