I used to think it was more dangerous to write music reviews than political editorials. Readers might have hated George W. or Barack, but they didn't seem as violent as folks who took offense if I was critical of a favorite band. Maybe not anymore.

But the only time I ever got what those in the legal profession might call "a death threat" came in a 2003 letter from Switzerland. The correspondent, a woman, expressed a desire to kill me over my review of a Shania Twain concert in the Mohegan Sun Arena. I guess Selma or Astrid or whatever she was called either read my review online or could afford to travel about 4,000 miles to see a show.

Here are the first two paragraphs of that review:

"In an industrial accident Wednesday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena, I fell into the cotton candy machine called the Shania Twain 'Up!' tour and emerged two hours later a gooey mess of critical proportion.

"With her Contrivance-o-Meter spot-welded on 11, the 38-year-old leader of a nine-piece boy band manipulated an all-but-sold-out crowd with about two dozen songs of formulae-calculated pop music heretofore rendered 'country' because Nashville marketing wizards have told us it was/is."

I was amused by the "Rick must die" tone of the note, if only because the complainant was half a world away. Besides, I thought, "DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER!" I was only telling it like it was.

I think about that incident every summer when it gets hot and the worst thing in the world happens: Humidity.

Humidity might be thought of the weather equivalent of passing a kidney stone.

Over the course of my time at The Day, I've met several Connecticut meteorologists including Gil Simmons, Scott Haney, Dr. Mel Goldstein (RIP), and Matt Scott. Each was/is friendly and helpful. In spite of this, if ANY of them suggests an increase in humidity during a forecast, I curse them bitterly, even though — as I was (sorta) doing with Shania — they're just the messengers.

A few thoughts for the meteorologists from a loyal fan:

1. ALWAYS lead with the humidity. Break into regularly scheduled programming to keep me posted.

2. Do not chuckle apologetically when sharing bad news about humidity. It's not YOUR fault. Give it to us straight. We need time to prepare.

3. Pick one or the other: "Dew point" or "humidity." None of us out here know the freakin' difference — just that both suck.

4. Don't be patronizing, either. "Well, it IS summer, heh heh. Whaddya expect?"

5. Y'all get together and form a think tank or do what you must to get rid of humidity. Forever. 

6. If any of you ever forecast high humidity again, I'll kill you. Signed, Astrid.