If Bill Murray Sees his Five O Clock Shadow

[Occhidiangela]

Groundhog Day.

For those not from Pennsylvania, does it really matter? Spring has been here in South Texas since December. :P The last winter we had was the Christmas of 2005. The armadillo, Palacios Pedro, should he emerge from his den in February, tends to stumble across the highway and get squished flat by an 18 wheeler loaded with aliens (illegal), driven by a coyote. (The trial is underway for the coyotes and driver who left 70 illegal aliens to die, 19 of whom died, locked in the back of the trailer truck that the driver abandoned in South Texas, May 2003.)

As quaint as Groundhog Day is, perhaps the Groundhog voyeruism should be replaced by an annual mass rental and broadcast of Bill Murray's film to remind people that even though life is the "same stuff, different day" all too frequently, something special we do can break us out of a rut.

The celebration of Groundhog Day began with Pennsylvania's earliest settlers. They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, which states, "For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May..."

Could Groundhog Day's days may be numbered? At some point I expect this public observance be challenged by the ACLU as having religious (aka Christian religious) roots. I hope I am wrong, since Groundhog Day presents some unconventional opportunities for celebrating life.

I once surprised a girlfriend by delivering a dozen roses to her at sunrise on Groundhog Day. When I rang the doorbell that Virginia Beach morning, it was raining, but her face lit up with a smile like sunshine.

My challenge to you all:

Surprise someone tomorrow morning at sunrise, on Groundhog Day, while we still have the observance, as a proof contra the movie's early theme of life's too comon feature of "same stuff, different day."

Make tomorrow special and different for at least one other person. Who knows what opportunities that act will open up, what positive ripples in the Great Pond will wash up on another shore just in time to make a difference?

Occhi

EDIT: Missed "Preview" Button. Need more coffee. :P

[Guest]

That movie ruined one of the greatest parties ever.

Ground Hog Day at Goblers Nob used to one of the best parties anywhere. Several thousand college and highschool kids would drive up on(locals walked) that hill in the country one day each year.

On one side of the road the police kept it sort of clean and a DJ played music starting at about 2:30 in the morning. But still lots of beer in Moutain Dew bottles and lots of girls getting up on their boyfriends shoulders then flashing the crowd.

On the other side of the road everyone built fires, drank a huge amount of alcohol and no small amount of pot was smoked. The cops didnt even venture over there.

When it was all done a big line of locals and college kids who had come in on buses started walking down to town for breakfast but many of them hitched rides down in the back of pick-up trucks.

It was a blast.


After the movie with its quaint image of the day came out, Punxy decided to clean up the party. I suppose any tourist who had seen the movie would have been a bit shocked at the actual event.
Now you can only get up the hill on school buses. The fun side of the road is posted and there is almost no beer to be found.

I guess its nice now, but I miss the party, even though Im to old to party anymore.

[Occhidiangela]

I guess its nice now, but I miss the party, even though Im to old to party anymore.
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The Easter's Week party at the University of Virginia, once a national legend and certainly one of the finest binges I ever participated in, has also gone the way of the plains buffalo. Sorry to hear "the fear of party image" has dampened yet another good time. :(

Same stuff, different locale?

Occhi

[Guest]

The Easter's Week party at the University of Virginia, once a national legend and certainly one of the finest binges I ever participated in, has also gone the way of the plains buffalo.  Sorry to hear "the fear of party image" has dampened yet another good time.  :(

Same stuff, different locale?

Occhi
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Not so much fear of image as making a new image and event. I suspect the changes have been profitable for the town to be honest. It was not something to take the family too(for most families), and now it is. The people attending now probably spend more money than the drunk kids did.

[Rinnhart]

There's only two kinds of weather in Washington: rainy and cloudy. What is this "shadow"?

[Occhidiangela]

There's only two kinds of weather in Washington: rainy and cloudy. What is this "shadow"?
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Who knows? :shuriken:

Occhi

[DeeBye]

Wiarton Willie didn't see his shadow, so that means a short winter for us (Southern Ontario). But then again, we haven't really had a winter to begin with. We had a few nasty snow episodes in December, but nothing whatsoever after that. Right now it should be -20°C with snowbanks up to my ears, but it's +2°C and raining without a snowbank in sight.

Everyone keeps telling me how nice the weather has been this winter, but I really want some cold and some snow. WHERE IS THE SNOW? :angry:

[Occhidiangela]

WHERE IS THE SNOW?  :angry:
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I don't care about your one eyed Willie, your snow is being used to cool down your beer! Why are we having this discussion? :blink:


Occhi

[DeeBye]

I don't care about your one eyed Willie, your snow is being used to cool down your beer!  Why are we having this discussion?  :blink:
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It's February 3 and it isn't even cold enough to induce frostbite. The best part of living in S.Ontario is the variance of weather. Usually we get really humid hot summers and ungodly cold and snowy winters.

This year we got screwed. It's not even remotely cold, and there is not a speck of snow to be seen. If I wanted weather like that I'd move to Texas or something.

I'm mostly upset about this because my wife and I bought each other ice skates for Christmas and we haven't even had a reason to sharpen them. The community outdoor rink is a slushpile.

Wiarton Willie

[jahcs]

Who knows?  :shuriken:

Occhi
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Boo Hiss!

And if you think I'm going to finish that line, you're crazy.

[Doc]

One of my dreadlocks popped out from under my hat and saw its shadow.

Six more weeks of knappiness expected. :D