I had just graduated from college 1.5 years ago, and I was still living with my parents in an irrelevant Midwestern area. It had been a really difficult time, getting in tons of arguments, living in relatively close quarters. But I was doing my best 2 get by... Doing my best to move the hell out of there, but still trying to stay connected to a local metropolitan hub that was 50 miles away from where I lived.

My name is Tom. This is my story. This is my story of the Blizzard of 2k11.

Mom: Son, you know there's a blizzard coming.
Tom: I don't really read the weather or local news, just blogs.
Mom: Come into the den, son. The local news is on.
Tom: The local news is a fucking joke meant 2 scare old ppl. I don't have time 4 that shit.
Mom: Please don't curse in my house. Maybe when you get a job, you can curse.
Tom: I told you. The recession has made it really difficult to get jobs in my industry.
Mom: I told ya you shouldn't have majored in graphic design. Your dad is a financial planner and he makes a good living.
Tom: Dad is the unhappiest person I've ever met in my life.

...scream from other room...

Dad: I'd be a lot happier if yous guys stopped nagging at eachother. I'm tryin' to watch the game!

Mom: Tom. You gotta keep it down. Tax season is killing your father!
Tom: Whatever.
Mom: Hush up. Watch the weather with me. It's about to start.
Local News Meteorologist on the TV: We are expecting this to be the blizzard of a lifetime. Please stay inside. Cover your pipes. Leave your faucets dripping. Bring your pets indoors. Get your fire wood ready.
Mom: See? I told u. Good thing I stocked up on tons of Wolf Brand Chili.

Tom: Well I was planning on going into the city to see a show. Do you mind if I borrow the car?
Mom: You're not taking the car out in this weather.
Tom: How else am I gonna get into the city? My favourite buzzband is playing.
Mom: You really shouldn't leave the house. I'm not just being your mother. This is gonna be huge.

...overheard from other room...
Dad: Who is taking the car out? No way any one takes the car out. Every one is staying indoors tonight!

Mom: Listen to your father.
Tom: I bought these tickets over 5 months ago. This buzzband doesn't come to our small Midwestern area that often, and I CANNOT miss this. I'm going to walk 2.5 miles to the train station and try to make it in. You can't stop me.
Mom: Don't go out or else we're not gonna let you live here. Our house. Our rules.
Tom: This is fucking bullshit. You don't understand. They were recently Best New Musicked on Pitchfork, and the next time they come thru town, there are gonna be soo many lamestreamers at the show. This is a huge deal.
Mom: I don't know what all of that means, but there is a BLIZZARD coming. You need to stay indoors. I may not be a meteorologist or a buzzbandologist or even 'Geologist' from that band you made me listen to in the car on the way to the grocery store. But please, as your mom, the person who loves you the most in the world.

I started my walk thru suburbia. The wind was blowing at what seemed like 100 miles per hour. The snow was falling. I couldn't see 2 feet in front of my face. It took me several hours to walk just 2.5 miles. Many people at the train station were coming home to suburbia from the city. But I was going into the city. The train conductor told me I was crazy to be leaving home in this weather, but I had caught the last train into town.

Conductor: Ur crazy.
Tom: Listen. I am on my way to see a really important band, and maybe in 5 years you'll understand why I had to do this. I care about the live scene. I'm not just one of those buzzband fans who stays at home on the internet and listens to MP3s. I care about the live scene. You don't understand why I'm doing what I'm doing. But trust me. This is hella important.
Conductor: You're something else, kid. You're something else. Have you heard the Decemberists? I just listened 2 them on NPR.

I arrived in the city. It was a 'ghost_town.' The city was shut down. Cars were getting stuck in the snow. Got to the venue. No one was there. There was a sign on the Venue that said 'Closed.' I checked the buzzband's twitter, and they were talking about how they were stuck in a van somewhere on some random Midwestern Highway.

I didn't know what to do.
I looked up at the white sky
and the song "White Sky" by Vampire Weekend came on my iPod

I yelled at the sky
"WHY?"
"Why Me?"
"Why do the indie gods fucking h8 me?"
"I'm in it for the right reasons."
"I came all the way from Suburbia."
"I really care about this buzzband's career and I was gonna buy merch from them so the money went directly into their pockets."
"I live in suburbia. Tonight was supposed to be special."

It was at that moment
That I realized maybe life in suburbia wasn't that bad.
Maybe I had been chasing the wrong things all along
Maybe my parents truly cared about me
Maybe I should have listened
Maybe they were right
Maybe I valued buzzbands too much
Maybe I needed to go back to school and get a real degree
Maybe I should just start working at my dad's office
Maybe I should stop cursing at my mom
Maybe I should value the 'roof over my head' no matter what part of the city it is located in.

I heard a rumble
The sound of some sort of lawnmower engine or something.
A man pulled up next to me on a a snow mobile
He took off his mask

Dad: Hop on, son. Let's go home.

I got on the back of the snowmobile, and wrapped my arms around my dad, giving him a hug for the entire ride. I felt like a little boy again. For the first time, I finally realized that my dad loved me. It was time for me to grow up. I was going to turn my life around. Sure I could enjoy the occasional buzzband, but it was time for me to start being a productive 20something instead of a tragic one.

I got home. My mom had made some of her famous gingersnaps, and was just pouring me a cup of hot cocoa. She said, "Welcome home, son."

"I'm sorry, Mom. I should have listened. I'm sorry."

"You don't worry about that, son. Now let's get you out of those clothes."

"Mom... Dad... I love you guys."

...overheard from other room....

Dad: Can you guys keep it down? I'm trying to watch Fallon. The musical guest is about to come on.

****#Good2BeHome*****

R u safe?
Were u hit by a blizzard/snow storm?
Do u care abt ppl in the Midwest?
Does God h8 the Midwest because they are all lamestreamers and deserve to be miserable?
Do you feel trapped in suburbia [due 2 'the elements]?
Does weather make u believe in God/a 'higher power'?
Did you go out to see a buzzband in this weather?
Were u trapped in the snow in suburbia?
Have u ever been trapped in a natural disaster with ur nuclear family?
Is Home where the heart is?

Plz share ur stories abt the Blizzard, and let us know that ur okay.