Tuesday, January 19, 2016

The Calm Before The Storm

We have yet to reach the fever pitch of "Snowmaggedon" induced craziness here in Maryland.  There have been no shortages of milk, bread and toilet paper as of yet but as this winter storm bears down on us, scenes of frantic desperation in the bleak aisles of the grocery store are guaranteed to ensue.  The same will hold true at the hardware store as frenzied shoppers fight over the last snow shovel, bag of ice-melt, bundle of firewood and for those who are financially able, shiny new snow blower.  Yes winter has finally arrived and though I dread the prospect of a potential foot or two of snow and the nightmarish commute home on Friday evening; the windshield wipers crunching back the slush, the heat and defrost on so high you feel like your face is melting off, the slips, the slides, the white knuckled hands on the wheel, the horrific vision of the car leaving the roadway and careening down a snow-covered embankment and into a frozen river… as you can probably tell I'm not a fan.  But, here it is nearing the end of January and this is our first snow event so we've been getting off pretty easy this year; shit, it was in the 70s on Christmas Day which is completely unheard of, I was wearing flip flops on Christmas Eve!  Well anyway, in honor of the dreaded winter storm I wanted to share another song today… this one is by Rastafari Elder Ras Pidow and it comes from his 1992 album Modern Antique on the RAS label and it's called "Winter Storm."  A mellow bit of dub poetry about the Rasta elder who had spent all of his life in Jamaica's tropical climate witnessing a snow storm for the very first time over a nice mellow version of Bob Marley's "Coming In From The Cold."  I really love this song, it gives this hell that we know as winter a completely different perspective.  Sadly, Ras Pidow passed away in 2001… a humble and wise man who is truly missed.

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