The weather has become the news!

Breaking news: There is a massive heat wave afoot here in Chicago...and Jen Andre is totally immature!

I have always been somewhat obsessed with the weather.  I blame this on my father, who is TOTALLY obsessed with the weather.  As a kid, growing up, it was a family ritual to watch the "Local on the 8's" as a family before any big day.  We wanted to make sure that we were dressed appropriately for the impending weather conditions.  We needed to see what accessories would need to be packed - jackets, umbrellas, sunscreen.  We would huddle in the family room, get our marching orders as to what things we needed to grab, and off we'd go.  Because of this nonsense, I have an innate desire to know the weather for the day.  It is ingrained in me.  In fact, my desire to know the weather has actually evolved into a need for watching the news!  I have to know what is going on at all times. 

I used to be one of those people that watched Saved by the Bell in the mornings while getting ready for school.  For the record, my sister is, and always will be, the one of five people that watches Boys Meets World in the morning while getting ready for work; she will never convert to a news watcher - ever.  I was also one of those people that could listen to a CD on the way into work.  Not any more!  I have completely shifted my mindset.  The minute I wake up in the mornings, I am turning on NBC 5 to be updated with the latest headlines, and of course to catch the Weather & Traffic on the 5's.  (Fun Fact: I was Matt Rodewald's (the traffic guy at NBC) 1000th Twitter follower.  He @mentioned me.  It was neat).  I come home from work, I turn on the news.  I get ready for bed, I turn on the news.  And in the mornings, on the way to work, I have to listen to the radio in case anything crazy happens in the world of news or traffic.

So given that the weather has now BECOME the news, you'd think that I be in heaven - and you would be right!  At first, I found it rather silly that "Extreme Heat 2011" was the top news story every :30 mins (and to be honest, I still think it's silly).  Anyone living in the area right now knows how freaking hot it is!  We don't need the fancy intros. We don't need the dramatic music. And we certainly don't need three news anchors "reporting live" from three different locations.  It's hot everywhere people!!  We see reporter one reporting from a suburb, button-down shirt with a loose collar and rolled up sleeves - very telling of how hot it is outside, obviously.  Then we see reporter two down at North Avenue beach with all of the unemployed hotties who say things like"of course I am at the beach today!  Where else would I be?"- oh I don't know??  WORK MAYBE???  And then there is reporter three who found a fire hydrant that is blasting water, and children splashing everywhere.  Again, an obvious, tell-tale (and pretty cheesy) sign  that it's hot in the city.

But what we absolutely cannot live without are the hilarious words used to describe how hot it is outside.  ***Cue: immaturity***   This morning I had the pleasure of hearing - "Today is going to be a steamer!" and in turn I laughed out loud.  No one was home, so I was laughing alone, but it was hysterical.  I don't know about you, but when I hear steamer, I think of one thing, and one thing only.  Only when the weather gets like this is it socially acceptable for a grown man to announce to the city of Chicago that the day is going to involve "steamers."  Or how about swampy, as in "Today it is going to feel really swampy!"  Again, my mind immediately goes to the gutter - swamp-a$$, if you will.  And then there's miserable, horrible, foul, down-right muggy, moist (least favorite word in the English dictionary), thick, and the list goes on and on.  I find it to be absolute pure entertainment to hear these meterologists come up with the best adjectives to describe a hot and humid day.  So keep on keeping on Andy Avalos and Ginger Zee.  You crack me up!!