It sounds like the snowbeast has put the hurt on the midwest quite forcefully. Judging by the facebook status updates and growing stack of posted pictures, Chicago and Madison have been slammed. We get plenty of snow and cold up here but without the population density and arterial road system of the midwest, it is much easier for us to muddle through. Also, it is expected and tolerated to a much greater degree. It's Alaska.

I do love the pictures of Lake Shore Drive and the orphaned cars. So cool.

As a child I remember the blizzard of 1979 vividly as a time when I was not allowed to build snow forts in the yard without direct adult supervision, which meant someone watching from my parents room. I guess a kid somewhere in Chicago found himself in some collapsed snow, and due to not being monitored closely enough ended up suffocating. So that's the doom of '79 in my mind.

Chicago always has a strange, distinct beauty when submerged in superfluous fresh snow.

...

I am a long time fan of The Office, though these days it is more mediocre than anything else. We're staying together for the kids, regardless of the random guffaws a given new episode will yield. Parks and Rec is complete genius in my mind though. Ron Swanson is the man.

The remainder of Thursday nights on NBC is a good impetus to head upstairs and iron or paint for an hour or so. The less said about Outsourced, the better. 30 Rock always feels very pretentious and cute about itself -- if you're not in on their little jokes, well then you are just not in. And Community is a bit too repetitive in theme.

However, this week's Community is all about Dungeons and Dragons so they've captured my time.

Point, NBC.