One thing I have noticed is when the decision is made by the government, it is not always based on the weather outside but instead on the weather outside combined with the response of previous weather-related decisions. Last year, we had a full snow day, the government was closed, the roads empty. But the storm itself was light. So OPM received a lot of flack for the decision. However, that evening, another snow "storm" hit and this had a greater effect on the roads. Buses were stuck, accidents were plentiful, but no call from OPM given the previous days mistake. So you never know how the weather will be despite the call from OPM.
Last week, we received a telework optional day during a snow that, while seemingly innocuous had it fallen at 6pm, peaked between 5am and 9am, travel time for most people who don't take public transportation. Moreover, the snow was preceded by icy rain so it was slick. In fact, the buses couldn't ascend the hill by our house so our public transportation was unavailable to us. But nonetheless, in Minnesota, it likely would not have warranted even a delayed start, mainly because Minnesotans know how to plow and salt the roads (other than in St. Paul). But people were upset, particularly those without the telework option.
This week, there was talk of a BIG ice storm on Monday morning. I received an alert the night before that there would be a delay and an option to telework. I was eager to go into my office in order to make use of the two screens at my desk and finish this paper I've been trudging through, but I had visions of me falling on the ice as I walked from the metro to my office and wanted to avoid this. I suck on ice even when I'm not pregnant.
But when I got to my car to go to the library that morning, it felt more like a mid-April rain than a threatening winter storm. It was warm, in the 40s, the rain was falling gently, not aggressively. I laughed with Amos and regretted slightly not just going into the office. But of course, the decision was in response to the poor call the week before.
BUT then this happened. Around 3:15-3:30 on a yellow line train train heading toward Franconia at L'Enfant Plaza filled with smoke, but the doors to the train didn't open. People were stuck for nearly an hour on the train, lying on the floor trying to avoid the smoke as the conductor repeated that the train would back up soon and let them out. But it didn't until EMTs showed up. One woman died, a number were hospitalized. This is what's scary to me. This is the train I take home, at that time, toward that location. In fact, my coworker who I am often on the metro with in the afternoon was actually on that train. Now I know this sounds overly dramatic, I mean, everyone I know drove over the 35W bridge right before it collapsed (am I right?). But this really happened. And it's scary. And imagining being on the train, 9 months pregnant, crowded and thinking this is some sort of attack, makes me me want to telework everyday.
The next morning, one of my scheduled telework days, I checked my phone when my alarm went off. I had received two notifications from OPM declaring it another "telework optional" day. I was confused. I didn't know it was supposed to snow. Then I looked outside:
By the next day it was 45.
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