Yuki ya kon kon

It was on the news last night - reports confirmed Britain is officially 'chanking'.

Edinburgh, and Britain in general, is experiencing a cold snap which the Daily Telegraph said would "freeze the nipples off Satan". Even headlines are affected - "Water bills frozen" said the Mail yesterday. Of course the media circus is loving it, whipping up fury and pointing fingers at this week's scape goats - council workers. Reports are full of words like treacherous, battling, nightmare, arctic. And that's just the BBC. It's a media madness - News programs have actually got something to talk about that people understand, have a view on and doesn't get boring (like Israel / Iran / Afghanistan). Since communication became instant we have developed into needing immediate solutions for all life's questions - we seem to have lost the ability to understand patience and common sense. Why won't the snow just leave us alone?

It's just as well that I work with people who haven't lost their way - an important meeting in Yorkshire yesterday was shelved as soon as things got white. It's not a difficult decision. We'll get back into it. Talking to another client about it all - "Isn't it beautiful?" he said - and hope for the human race was restored. I was getting the train to Glasgow and they were cancelled. Time out for a coffee and if they're not back on in an hour then just leave it and start again tomorrow. A legitimate excuse amidst the ocean of workshy hangover victims who don't clock in Monday mornings at any time of year.

It was interesting to watch a television report from Braemar, where this weather is typical in winter, and a woman joking about not having to go to the gym because she was getting such a good workout from clearing snow - her dog jumping at every shovel load flying through the air. I walked through the city centre at 1am the other night, smiling as it snowed - it was silent and the sounds were numb. By day it's been blue skies. Even at night it's bright with all the white and the full moon. I find this weather not just perfect but exhilarating. I think it's got a lot to do with nature appearing to take over and how I know, deep down, that I'd be a lot happier if that was really the case: no cars, no malls, no phones.

When I lived in Helsinki people used to have jump points at their car park space. They had snow chains. They just got on with it. It was a part of life. In winter in Japan the paraffin van servicing the neighbourhood used to play a kids tune as it went on its way merrily through the snow. There isn't central heating in Japan - they just layer up, get a bar heater and think of the Emperor. In America and on the continent people are obliged to clear their pathways.

The impression you get from the news in Britain is that we stumble out of bed getting angry that (A) it has snowed without anyone asking and we're inconvenienced and (B) no-one has righted the situation before we make it to the garden gate. Perhaps a bout of communal music, clearing our neighbours paths, buying the right equipment and generally tackling the problem head on with a smile should be part of the news as well.