It’s possible that I may be a minority of one, but I am totally jealous of what’s happening on the East Coast of the United States.

As I sit at my desk, watching the non-stop coverage of the "Blizzard of the Century," I find myself wishing that we were getting this kind of storm.

Mind you now, this is coming from a guy who once collapsed while shoveling snow but survived. It wasn’t a heart attack, although nobody ever figured out what it was.

Here are the top 10 reasons I wish the blizzard was here:

1. Slowing down

In a world that seems to be rushing along, day and night, everything comes to a stop. There are almost no cars or buses on the road. No airplanes flying overhead. It’s quiet except for the sound of snow blowers doing their thing. You don’t have to rush anywhere, because there is nowhere to rush.

2. The natural beauty

The beauty is virtually unmatched. People talk all the time about how beautiful Wisconsin is in the fall with all the colors. But I’ll take the state either during or right after a huge snowfall. Take a look above at the picture of my backyard for proof.

3. An attitude change

People seem a lot friendlier. When you are out walking or carefully driving somewhere, you help people. If you are at a four-way stop, you wave the other guy ahead before you go. If someone is trying to cross a street, you give them a hand. If you see someone trying to get a car out of a parking spot, you stop and help with a push or some sand or whatever. If you’re in a checkout line at the grocery store, you tell the lady behind you to go first. No reason. Just because. It's almost as if you have found some kind of religion.

4. It’s the best way to get stuck somewhere

There is almost no better time to sit in a bar or restaurant and sip a cocktail and nibble on some appetizers. It’s a great way to meet new people since we are all in this thing together. Someone is going to buy you a drink, and you will pay it forward.

5. Child-like glee

Kids! Kids outside in their front yards. Building two snow forts for the snowball war. Or building a snowman. Or, my favorite, watching kids with shovels building a mountain down which they can slide in their own yard. Their cheeks are red, their noses are rosy and they are having the kind of fun all us adults wish we could have.

6. Busting out a nice fire

The fire during a snowstorm is special. A lot of us have fireplaces, and we build fires at all times – as long as it’s cold outside. But nothing matches a fire when there is a blizzard outside. On those days, it really seems like a necessity, and you are in touch with your inner pioneer.

7. Local TV fun

Local television news, which I think is rarely worth the time, is perfect entertainment. They will treat the storm as if it’s the end of the world, and you’ll have almost non-stop amusement. Plus, you’ll see all around your town and in a lot of places you actually know, and see how snowbound they are.

8. Catching up on TV

Binge watching something on TV is a perfect way to pass the time. Once you get tired of local TV news, you can cuddle up and watch the last seven episodes of "Mozart in the Jungle" or "Homeland."

9. Digging through the pantry

Making do with what you have can be a remarkably satisfying experience. If you are one of those who didn’t go to the store to stock up on stuff, you are stuck with what you’ve got. It may not be perfect, but with a little imagination and kosher salt, you can create something you’ve never had before. How about smoked oysters sauteed in a red wine reduction and crusted with grated parmesan and served on Frito scoops? Sounds great, huh?

10. A chance to do some good

Finally, it’s an opportunity to do nice stuff. You could go check on a neighbor. You could shovel around a fire hydrant. You could wait until the plows come through and then go out and help someone shovel all the snow away from their driveway while you both curse at the city. You could tell your kids to come in out of the snow, see how much fun they are having and then let them go back outside. All kinds of nice stuff.