The Big Freeze

Here we are in the last few days of January and winter, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, is about as cold as it's going to get. Although according to the people in charge of forecasting the weather, that could be about to change — and not for the better. (Topic: Would you enjoy working as a weather forecaster? You'd get a lot of ridicule for all those time when projections don't pan out. On the other hand, algorithms and databases would do most of your job for you.)

The deal is that a weak polar vortex is about to unleash chilly arctic air across about three-fourths of the United States. There's a vortex, or high-level low pressure area, that sits above each of the Earth's poles. When a vortex is strong, frigid polar air stays trapped at the pole. When a vortex is weak, blasts of icy cold air sweep down from the pole on all sides. Bitterly cold air is already gusting through some regions, and the big chill is expected to persist throughout the week.

There's not much reason to be out when the weather is polar vortex-level icy. Instead of chilling out, you be making plans to chill in. (Remember that one movie about the '70s, that was made in the '90s, and was about a storm with lots of ice? Does anyone remember what that movie is called? The point is that the big dramatic climax hits when a kid sneaks out into a deadly winter squall just for the experience and gets electrocuted by a downed power line. Seriously: Stay inside.)

While the weather remains determinedly nippy, don't just sip hot drinks and watch reruns of Star Trek: The Next Generation on Netflix. Like, sure, if that's your thing, then maybe you could check out a couple of episodes. What you should really do, however, is get on your computer and bust out a certification course or two. Or at least, you know, bust out a lesson or two. Just don't let yourself look at the icy cold weather an activity-restricting bummer that's tying you down.

Instead, embrace this as an opportunity to make some serious progress toward achieving your 2019 certification goals. CompTIA just released the newest version of its popular A+ certification for computer technicians. If you've always wanted to give IT a whirl, well, why not start on our A+ certification training today? Put on a sweater and some down booties to keep yourself warm on the outside. The glow of accomplishment and knowledge will keep you warm on the inside.