little ice age
this morning I packed myself four layers deep into my down coat, wool hat pulled low, orange scarf wound tight, eyes watering with the wind blasts at twelve measly degrees above zero. All exposed skin stung like a nettle, but the down coat kept me at a low oven glow (I could have used some Pu-238 sock warmers though, no?). On the walk to the bus stop I thought about my other winter coat, the ski jacket I never wear because I don't ski nor do any other winter sports, for that matter. My idea of winter sports is sitting in an outdoor hot tub; hair all icy-frozen, body all snug and warm, nose somewhere in between.
So I'm thinking about that coat and how it's kind of a waste: it gets used maybe once per winter. I should do something with that coat, I think, wear it more or give it away. It's one of those thoughts that reoccurs at intervals and never gets acted upon until the next time. I should do something with that coat. Yeah.
This afternoon, walking back from the bus stop (inexplicably, into the wind both directions), I noticed a young guy up ahead of me walking backwards to protect himself from the cold, which wasn't surprising considering all he was wearing were a sweatshirt, ragged sweatpants and thin, worn canvas sneakers. I couldn't believe it. I'm freezing my face off and this guy has no coat or gloves or hat whatsoever. I resolve to walk faster. This could be the perfect solution to the coat problem.
But I get closer and he doesn't look homeless. Hell, most of the homeless guys here are prepared for winter--well, as best they can anyways. Snowmobile suits and whatnot. This guy just looks like an overly poor college student. So how to approach it? Just straight-up ask him if he needs a coat? Or is that too presumptuous and patronizing?
"Jeez, it's crazy cold, isn't it?"
"It wouldn't be too bad, 'cept for the wind."
"Um...do you...do you need a coat, 'cause..."
"No I'm cool. I choose not to wear one."
"Huh. Yeah, okay. Well, I just figured, I've got an extra..."
he repeated the former. so he didn't need a coat. Or maybe he did, I dunno. Who chooses not to wear a coat when it's twelve degrees and windy enough to freeze florida? I hope he didn't need one.
So I'm thinking about that coat and how it's kind of a waste: it gets used maybe once per winter. I should do something with that coat, I think, wear it more or give it away. It's one of those thoughts that reoccurs at intervals and never gets acted upon until the next time. I should do something with that coat. Yeah.
This afternoon, walking back from the bus stop (inexplicably, into the wind both directions), I noticed a young guy up ahead of me walking backwards to protect himself from the cold, which wasn't surprising considering all he was wearing were a sweatshirt, ragged sweatpants and thin, worn canvas sneakers. I couldn't believe it. I'm freezing my face off and this guy has no coat or gloves or hat whatsoever. I resolve to walk faster. This could be the perfect solution to the coat problem.
But I get closer and he doesn't look homeless. Hell, most of the homeless guys here are prepared for winter--well, as best they can anyways. Snowmobile suits and whatnot. This guy just looks like an overly poor college student. So how to approach it? Just straight-up ask him if he needs a coat? Or is that too presumptuous and patronizing?
"Jeez, it's crazy cold, isn't it?"
"It wouldn't be too bad, 'cept for the wind."
"Um...do you...do you need a coat, 'cause..."
"No I'm cool. I choose not to wear one."
"Huh. Yeah, okay. Well, I just figured, I've got an extra..."
he repeated the former. so he didn't need a coat. Or maybe he did, I dunno. Who chooses not to wear a coat when it's twelve degrees and windy enough to freeze florida? I hope he didn't need one.
random bits cobbled together by j-dub
4 Comments:
I left a comment on an old post of yours. Not sure if you read those, so I put it here too:
I'd never heard of her before. This music is brilliant. Reminds me some of the Sallyangie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDATlGQmOHU
.....What do you recommend the most?
Yeah. We get that here with college students who are too cool to dress appropriately for the weather. I'm so glad I'm old enough not to have to front.
dmarks, I'd never heard Sallyangie before. It sounds so time-appropriate, and I'm not even exactly sure what I mean by that but it's meant to be good. I bet Joanna Newsom has heard them, though.
As far as her albums go, I only have Ys, so I can't speak for the rest. I like it, though as I said it took me a while. The songs are very long--abstract tales of fantasy and mystery.
J: Sallyangie is a curiosity, pretty much. Some kids fiddling around with recording equipment.
I think the music is quite wonderful, also "abstract tales of fantasy and mystery.". But it is quite obscure, and seems to only be sought out by completists looking for everything Mike Oldfield ever did.
You ought to try his music, too. His "Incantations" is probably the best abstract tale of fantasy I have ever heard, but it does not have much in the way of lyrics.
If you like complex soaring instrumental epics, then Oldfield might be for you.
The other person in the Sallyangie duo was Mike's sister Sally, who has had a successful career on her own.
I will look for Ys.
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