Chapter 1: January 2005 vs. January 2009
This past January was reminiscent of January 2009, exactly six years ago. January 2009 featured an epic cold snap in the middle of the month, and also a significant snowstorm towards the end of the month. This month featured the same thing, only the cold snap was at the beginning of the month. But, wait a minute! Didn't January 2009 used to be like January 2005? Yes, January 2005 had an epic cold snap/snowstorm, but didn't that month also feature some spring-like days early in the month? January 2009 didn't have many spring-like days. So, January 2005 had an above-average mean, while January 2009 abruptly snapped a string of 4 warmer-than-normal Januaries in Pittsburgh. Even though January 2005 and January 2009 were not alike in weather, they were alike in other ways. In 2005, I was in 5th grade, enjoying shows like Lizzie McGuire and That's So Raven on Disney Channel, 3 months before I switched over to Nickelodeon. I still watched Liberty's Kids episodes on DiC Kids Network while being in the same 5th grade class as Henri. Sarah was a freshman in high school, and James was a junior in high school, and they were our student teachers. Now, January 2009, on the other hand, I was a freshman in high school, this time watching shows like iCarly on Nickelodeon and Wizards of Waverly Place on Disney Channel. I didn't even care what the weather was back when I was a freshman in high school. If you guys asked me what January 2009 was originally reminiscent of, I guess that you could compare it to January 1994, 3 months before I was born. My parents told me about the epic cold snap that occurred in the middle of the month, similar to what happened in 2009. So, every 4 years are NOT connected, huh? That was more like a 15-year difference!