Snow

There are a few disadvantages (though not many) to living in New York City. One occurs during the imminent arrival of a snow storm. Certain things happen here that you can't really explain. Airports start shutting down hours, if not days, before the first snowflake has fallen. Workers in high rise offices start debating whether or not the forecasters are better or worse at predicting the weather than economists are in their field.

And most astonishingly, those who live in New Jersey already announce that they are not coming to work if the snow exceeds 3 inches. Even those who live just across the Hudson have developed: "I can’t possibly go to work if it snows” disease.

So as I am the lone Manhattan representative on my trading desk , my management immediately concludes that I will be the only person able to get to work in the aftermath of an accumulating snowstorm.

It needn't matter that snow could be piled up two feet in front of my apartment building's door. It is expected that I should at the very least be able to ski to work if the need arises; don't kid yourself -- I have seen that many a time before.

All those from the supposed hardest soon-to-be-hit suburbs compare how many inches they will see by the following morning.

My standing joke is to Mario who sits opposite me. He leaps out of his seat announcing that he has just spoken to his wife and she expects at least 6 inches this evening. My response is always: "Your wife always expects 6 inches Mario, but she only ever sees 3 or 4."

Oh you can have so much fun with Suburbanites!!!!