OT- F#%k Winter Thread

Submitted by ijohnb on

The beach.  Oberon.  Tigers-Twins 1-1 heading into the 7th.  80 degrees.  Somebody with some musical ability at DTE.  Sandals.  These are the contents of my dreams.

Somebody, make this go away.  Tell me it is over.  Please. 

Anybody?

rb4kb8

February 21st, 2011 at 4:22 PM ^

winter f#%k's you thread... I hate skiing.. I hate snowmobiling... i hate cleaning off my car... I hate my job that brought me here... I just want the area.. and it to be fall all the time...

bleedzblue

February 21st, 2011 at 7:46 PM ^

How could you hate snowmobiling? My family has four of them and they are so damn fun to ride. Only thing that sucks about them is your back get sore if the trails haven't been groomed, it's like riding on moguls for 7 hours straight. 

Hardware Sushi

February 21st, 2011 at 4:26 PM ^

I just wish we'd quit getting this "ehhh maybe I'll blizzard, maybe I won't" snow. If it's going to snow an annoying amount, I don't want there to be any freakin' way my boss expects me in for work. I'm talking 3' of it.

If that happens, let it snow let it snow let it snow. If not, bring me football season.

st barth

February 21st, 2011 at 4:35 PM ^

...I love living in the tropics.  There is an annoying amount of tourists here right now, but otherwise winter has been very comfortable.

BrownJuggernaut

February 21st, 2011 at 4:36 PM ^

Questions from an OOSer:

1. What is everyone's obsession with Oberon? I get that it's a local beer, but I don't think it's all that like most of the people I encounter.

2. Why is everyone so whiny about the snow here? Haven't most people lived in Michigan their whole lives? If not Michigan, aren't a lot of people from Chicago, New York? Shouldn't everyone be used to the snow by now? 

The only thing that really annoys me about the Winters here in Ann Arbor is the lack of plowing around campus. 

jcorqian

February 21st, 2011 at 4:42 PM ^

Oberon's good, but there's a lot of other Bell's stuff and fairly local/regional IPA's and such that are just as good or better.  Hopslam (10%) is awesome and gets me fucked up.

I've lived in the Midwest my whole life, and I haven't really hated Winter/snow until junior/senior year of college.  Man it fucking sucks to have to walk everywhere in unplowed snow, digging cars out, etc.  The campus is also very spread out compared to some of the off campus housing, so walking from say Michigan Avenue to Denison or Angell Hall sucks when it freshly snows the night before.  Luckily almost all my classes are in the Bschool, so it's not too far.  Other than that, I have no problem with winter/cold.

Worst part is when it's 50 degrees outside and I'm running in shorts, only to have it be 20 degrees and 9 inches of snow three days later.  Really gets your hopes up then fucks you in the ass. 

BrownJuggernaut

February 21st, 2011 at 4:55 PM ^

I have to try Hopslam, I've heard good things. I had Bell's Two Hearted Ale on tap a while back, it was really good. 

It's funny because most people wouldn't consider 50 to be shorts weather, but many of us do. I know I wore sandals all last week because 1. the snow had melted 2. It was above freezing. 

joeyb

February 22nd, 2011 at 10:54 AM ^

Oberon is a draft beer. If you don't want to get it at a bar or restaurant, then buy a mini-keg and finish it off with a friend. I tried it in a bottle and didn't like it that much. Had it on draft and I can't stop drinking it. We bought a quarter barrel of it for the week of my wedding. Best decision ever.

jcorqian

February 21st, 2011 at 5:39 PM ^

Hopslam isn't necessarily for everyone.  I love IPA's (only beer I drink if given a choice) and Hopslam is very bitter and obviously very hoppy.  It also has a distinctive after taste of alcohol, kind like a scaled down version of the aftermath of taking a shot.  However, I really like it.

My first time I underestimated a 10% beer and drank 6.5 over the course of one dinner.  Then took four shots at Charley's.  Needless to say, I was FUCKED UP and ended that night losing my keys, my belt, and calling 911.

justingoblue

February 21st, 2011 at 5:46 PM ^

I don't find Hopslam all that bitter, I just went to look at the IBU's but couldn't find the number immediately. Edit- It's 70, not all that bitter for a big, hoppy Double IPA.

I'm with you on the IPA's most of the time though. Have you tried the Dogfish Head India Brown Ale? If I can find another India Brown, I will definitely be buying it.

jcorqian

February 21st, 2011 at 6:15 PM ^

I kind of lump in bitter with the hoppiness in most cases.  Actually for Hopslam, I think the effect is the alcohol aftertaste combined with the hoppiness that mixes into a somewhat bitter taste, at least for me.  Drinking one right now, in fact.

I've tried most of the IPA's you can get in the area, including the Dogfish 60 and 120 min, but I don't think I've had the India Brown.  I'll have to check that out.  The Village Corner going out of business sale was great for trying a bunch of new IPA's.  I gotta say my favorite IPA is the Crooked Tree by Dark Horse, just love it.

justingoblue

February 21st, 2011 at 6:27 PM ^

Yea, I definitely get what you're saying, Hopslam has a very strong taste.

I tried the 60 last night actually. It made me want to try the 120, but I didn't fall in love with the 60 itself.

The IBA is much sweeter, but not thick like a stout....haven't had anything from Dark Horse, but I'll definitely take a look when I can.

We Do Not Sow

February 21st, 2011 at 5:47 PM ^

I totally used to rock shorts in 50 degree weather in February/March in Michigan.

Now that I'm in San Diego I'm enjoying my first winter of warmth, but to the people out here you'd think it was like I was still in Michigan and it was below zero.

The guy I share an office with is wearing thermals and it's 62 degress outside. I guess it's all relative

ijohnb

February 21st, 2011 at 4:57 PM ^

that the beer itself is anything special, I prefer Two-Hearted, Blue Moon Spring, and a host of Great Lakes products to Oberon.  But as long as I can remember, Oberon stood for something more.  Oberon means cookouts, it means the pool, the beach.  Oberon is a sign of the times to me more than just a beer.  It is a declaration of summer.

BrownJuggernaut

February 21st, 2011 at 4:52 PM ^

Yeah, but you should be used to the irregular weather patterns of the area right? I mean, I'm not saying I like the cold or the snow, I don't. But I grew up in the Northeast, so I'm used to it. It's just really annoying to hear people complain every time it snows like it doesn't happen anywhere else or it wasn't expected. I guess part of it is people's reasons for complaining.

Black Socks

February 21st, 2011 at 5:45 PM ^

I was the same way after graduating.  Have now lived in five states and Michigan is right at the top.  Yes the winter is too long but there are always tradeoffs.  Go live in the sun and maybe you'll miss Michigan like I did, or maybe you won't.

icefins26

February 21st, 2011 at 4:42 PM ^

I'm being an optimist today in wake of this shit:

1.)  Spring Training games start in a week (some less)

2.)  Daylight Savings Time is March 13th

3.)  March Madness begins March 15th

4.)  It was 65 degrees last year on St. Patrick's Day (it's possible)

5.)  The Masters is almost a month away

This soon shall pass.

Bodogblog

February 21st, 2011 at 4:49 PM ^

As I posted in another thread, there's nothing better than Spring, Summer, and Fall in Michigan.  We have water everywhere, great (and very smart) people, and places like Traverse City and Petoskey are national gems.



Winter sucks.  Make it better by skiing, skating, shoveling your own snow (sans snowblower), and napping.  Yes to snowmobiling and cross-country - there are few things as satisfying as the smell and stillness of the deep woods in winter.  Allow it to make you tougher, and appreciate the other seasons (and metaphorically, the better times) more.

I lived in Cali after college, Orange County.  My friends there hadn't been to the beach in years.  There's no way to not take it for granted, and people don't do that here.

LSAClassOf2000

February 21st, 2011 at 5:04 PM ^

I am getting some excellent cardio from  these 5 AM shovel sessions. Too bad I then feel like somebody beat me up by the time I am at work  and the adrenaline of the moment has worn off.