-40 below

I thought I'd say something since Andrew has been doing most of the posting lately. This post will be utterly unhouse related. It is cold in Fairbanks today, it has been cold for the past week. -44 below at my work. I've lived in Fairbanks for about 8 years now but I'm still surprised when I'm expected to go on with daily functions during this kind of weather. Why doesn't Fairbanks just close down? That's just a rhetorical question as I know that some people have to go to work or we wouldn't have electricity, water, heat, etc. My window faces a Fire station and EMT unit. When it gets to be in the -40 or -50 below weather those guys are in and out of the building all day long. Which tells me that there are significantly more emergencies then any other time of the year.

On a personal level I think the administration of our University should give it's employees and students the option to stay home. But they don't, your expected to be here. If I stay home I have to use my vacation leave. I can't even take leave without pay. So what are my options? Use my precious benefits or come to work. Risk breaking down on the road (which could result in many other problems) or just stay home and use my benefits. Most individuals don't even have the benefit of vacation time. So people who work minimum wage jobs and are without benefits have more pressure to put themselves at risk in these temperatures. They could loose their jobs if they don't go to work. Hmm, this would make an interesting Fairbanks sociological study. Look at the influence of temperature on accidents and then of those accidents what are the individuals involved economic status.

I always find it amazing how much pressure the acquisition of money puts on us. Risk your life at this moment or risk your future. This post may seem a little dramatic and whiney. But sometimes I feel this way. Especially when I'm walking up a hill, at -44 below, because I don't even get to park close to my building.