Too much rain. Not enough rain.
Growing up in a rural area of this state, I heard one of these two comments seemingly every day from the local farmers. Never once did I hear, “We have had the perfect amount of rain.”
As much as I enjoyed my rural Iowa upbringing, I grew tired of the rain conversations. I was hoping to get to a place where I didn’t ever have to talk about the weather. At 53 years old, I have finally accepted that it doesn’t exist.
I did enjoy one weather conversation I had with my friend Kevin Kopaska when we were fresh out of college. He said, “There is a 50% chance of rain today. Either it is going to rain, or it isn’t.” With Kevin’s logic, there is a 50% chance of snow, a 50% chance of sunshine, a 50% chance of tornados. You get the idea.
I realize that this simplification of weather forecasting makes some of you cringe. I can imagine the look on Jason Parkin’s face right now. The reality is that our weather is what it is. There isn’t anything we can do about it, except dress appropriately and maybe adjust our schedules accordingly.
Meanwhile, most of us choose to live in Iowa because of the change of seasons and the range of weather. This truly is a state of four seasons, and that’s just the way I like it.
Yes, yesterday’s wind was annoying. And, yes, 70-degree weather in December is odd. But I am willing to bet that the wet, white stuff will be here soon. After all, I have a 50% chance of being right.
Have a thoughtful Thursday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305 | 
