I'm starting to get a complex with regard to my travels back east to visit friends and family in Philadelphia. I don't get there near as often as I'd like to...but the last few times I've been or been scheduled to go - random times throughout the year, mind you - it has snowed and caused a problem, delay, annoyance, or inconvenience for either me, my family, or my friends. Damn you unpredictable east coast wintry mix, sleet, ice and snow bullshit! I'm scheduled to go back on Monday (March, by the way) and guess what? Fucking snow again.
Storm #1 - I go back for a much anticipated Mariner Nine reunion show (and benefit for our good friend Jason who passed away) on Halloween of 2011. There are supposed to be a ton of people there. Around 11am, as we're rehearsing, the snow starts to fall. It eventually dumps about 8 inches of snow, sleet, and freezing rain and the show is only attended by those that could walk to the venue. The surprise storm left most roads impassable. By 10am the next morning, I think it was 60 degrees out and the sun was shining. Bullshit!
Storm #2 - I go back in early December 2013 (I know, risky) to catch up with folks because I had not been back in a year or so (since #1) and I got a really cheap airfare on Virgin America (Which is by far the best airline in terms of customer service, comfort, and overall aesthetic) so I went for a few days. I'm a huge Eagles fan, but I thought it would be a much better time to actually sit and watch the game with friends in the comfort of their home than to brave the elements going to the game at the Linc. Around 11am (notice a trend) the day of the game, the flakes started to come down. I decided to start heading to Collingswood, NJ (where my buddy lives) which is about fifty miles from where I was staying - an hour - tops. I would arrive with plenty of time to get cheese steaks (customary), have a beer, and settle in for kick-off. Well, without warning, the sky dumped about a foot of snow in about a one hour span and the drive that should have taken me one hour took four and a half hours. I listened to the entire game on the radio. I could see the Linc from the freeway on which I was "parked" for most of that time. I had a Ford Fusion rental car that slid all over the road and was basically a deathtrap. Luckily, I was only going 1-3 m.p.h. for most of the ride and I had paid the Rental Car Destruction fee so I didn't care if I hit anything or anything hit me. But it was super sketchy. Mostly, I was just annoyed. The highlight was hearing Merrill Reese & Mike Quick call an entire football game - hadn't done that in a long time. Upon arrival, the car got stuck in his driveway. I just left it and went inside and we watched the historic Eagles v. Lions game on DVR. It just wasn't as fun as watching it live. We shoveled the driveway and then had cheese steaks.
Storm #3 - I was supposed to go back in January and had a really fun show scheduled at Helium (one of the absolute best comedy venues in the country) and I had a ton of people ready to come out to see me. A homecoming show, of sorts. Nope - cancelled. They got 2 feet of snow. Luckily, I never even left LA that time. I was blamed, by many friends, simply for making the flight reservation.
Bottom line, I don't want to live there again, but I would like to visit...what the fuck, Snow. Knock it off.