Imagine an Awesome Title Here: Apparently I Am a Slow Learner

Hey, Friends.

You know how you are supposed to learn from your mistakes? Or the ever popular saying, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."? It's a very good point and a good lesson. Screw up really badly once, and you probably won't do it again. Look at how horrible some things in our collective human history have been and make sure that you do your part to keep it from happening again.

Apparently I am a very slow learner when it comes to one thing, because I keep making the same mistake over and over again. I'm not talking about something hugely important in the grand scheme of things -- more like a highly annoying lapse in common sense.

I'm talking about the weather, Friends. I seem to have a blind spot when it comes to taking the weather into account beyond a brief passing thought.

Call it a flaw, or a habit....maybe a personality quirk would be the nicest way of phrasing it. I get it in my head that I want to do something, and then I just do it. I don't stop to put a lot of planning into it. I like to consider it being impulsive, determined, or goal-oriented. Stubborn or stupid could also be applicable, depending on the circumstances.

Let me give you a recent example that demonstrates what I mean.

Always check the weather, kids. This was a bad choice to wear on a hike when it's 90. #summer #poorplanning pic.twitter.com/caWtKNghlk
— Tammy Myers (@tammyshampoo) September 7, 2015

Yeah. Going on a hike when it's humid as hell and 90 degrees outside isn't the brightest move in the first place. Deciding to wear black? That was just incredibly stupid on my part. My great decision making process: looking out the window of my house, deciding it was too nice to stay indoors, and heading out. I didn't bother to check the weather or the temperature before I left. The window says it looks lovely.

I was so dehydrated after that, folks. I swore to myself that I was never going to be that dumb again. It takes all of about 30 seconds to check the weather forecast. From now on I was going to slow my roll long enough to take that into account.

And it worked, for a little while.

Then there was the time I had the day off and decided to go hike over in Minneswaska. The park was beautiful, as always. And I only got rained on a little bit. Yeah. I knew the skies were overcast here when I was leaving, but I went anyway without checking the weather. Why? Because I wanted to and it probably wouldn't rain....at least not too hard. (In my own defense, the sun did come out for a little while. And I was not the only person silly enough to be out hiking at that time.)

Which brings us to today, Friends. Third time in less than 6 months I did the same. damn. thing.

When I say I am a slow learner at this particular lesson, Friends, I mean I am sloooooooooow. This was yesterday. Yesterday!

Going for walk seems like a great idea until you are out there for a bit & realize how cold 32 starts to feel.
— Tammy Myers (@tammyshampoo) January 17, 2016

What the hell is wrong with me that I could not get it in my head to check the weather before going outside again today?

I have the day off. I looked out the window, decided it looked nice and sunny, and thought it would be a good day to go and wander around a bit, take some pictures. I vaguely remembered that it felt colder than anticipated yesterday, so I made sure to bring some gloves this time. It is winter, after all. Did I stop to check the temperature before I left? Of course not!

Friends, I would not blame you in the slightest for thinking that I am a complete moron at this point, or a gigantic airhead. I would agree with you at the moment. I'm beginning to think I have some sort of serious mental block when it comes to checking the weather.

I got to my destination and realized it was a bit chillier than I had assumed. Then came the wind. Holy shit! This was going to be the briefest of excursions because I had not realized how windy it was outside.

Do you know what the temperature was, Friends? Of course you don't. -- and why would you. I do now, because I finally decided to check the weather app on my phone when I was done and got back in the car: 26 degrees, "feels like" 11. Eleven fucking degrees, and I'm out frolicking about, taking pictures and thinking that I really should have dressed warmer.

I'm hoping maybe the lesson has been learned and has sunk in this time. I'm going to share the pictures I took today so that my little bout of insanity feels like it had a point. You can look at them while I sit here drinking coffee and attempting to thaw myself out. Or not. It's a free world -- you can do as you like.

Either way, have a nice day folks. And remember to check the weather before you go outside. Maybe at least one of us will learn a lesson from all of this.