In the midst of winter

[Aquarius]

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, we're in the thick of winter. Oh boy.....

Is it just me, or does this seem to be one of the most dull and boring times of the year? You really can't do too much, it's too cold to go outside, really can't drive anywhere because the roads are too bad.....so you're stuck at home doing nothing at all.

This is really depressing. Seriously, I have absolutely no motivation to really do anything right all......I'm really looking forward to Spring and warmer weather, how about you?? lol :D

[MountainDewNut]

I always hated winter. This year isn't as bad though. We haven't had a whole lot of snowfall an it's been in the +20's most of the time.

[JunoJIm]

How ironic, I just answered your other post, Aquarius, and said "spring is coming", which is true... keep warm up there, it's just around the corner !!!

[PtTe2]

When I was 20 or so, I realized that, during the winter, most folks felt as you do Aqarius. I also noticed that, I too, felt a bit hum-drum due to the lack of activity. I then became fascinated by the prpopensity of human beings to be terribly dependent on fossil fuel for warmth, food and most other things. For the sake of the species (and at the time, for my own financial sake :)), I decided to try and live using less energy. I was riding mass transit in St. Louis, at the time, and that sometimes required long waits, standing outside, year 'round. Therefore, I began to dress warmer, using layers of cloths. I realized how rediculously hot Americans, in general, keep their homes and places of business. I thought to my own self :) If we could all wear more appropriate clothing, we could reduce our energy consumption immensly! I quickly became intolerant of people who wear short sleeved shirts in winter. I then saw young folks wearing sandals, walking in snow!!!!!! I understood why some people see Americans as bodacious fools and why they were angered by our "modus operandi". Around the same time, I also realized that I can do nothing to make you do as I wanted, or as I thought, therefore, I began to "set an example" by dressing appropriately, during the winter. Also around this time, I developed a strong desire to be helpful to my "neighbors". There was a mission in St. Louis called the New Life Christian Evangelistic Center, run by a fella named Larry Rice. Mr. Rice wore only cloths that were from donations given to the center and he preached from a pulpit made of old wood, gathered from trash dumps, etc. He ran quite an extensive place (and still does! Thank God). Now, I'm not a Christian, and I don't want to be, and I don't believe in Religion, as it has always brought more Bad than Good to humanity. (SEE the Middle East, currently) However, I do believe in God and also wish to be a part of my society and help my neighbors whenever I can. So ........ I voluntered for "Operation Weather Rescue" (St. Louis was having a particularly cold winter that year) which was run out of the St. Louis Disaster Operations Office. It was here that I was introduced to Larry Rice. When the "operation" was ended, I received a plaque from the Mayor, bla, bla, bla. The next winter, I looked to Larry Rice for an oportunity to continue this work. I found that there are many homeless people, and that there are people who own houses, and live in them, that have no heat! I found people freezing to death (elderly) and alerted medical people to come and take them to the hospital. I "winterized" their homes using plastic sheeting and such and delivered blankets and space heaters. All the while, instead of talking about Jesus Christ (Larry wanted me to do that, I left that to my partner, the Christian), I spoke to the people about how to dress and take care of their cloths, so that they could derive the most warmth from them. I told them (and showed them ..... behave :D) how I layered my own cloths. I held their little, freezing children and smiled and petted them and assured them that, all was well, and that all would be OK. (God, what rewarding thing to do). All this time, I didn't have much to eat, and only had second-hand cloths, too. I found that by buying cloths at second-hand stores, I also contributed to the "solution" of over-use of energy. Anyhow, my point is this: (as a multitude of voices swell up from the rear ..."Thank God, Pt, for getting to the point":))
If you hate the cold, and don't want to go out in it; then Go Out In It. If you are affraid of Black people, or Asian people or Native Americans; go find some Black people, Asian people or Native American people and spend some time with them, until you are no longer affraid of them. Whatever it is that you hate, or dislike or are affraid of; go do that thing. You will find that, "It" isn't so big and bad as you may have thought. People and places are not as frightenong as you may have believed.

Winter is just as wonderful as summer, It's all in how You Choose to spend your limited time, here on Earth.

L&P TAP

and, of course, if all else fails ...... You can play Tomb Raider all winter. :D

[CatSuit&Ponytail]

Well, PtTe2, you said all the right things, and it seems you did them too. :) I seem to agree with a lot you just typed. Nicely done.


I love winter....but I hate being cold, hehehe ;) ...Ask my husband, my hands are almost always colder than the room's temperature. Explain the physics of that. :D

Going to play some TR now....maybe. ;)

[Deekman]

I don't mind a bit of a chill in the air, but I don't like bitter freezing.
I'm fine until it gets under 20°. I love the snow, but I don't ski.
My wife also tends to have a lower than usual body temp, CS&P.
She's always complaing that she's cold when I'm am quite warm.
Sometimes I tease her about being a reptile woman (come up and see her some time, one slim dime, one tenth of a dollar) who needs to bask
on a rock in the tropics. Actually, she'd like that very much.
I was born on the first day of Winter. Maybe that's when it doesn't bother me.

[Munin the Raven]

When you're used to nightly windchills below -30F and daily highs of 0F or lower without windchill, it's actually quite comfortable to wear T-shirts in temperatures that are just below freezing. I know several individuals who wear shorts and sandals in temperatures around 20F, and they never complain about the cold, and don't even shiver. They're simply not cold enough at those temperatures to wear so called "winter gear".

I don't like being in an indoor environment that's heated much higher than 60F (that's enough!). If I'm cold I wear more clothes. Oil and electricity are expensive, and wood requires more effort and isn't an infinite resource either.

DEEKMAN, women on average have less circulation in their limbs than men do (it's more focused on their core for child-bearing reasons), so your scenario is quite common.

[TombRaiderChik]

well.... the snow isnt as depressing as the rain (unless its summer and you're running outside in it ;) ). i enjoy the snow because its very pretty and relaxing, but i LOATH the cold weather and i hate it when the snow looks yucky w/ sand and other crap. i also dont like wearing jackets and long sleeved shirts. i cannot wait till spring and summer so i can wear shorts and tank tops again and get a tan! im so pale! :p

but there is a lot you can do in the winter! like ice skating, sledding (always fun sleeding down a hill on a cookie sheet :D) and skiing or snowboarding :) thats the only reason why i like winter! i love to skii!

winter will be over before you know it and then the leaves will finally start to come back on the trees and all the snow will melt. :)

[L Croft]

winter is good because i don't get sunburnt

[Polar_Andromeda]

I love all seasons b/c there is just sth indescribably beautiful about each and they all have something that makes me very happy.
Winter has the ability to completely change the landscape and to turn such simple things as a few drops of morning dew into crystallized wonders. The weather is also gloomy most of the time and everything is dead, which I tend to like for some odd reason. It's a comforting feeling to go to sleep at night while hearing the cold rain beating against your window and knowing that there's no way that that coldness can get to you cos you're snug and warm in your bed.
Then there's spring. Nothing lifts my spirit better than to be able to feel the fresh sunshine all around me and to be able to breathe that revitalizing, cool spring air that only springtime brings. And the best thing is the flowers! They're just all around you and you can't help but feel happy and free.
Summer is, for the most part, my least favorite of all seasons. It's just that I hate feeling hot and sticky and having my brain feeling groggy cos of the excessive heat. The good thing about the summertime, though, is that I can go to the beach and the lake and not freeze my a$$ off! And feeling the sun kiss my skin while laying on the warm sand is yet another wonderful summer experience. One more thing I love about summer: sitting outside in the evening when the world is about to turn dark and telling ghost stories w/ my friends and family while drinking sweet summer drinks and looking at the fireflies.
Autumn always gives me a feeling of impending doom, probably b/c everything is about to die. :confused: I love it, nonetheless, just as much as I love the others. It's fun to watch the trees in your backyard and everywhere else adopt the year's new fashions. :D

[Eddy Bones]

I don't mind the Minnesota winter even if its like 10 below out when I wake up. I'll still walk 4 miles for comic books. And I'm creating my own comic book in my spare time, along with various Photoshop projects. Then I have endless amounts of homework to do. I can always study Japanese if I can't find anything else to do. And sometimes its fun to just sit and think meditatively while looking at the snow. So I don't mind winter at all, although I do prefer summer over winter.

[Aquarius]

This is kinda funny. So one day, I'm complaining about how it gets really depressing in the winter with the snow blah blah blah....The very next day I get a college registration form, and consider this college, in Wisconsin, where there is on average 7 inches of snow during the winter everyday.....lol Ironic isn't it? lol

[PtTe2]

Originally posted by Aquarius
This is kinda funny. So one day, I'm complaining about how it gets really depressing in the winter with the snow blah blah blah....The very next day I get a college registration form, and consider this college, in Wisconsin, where there is on average 7 inches of snow during the winter everyday.....lol Ironic isn't it? lol

Superior or Stevens Point? ;)

[SpyroDragon]

Well, ya know. I hate this bazarro cold myself. I however never gotten the flu, or any sickness like most of others I know. Sometimes I step out not wearing a coat just to get something from the car or mailbox. It is tough. I hate cold. But, I'm brave to face it. Don't worry. The heat will be coming.

[djswayts2]

bring on the heat. it is too cold outside. i hate it honestly. i only go outside when i go to work and other necessary places.

[Aquarius]

Originally posted by PtTe2
Superior or Stevens Point? ;)

Beloit University. :) It sounds like it'd be a really great place to go to college at....just need a scholarship to go there.....seeing how it's almost $29,000 a year and that's not including more money for going out of state.

I'm looking forward to summer, and tanning! :D lol I love being able to lay out on our deck and tan all day. :) Ah, the warmth of the sun....where does it go in the winter??? :p

[TombRaiderChik]

u can always go to a tanning salon :rolleyes: i call them "cancer in a box"

im always trying to get a tan in the summer :D but i usually dont get tanned much, saddly. im italian too and im so pale and dont tan!!

[Racinlady]

I am beating the winter blues. Tomarrow going down to Dilions beach camping :) Going fishing and crabbing

[PtTe2]

Originally posted by Aquarius
Beloit University. :)

Well, I have a good friend that went there. I didn't realize they had changed their name to "University"? I suppose many schools are doing that.

Meine kleine schwesteren (<---forgive this debauchery) now attends one of the Illinois Universities just below where you'd be. She's in DeKalb. I mentioned Superior because I went to Uof M, Duluth for a little while. I mentioned Steven's Point because that's where the mother of my daughter went. :D Too much info? :)

[Eddy Bones]

Ah, the good ol' U of M in Duluth. I know a lot of people that go there, my cousin being one of them. I, though, will be going to the one in Minneapolis.

[PtTe2]

Hey Gandalf
If I had it my way, I think I would make Duluth or just NE of Duluth (along the North Shore) my home. :(

[Eddy Bones]

I actually wish I lived up by Duluth. I live about 20 minutes to the south of the Twin Cities though. We used to go up to Duluth every summer for a few days before we went farther north to camp. Its incredible standing atop the hills and looking out over the water. The U of M in Duluth would be great, but it would be a bit inconvenient for me to go there:( It would be so awesome to wake up every morning and look out the window to see (after the fog clears, of course) ships coming and going from the harbors...

[Aquarius]

Originally posted by PtTe2
Well, I have a good friend that went there. I didn't realize they had changed their name to "University"? I suppose many schools are doing that.

Meine kleine schwesteren (<---forgive this debauchery) now attends one of the Illinois Universities just below where you'd be. She's in DeKalb. I mentioned Superior because I went to Uof M, Duluth for a little while. I mentioned Steven's Point because that's where the mother of my daughter went. :D Too much info? :)

I looked again, and I guess it is Beloit College. :p My error. ;)

It's so strange for me to see a U of M, and then not have it followed by Flint or Ann Arbor. lol :p I need to remember, there are other states out there that start with an M besides Michigan. :D lol

[PtTe2]

Originally posted by Aquarius

It's so strange for me to see a U of M, and then not have it followed by Flint or Ann Arbor. lol :p I need to remember, there are other states out there that start with an M besides Michigan. :D lol

I've lived in three states in the last 41 years: Missouri, Minnesota and Montana. :confused: Weird, eh? I wnet to the U of M - Rolla and the U of M - Duluth. :confused: That's even weirder!:eek:

Is weirder a word? :D (Wow, I just re-read what I wrote. I don't like the looks of that 41! :()

And Beloit could've changed their name. Webster College in St. Louis as well as Maryville College in Northwestern Missouri have both gone "University". I thought it was the chique thing to do? :rolleyes: