Lessons from Winter

It is starting to get warm. I no longer have to use my extra heater in order to be warm at night. And Sunday I had learned that I would no longer need layers in order to keep warm.

A couple of days ago the birds started singing; not the big ones that stay on campus, but the small songbirds. Yesterday I managed to see bugs, which has been a while. While I fear for mosquitos, I am excited for the warm weather.

The cold has taught me many things, and lack of insulation has also helped.

1) I have learned to layer. Layering is useful in so many ways. Three pairs of shirts is never too much.

2) If you are cold, it is totally acceptable to wear a coat while eating. In fact, since the restaurants are rarely heated (or barely heated), it's better that you keep the coat on. This also means that there needs to be a lot of washing of the coat, which is difficult.

3) I somehow made it this winter without gloves. Gloves would have been useful; there were days I'd go into a restaurant and couldn't feel my fingers. That was not useful for chopsticks.

4) Even though my feet would also get cold, two pairs of socks is never a good idea. I will have to purchase warmer socks. Two pairs of socks leaves blisters.

So I am excited for springtime.

(Also I am finding that my students are far too pleased with my brother's picture; they keep talking about how they will wait two years and then they will marry him).