SUNSHINE : (+3)
PRO : Sunshine is enjoying steady consumer satisfaction and popularity. The phenomenon of relatively cloudless skies allowing access to the light emanating from the celestial orb around which the planet Earth revolves is especially popular among Frisbee players, beach-goers, plants that -through a complex biological process known as photosynthesis - rely on said light for survival and prosperity, and people who won't stop complaining about the rain.
CON: If the relative obscurity and box office failure of the Danny Boyle film named for sunshine, "Sunshine", is any indication, then sunshine's popularity may be dwindling. Sunshine is also unpopular among certain demographics, like my friend Dennis.
ABOVE: My friend Dennis
THE HEAT : (+0/-0)
PROS: It's not the heat.
CONS: It's the humidity.
(It's actually both)
COMPLAINING: (+17)
PRO: Complaining - which is considered by many to be one of the most reliable or "bankable" trends on the market - is enjoying a healthy growth period thanks to the inconsistent weather patterns that are customary for this time of year in the Northeastern region of the United States. Complaints enjoy surges both in popularity and enthusiasm this time of year as those who have a yearly habit of forgetting that the weather pretty much always goes straight from winter to summer spend an overwhelming amount of time express their displeasure about the heat/lack of heat/rain/lack of rain. The most common venue for these complaints has traditionally been the workplace, specifically in the "good morning exchange" common to many typical office environments.
As such, Person A might say "Good morning, Person B! How are you this morning?/How was your weekend?/'Sup?". During low-complaint periods, Person B might be expected to respond, "I'm fine/It was fine/Not much. How are you?" However, during high-complaint periods, Person B is 87% more likely to respond, "Uggh...it's so fucking HOT!!! What happened to the spring?!! Blaughgchh...", usually while rolling his or her eyes. It is not recommended that Person A remind Person B that there never really is a "spring" in their particular region of the globe.
But complaining has grown even more popular and pervasive thanks to advances in communication technology, such as Facebook. Now, rather than just complaining when ostensibly invited to do so, an individual may complain to all his or her friends and acquaintances at once via a status update. It is estimated that at least 72% of all status updates during high-complaint periods reference the individual's unfavoring relationship to the weather. Typical status updates at this time include "(Person A) wonders why we had to skip the spring", "(Person A) thinks its (sic) way to goddamn hot out", and "(Person A) is ready for summer to be over already".
Seasonal complaining is boosted and sustained by the persistence of "evergreen" complaints carried over from low and medium-complaint periods, such as those targeting politicians, gas prices, Christians/Atheists/Agnostics, babies, anything to do with cellphones, George Lucas, and people.
CON: A small but steady population of counter-complainers, fond of saying things like, "Hmm...well, why don't you just shut the fuck up and stop complaining?" or "Yeah, that's too bad for you. Hey, did you hear about all those people dying in Africa?" or "Yeah, that's too bad. You know what else is too bad? There's this war going on in Iraq where people are dying violent, horrific deaths for no reason on a daily basis. And also, y'know...cancer and stuff" or "Deal with it" stands as an ever-present threat to complaints. This movement has, however, not witnessed signficant growth or traction since being established to counter the persistence of complaining as a cultural phenomenon, which began in the 1970s.
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