4. Getting a ride home in my friends' cold mini-van and convulsing to the point that it felt my guts were being wrenched.
3. Walking, sans gloves, with my brother to buy milk from a vending machine, circa 1977, and coming home crying. This prompts my mother to rush me to the sink, running water over my hands and rubbing to re-vive my frozen digits.
2. Being stranded in Buffalo General hospital during a snow storm eight years ago. Cars are buried under a couple feet of snow. While watching everyone dig their cars out, I get an epiphany - I turn to my brother and say, "Dude, we can take the subway home and walk to my apartment." Probably the only time I found that subway handy.
1. Walking home in 5th grade with a wad of Bazooka Joe chewing gum in my mouth. I blew a sizable bubble... it falls from my lips - I watch the bubble fall and shatter on the sidewalk into a thousand pieces as if it were a light bulb.
Nothing more life-affirming than winter.
