I was at Happy Hour earlier and, wouldn’t you know it, I ended up seated next to a couple of out-of-towner’s that, despite me not making any attempt to strike up a conversation with them, spent a large amount of time taking out their rage about vacationing in the Coachella Valley during “the one weeks it rains” on me, a local – because, and this is true, as someone who lives here: I control the weather, I guess.

And hey, I get it. You save up your cash all year and you think you are escaping Chicago or Vancouver or whatever cold-ass place you call home this time of year to come to what should be a sunny desert only to find El Nino has other, wet plans for you has to be a huge bummer. But, and this is what I had to tell my overly-talkative Happy Hour neighbors, not only do I not care, I am really, really enjoying this stretch of wet weather – well, other than the snowbirds finding a way to actually drive slower than normal in it.

And, since I shared these items with my new, now frustrated Happy Hour neighbors, I will present them here as well:

Here is why all this rain has me stoked:

• We need it #drought.
• Wildflower Season is gonna be lit again.
• I don’t feel stupid for buying a jacket or a hoodie.
• It’s the rare opportunity to actually enjoy hot soup while living in the desert.
• Indian Canyons is amazing after a wet and snowy winter.
• In fact, most everything in the desert is.
• Enjoying a hot coffee under the overhang in the morning while a little bit of rain falls…c’mon.  It’s awesome and everyone knows it.
• As a desert rat of over 20 years, I rarely get this type of weather and, dammit, DON’T RUIN THIS FOR ME!!!

Long story short, I don’t think bringing up this topic had the desired results my out-of-towner Happy Hour neighbors intended, but whatever, that’s what they get for bothering a  local who was just trying to enjoy this nice stretch of rain and a half-priced IPA.