Column: Outside Looking In

In the summer of 1995, I worked a three month internship at The Warroad Pioneer, which I'm sorry to say has since ceased operation. This was the first professional newspaper that I worked for in my career, and it turned out to be a wonderful experience. I had only worked at Bemidji State University's newspaper for about a year and half before landing the internship. At The Pioneer I gained experience in sports, feature, beat and government reporting. I designed pages, took and developed photographs and was responsible for community relations. The best part is that I remain friends with the owners nearly 30 years later.

June 20, 1995

By Devlyn Brooks

This last week has been something, hun? I guess I can't say that it has been the most bearable for me because I get along with hot days as well as I do an ornery bear. You see, I like rainy days. I know, I know ... I am a strange duck, as my mother would say.

Yes, I like rainy days. I've been informed by many that there must be a certain degree of "screwiness" in me because of this fact; however, my attitude about them remains the same. I like rainy days.

There is nothing better than waking up to that cold, crisp feeling in your bedroom after it has been raining all night. And the smell; the air smells as if it has been cleansed.

Oh sure, I suppose some people could say there are some drawbacks to rainy days. You get soaked, the temperature is usually cooler, you catch colds and it can make for horrendous hair days. However, look at the alternatives: dry, sunny days where you sweat so much that your shirt sticks to you; or hot, muggy days where you can cut through the humidity with a knife.

No sir, I'll stick with the cool, rainy days myself. With a little imagination rainy days can be great days to accomplish things.

What better day do you have to get those odds and ends done around the house that have been nagging at you.

Straighten up that thing that used to resemble a room in your house. Catch up on the laundry that has been slowly staking its claim on your home's floor space. Read those magazines that have been piling up on your coffee table that "you have been meaning to read." Take that hourlong nap that you have been needing for the last two or three years. Give the family aardvark (or dog for those normal families) a bath. You see, there are plenty of things to keep your spirits up on a rainy day. You just have to find something that suits your fancy and entertains you.

My personal, all-time favorite thing to do on a rainy day is to read, because television is out of the question. It is a scientific fact that rainy days interfere with television programming; rainy day equals bad television shows. So why not read? The rain has no control over your selection of reading material. Unless, of course, you don't have any reading material in your house; then I don't know how to help you because you would have to go outside the house to get some. (And, of course, there is always that one drawback of getting wet ...)

Well anyway, I have taken it upon myself to help out those of you who seem to dislike rainy days. I've come up with a step-by-step formula by which you can rid your rainy day blues.

Please, feel free to give it a try. It is simple to follow and will only take a few minutes. When you come to a blank, just insert the answer that best works for you. Heck, who knows, maybe this will solve your rainy day problems.

Rainy Day Blues Remedy

Start by making up a batch of (insert favorite beverage here). Change into your (insert most comfortable clothes here). Then go into your bedroom and grab your favorite pillow and blanket and retire to your (insert favorite, or most comfortable room in house here). Move to previously decided most comfortable room in house and throw open the windows, letting the cool air rush in. Crawl under your blanket on the (insert favorite piece of furniture here) and grab your (insert name of reading material here). Now, read for (insert personal desired time here) to rid yourself of those rainy day blues. Warning, time will vary from rainy day to rainy day. Enjoy!

Understand now that I am not guaranteeing that this formula will work for everyone, on every rainy day. It has never been utilized on widespread basis.

However, I know that one of the keys to having success with the formula is to personalize it. Add in steps wherever you deem appropriate. If you want to add music, go nuts. If you need to adds some kind of munch food, knock yourself out. If you have a fireplace that would add to your environment, go for it. If you want to add a partner, be my guest. But I have to warn you the formula has never been test run with more than one person. I am not responsible for injuries.

Now, if someone could tell me how to get through these extremely hot days, I would appreciate it.