Rain, Rain

          Living in Southern California means that you don't see a lot of rain. You can tell by the way we drive that water falling from the sky is just not something we see often enough.
​          In recent years, I've seen so little rain that I jump for joy whenever the clouds decide to have mercy on us. There are places in the world that get plenty of rain, which means that the people living there probably aren't too captivated by it, but let us have our moment, okay? 
          El Niño is finally here, but don't you fear Southern California, here are some wonderful things to do in the rain if you're too scared to venture out to far into it. 

• Build a fort. Inside the house, of course. If you're feeling brave, you can build one outside, but your blankets will be smelly later, so tread carefully. Whether you're five or fifty, take the opportunity to bring some nostalgia into your life and crawl under your sheets with your flashlight and a buddy. Books count as buddies. 
• Pitch a tent. You need the waterproof variety for this one. For the slightly more adventurous, sit in your tent with a friend and listen to the rain come down right above your head. Read a book, play a board game, or have a jam session. Everything is more fun when you're almost sitting in the rain. 
• Dance! For the absolutely adventurous, go outside and dance your little heart out! Music optional and partner optional.
• Get down and dirty. This one is not for the faint of heart. Find a group of friends or a group of your favorite kids and take them mud sliding. A trash bag and a hill are all you need to have a wonderful time in the rain. Be the best aunt/uncle/godparent ever.
• Shoot a music video. Funny or serious, who cares! Dramatic rain makes everything better. 

          Go forth and be merry, but please, for the love of all that is good, refrain from the PDA. Nobody wants to see that.