The Thing About Windy Days is...

{leaves}

The thing about windy days is...

+ giant tumbleweeds of twigs and branches the height of half the average sized human collect on the sides of walkways and streets.

+ the fallen leaves seem to stay on the floor, strangely enough, even though it isn't raining.

+ people try to walk so much faster than normal when outside because they just want to get inside, away from the wind. And yet they can't walk as fast because the wind is fighting them. Dilemma.

+ drivers get very nervous sitting at stop lights because all the stop lights and all the street signs are bouncing and shaking in the wind.

+ the American flags at the Federal Reserve look like they're about to rip off their poles and fly off into the night like bats.

+ Bruinwalk becomes one of the most dangerous obstacle courses known to mankind. Or UCLA kind at least.

+ people stay in the library and continue studying even when they're super hungry because they don't want to brave the winds.

+ squirrels hide.

+ students hide.

+ everyone hides.

+ students use the high force gales as an excuse to not go to class. Even though the winds died down six hours before their class starts.

+ all the fences that surround the construction sites are semi-knocked over and all the people walking by finally get to see what's going on behind those tarped barriers. This leads to the UCLA equivalent of rubber-necking as people walk to class the next morning.

+ all the pretty trees with colorful leaves are barren and spindly-looking the day after.

+ the UCLA grounds maintenence people get to show off their awesomeness & expertise by getting the campus spotless again by ten am the next day.

+ all the girls wear boots and scarves the next morning in preparation for another day of the same. And regret it when it turns out to be a warm 70* instead.

Oh, LA.

Did you know winds reached top speeds of over thirty miles an hour Wednesday night in the area around UCLA? Do you know how long it took me before I worked up the nerve to drive that fast? A long time. The wind has no such worries of crashing into things, I suppose.

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Also, look at these crazy girlies...

Tossing autumn leaves into the air with abandon.

This looks very fall like, just so long as you don't notice the very green grass peeking through the thin layer of fallen leaves...