Do I look like a weatherman?

I have been getting more and more emails these days from readers of this blog. For the most part, I welcome these messages (which is why I choose to have my email address posted at all). I have met some interesting people and even made a good friend or two because someone reading this blog decided to contact me.

Usually I get contacted by other expats, or people who are thinking of moving to Zurich and want to know more about my experiences here. Most have turned out to be perfectly nice people, although a couple have turned out to be a little rude, treating me like I’m some sort of government employee obligated to sit here and answer their questions.

Side note: if a stranger goes out of her way to answer some questions for you via email, you owe that stranger at least a simple thank you in a return message. I don’t care if your original message said “thanks in advance”- that doesn’t count. Acknowledge that you received the email, and thank the person for her time. You don’t have to get all gushy or weird about it, but there’s no reason to be rude to someone who just did something nice for you.

Yesterday I received an email from a reader that completely cracked me up. This reader was wondering if I could tell him what the weather is like here. OK, not here, but in Davos. And not now, but during the World Economic Forum. Here’s the thing: if you are contacting me via email, I am going to assume you know how to use the internet, and therefore you are fair game for ridicule if you contact me to ask me to look up something on the internet for you. Google is your friend. I may or may not be.

By the way, in Zurich it is currently overcast and unseasonably warm, with winds coming from every conceivable direction (including, but not limited to, the north, the south, the east, the west, straight up, and straight down). Dangerous storm warnings have been issued for the vast majority of Switzerland for later this afternoon, so get your ass inside. I’m pretty sure a small tree just flew by my window. Or was it a cow? (Did I sound like an authentic weatherman just then? Huh? Huh? My point exactly.)