Minnesota Monday Trivia Answers (On Wednesday!)



It's another cold night in Minnesota. Right now it's 0 degrees--and that's the high for today! The temperatures are falling and later tonight it will reach -3 (with a wind chill of -24). A fluffy snow has been falling all day and it's beautiful.



Remember, it could always be worse...
Photo courtesy of Weatherman Paul Douglas Blog

I've never been much of a complainer about weather--after all, I live in Minnesota. I try* not to complain for three reasons.

1. This is Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes and 10,000 Extreme Weather Patterns. I should never have a reason to complain. Instead, I should fully expect it to be either really cold, really hot, really dry, or really humid. If it's something other than those four extremes, then I count myself blessed and I take advantage of the beautiful weather. Thankfully, in Minnesota, we have many wonderful weather days (or, we don't, and we just appreciate the few good days because of all the bad!). :)

2. I can't change the weather by complaining! I think this one is self-explanatory.

3. Whenever I hear people complaining, I think of the Israelites in the dessert for 40 years. Those people complained. A lot. And where did it get them? No where--literally. What must God think when He's blessed me with a warm house, a full belly, and a healthy family? If all I can do with my time is complain, then I've missed something. Instead of focusing on the weather, I try to focus on my blessings. I also try to see each weather pattern as a blessing. God knows what He's doing.

I giggle when I pass people in Wal Mart and hear a conversation that goes something like this:

"Hey, Phil."
"Hey, Marge."
"Boy, it's cold outside!"
"You ain't kidding."
"Nice seeing you."
"Stay warm."

I heard this conversation just the other day. I love that we tell people something they already know.

Anyway, I digress. I was going to share the answers to my Minnesota Trivia Questions from the other day. I hope you learn something new!

Minnesota is a large state, but how large is it compared to the other states?
a. Fifth largest state
b. Tenth largest state
c. Twelfth largest state
d. Twentieth largest state

The name "Minnesota" is a Dakota name, but what does it mean?
a. "Land of Sky Blue Waters"
b. "Big Water Country"
c. "Many Waters"
d. "Clear Water"

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Area is called the Twin Cities and is densely populated. What percentage of the population of Minnesotans lives in the Twin Cities?
a. 30%
b. 40%
c. 50%
d. 60%

Minnesota is known for its extreme weather (the wind chill was -60 here last week and today it was 38 degrees!). What is the record high and low span of temperature across the state?
a. 106 °F
b. 133 °F
c. 156 °F
d. 174 °F

Minnesota ranks high in the nation for many things. Which one of these things does Minnesota NOT rank high?
a. We have some of the best roads nationwide
b. We have the highest percentage of citizens who participate in regular physical exercise
c. We're one of the highest voter turn out states
d. We have the second highest percentage of high school graduates nationwide

We're also ranked the lowest in all but one of these areas:
a. Lowest percentage of overweight and obese children in the nation
b. We're one of the lowest taxed states in the nation
c. One of the ten states with the lowest percentage of unemployment nationwide
d. Our teen pregnancy rate is the 8th lowest in the nation

Your Turn: What do people complain about the most where you live? I have a feeling it's probably weather! :)

*I try not to complain, but inevitably I slip up. When I do, I remind myself it could be much worse...and I think about Spring and Summer. That usually helps me put things back into perspective.

Minnesota Monday: Baby It's Cold Outside!

Today is my first day back on the blog in quite a while! And the occasion is being marked by historically low temperatures across the state of Minnesota. The National Weather Service is predicting the wind chill to reach -60 degrees! The coldest it's been in Minnesota since 1996. It's so cold, Governor Dayton has cancelled all public schools for Monday. He's the second governor of Minnesota to cancel schools across the state. One of our previous governors, Arne Carlson, cancelled school three times during his terms in office (Jan. 18, 1994, Feb. 2, 1996, and Jan. 16, 1997).

As I write this on Sunday night, the temperature has already begun to fall and we have all our heating devises roaring. The furnace has been running almost non-stop, the gas fireplace is blazing next to me, our wood fireplace is burning in the basement, and our electric space heater is blowing in the living room. Thankfully our house holds heat very well--but it's still a bit chilly in here.

Our family won't be leaving the house tomorrow. We've already stocked up on groceries and planned a day of playing games, watching movies, and folding laundry. Our oldest daughter is homeschooled, so a cancelled school day doesn't mean much to her. Although, since we follow the school calendar, and our second daughter will be home from school, we've decided to cancel our schoolwork tomorrow, as well.

In other news, I've started plotting my next story!! This will be my third story and I'm amazed at how different it feels to be plotting this time around. I've learned a great deal about writing over the past two years and I'm starting to feel much more confident as I walk into book three. My characters are taking shape right before my eyes, and my plot elements are falling into place. I know it will change a great deal as I actually start to write, but that's what makes it so much fun.

For me, writing is such an intimate journey. It's just me and God as we tell a story. Someday I hope thousands of others will read it, but for now, it's just the two of us.

As my characters start "talking" to me, I realize there are bits and pieces of me in each one of them. I'm always awed when God prompts me to put a bit of my heart and soul into my hero and heroine. It's a beautiful time of communion and worship with my Lord. God meets me on the page and teaches me more about Him...and myself.

I'll be sharing more about my story on Way Back When-sday's Blog Post! It's set in 1927, an era I'm not as familiar with, but one I'm learning to appreciate for all it's drama and gaiety.

Your Turn: What is the weather like where you live (this is not a question for Lindsay Harrel to answer...)? If you're a writer, where are you at in your WIP? If you're a reader, what book are you enjoying on this cold Winter day?