I've never been to any place where there's winter. I've never been to anywhere I could risk getting frostbitten. I've never been to a destination where I need to wear layers upon layers upon layers of clothing just to go out of the house. I've never had Jack Frost nipping at my nose, or anyplace else he can nip.
I think the coldest temperature I've ever experienced was nine degrees Celsius (I don't know the equivalent in Fahrenheit, and I'm too lazy to convert it or even look it up, sorry). That was in the province of Benguet up in the mountains here when I was a lot younger. I'm used to 25-32 degree temperatures (Celsius again) in Manila, so nine was already quite chilly for me.
Last year I was with friends in the same mountain area. Daytime was okay, but when the late afternoon crept in with its icy-cold winds I couldn't help shivering and hugging myself in spite of the extra layer of clothing. It seemed like Jack Frost's sister was in town and was determined to keep everything perky with her icy breath. Fourteen degrees (Celsius) without the wind-chill factor--the temperature when I was there last year--might seem positively tropical to a number of you, but it was already too damn cold for me.
That isn't to say I was miserable. Though I become chilled easily, time spent with friends, laughter all around, and fortification with food and alcohol were more than enough to bring a comforting sense of warmth.
Maybe someday I'll find myself spending some time in a place where the temperature is considerably lower, where I'll need to encase my body in layers and layers of clothing just to step outside the door, where Jack Frost will more than just nip at my nose, ears, and toes, where I'd shiver and quiver like Jell-o in a rambunctious child's hand. Who knows? The world is a big place. Enigmatic, seductive. I'd like to see as much of it as I can in all its 3-D glory (hot and cold) before I call it a night forever.
But please don't let me bite the dust (or frost) all alone in some remote place like the North Pole. My sense of adventure doesn't quite go that far.
I think the coldest temperature I've ever experienced was nine degrees Celsius (I don't know the equivalent in Fahrenheit, and I'm too lazy to convert it or even look it up, sorry). That was in the province of Benguet up in the mountains here when I was a lot younger. I'm used to 25-32 degree temperatures (Celsius again) in Manila, so nine was already quite chilly for me.
Last year I was with friends in the same mountain area. Daytime was okay, but when the late afternoon crept in with its icy-cold winds I couldn't help shivering and hugging myself in spite of the extra layer of clothing. It seemed like Jack Frost's sister was in town and was determined to keep everything perky with her icy breath. Fourteen degrees (Celsius) without the wind-chill factor--the temperature when I was there last year--might seem positively tropical to a number of you, but it was already too damn cold for me.
That isn't to say I was miserable. Though I become chilled easily, time spent with friends, laughter all around, and fortification with food and alcohol were more than enough to bring a comforting sense of warmth.
Maybe someday I'll find myself spending some time in a place where the temperature is considerably lower, where I'll need to encase my body in layers and layers of clothing just to step outside the door, where Jack Frost will more than just nip at my nose, ears, and toes, where I'd shiver and quiver like Jell-o in a rambunctious child's hand. Who knows? The world is a big place. Enigmatic, seductive. I'd like to see as much of it as I can in all its 3-D glory (hot and cold) before I call it a night forever.
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
-from Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, by Robert Frost
But please don't let me bite the dust (or frost) all alone in some remote place like the North Pole. My sense of adventure doesn't quite go that far.
27 comments:
Come out and visit me! We had a little bit of snow this morning and it's already melted now. I'll take you to where you can make snow angels and sled and then warm up and have a beer or six. :)
Ian
You're in Colorado! Cold, snowy place. The snow angels and beer and company sound great, though!
Ahhh I LOVE Robert Frost!!
Ooh... I don't enjoy the cold either... even 22 degrees is enough to make me hunt for a jacket!
That poem is the exact one I used to name my blog :) great post for today!
Lucky you !! I am jalous ! In my opinion you don't miss anything ! automn and winter is just awful and I wish I could skip these seasons, lol ! And don't be sorry about Celius° the whole world uses it except the USA !
Can you expand on the 'perky' thing?
Turnbaby: Somehow that doesn't surprise me.
Terra: Great to find another comrade-in-goosebumpy-arms.
Bridget: Indeed it is, I remember your blog very well. Thanks!
Gattina: But I'd still like to see and feel what those seasons are like for myself...and then I can righteously complain about them. :-)
DaddyP: Sure. Nipples.
stick with the sunshine lizza (that's my plan too)
i don't go either with that winter..i just love to see pictures of winter get up and snows.have a great week ahead.
mine is up now.
been trying to leave comments but blogger has been acting up on me lately...the comment box just keeps on flashing w/o loading up...(na-get mo?...don't worry kung hindi, i'm not much of a technical glitch explainer)
i actually wanted to leave a comment on your glorietta tragedy post.
you know when you turn on the telly for the 6o'clock news and get bombarded with iraq, middle east images of bombardment and genocide on a nearly day to day basis, you just can't help but become desensitized by it all. I don't like feeling that way but it's just one o'those things that you can't do much about...your world has to keep on turning for one reason or another...you switch on to automatic pilot...you even feel guilty sometimes for feeling and experiencing joy in life when the rest of the world seems to be experiencing nothing but pain & sorrow.
but glorietta is too close to home. It is home, and I was just there a coupla weeks back. I've friends' w/ their families who were there when it happened. It did strike a chord.
I just left a comment on HB's post on the same topic. I don't question, I'm too insignificant I believe to ask the why's and how's...I have no religious convictions, no faith to risk losing, I just go along and to an extent accept...these are all waay bigger than me & my understanding. I try to make do and take us much pleasure in what this life has to offer me. For it will all end much too soon.
Still, sometimes, you can't help but stick your middle finger up to who/whatever's responsible for all these, while you wipe the tears off your cheeks.
Great MM post! Don't let anyone talk you into the idea that cold weather is a good thing. Everyone would live in Tahiti-like weather 365 days a year if they had the option to do so...
Frost made me think of the Winter Olympics for some reason. My MM post focuses on some little known factoids about the frosty olympics!
peace, Villager
Tignan lang natin kung hindi ka sipunun nyan. =)
Nursemyra: Looks like that's what I'll be doing.
NM: Indeed. I don't know what the hell people are thinking. Buti na lang wala ka na dito when that happened. Mall rat ka pa naman.
Villager: I guess I need to experience sub-zero temperatures to fully appreciate what I have right now. :-)
HB: Ay, totoo yan. Sipunin pa naman ako. :-)
Very nicely said! :)
Great job on MM.
Let me help...(I cheated and used the web to find a conversion chart):
9C = 48.2F
28C (avg 25-32)= 82.4F
14C = 57.2F
My good deed for the day....hehehehehehehe
It is amazing how we aclimate to our living conditions. For us 9C is just a brisk morning and we seldom get snow in Tacoma so there are places where it gets much, much colder.
Loved it. Very well done for Mo's word this week. Have a great MM. :)
CWM: Thank you. Have a great day too.
Bond: Haha, thanks! And may the forces that be shine their (warm) light upon you for this deed.
Jamie: Indeed. 9C is brisk for you, it's well into the unnervingly cold for me.
Sandee: Thanks! Happy MM to you too.
Hahahaha, "like Jell-o in a rambunctious child's hand" best description of shivering EVER!
Bond beat me to it, I was going to look up the Fahrenheit equivalents too! Great post and happy MM!:)
I would have looked it up for you too.
I enjoy cold winters and mild summers. I did my time in the hot and muggy.
Happy MM!
I just had to go to a conversion chart to see what sort of temperatures you were tlaking about. And I had to giggle at the idea of you shivering at 57 degrees. Still, I much prefer warm weather myself, and I'm happiest at about 80 (26-27 to you). But the days that top 100 here(38) are a bit much for me.
Man, I'm pretty good with that chart.
Without the seasons, people become relatively langorous and predictable. Also, diseases don't die out and you get them and then get on a plane and give them to us.. @#$%#$%$#!!
Christy: Haha, thanks!
Mert: Thanks, hope you had a great one too.
Trav: Fresh snow just looks so serene--at least in the pictures and movies.
CS: Indeed you are. Giggle away, haha.
Scott: *sniffle sniffle* OK, I didn't just sneeze on you.
you're always welcome to come visit us in Ohio in January! Although I get chilled easily, I actually love winter. The colder the better. That's why I like living in Ohio. Hot summers AND cold winters. Makes me feel rugged and butch. :-)
This past week the lows were in the mid 30's. Fahrenheit. That would be in the low single digits Celcius.
I absolutely HATE it when it gets cold.
Delhi gets rather cold in winter. Once the temp actually fell to 0 deg cent.
I haven't seen a snowfall though.
there i go, rambling. It's winter already, you can tell.
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