The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway?

It's officially Winter here in Australia, and I could not be happier.

I view June 1st, the first 'official' calendar date of Winter, with the same level of joy that others view Christmas Day, their birthdays, Halloween, Eid-el-Fitr. or any number of other religious, cultural, or personal holidays.

I am excited for it.

I remark certain events leading up to Winter as special moments. The first hoodie/light jacket day. The first heavy coat day. The first scarf or gloves day. Flannelette and fleece sheet day. The first yelp of surprise when the toilet seat is cold. March first (first day of Autumn), June first (first day of Winter).

I don't like being cold, any more than I like swimming in ball soup every Summer, but I like Winter because it is the opposite of Summer, a season I entirely loathe. Winter has its complexities that Summer does not; it's easier to pop down to the convenience store for some milk when you just need a t-shirt, shorts, and a pair of thongs, whereas in Winter you need to consider shoes, pants, outer layers, and potentially an umbrella.

Going to the pub and working out layers is also a pain in the arse, as is getting my clothes dried each weekend.

But I love Winter over Summer for one simple reason: it's easier to warm up in Winter than it is to cool down in Summer.

When it's already high twenties (Celsius) at 5:30am, promising to me mid-forties by midday, I won't have slept well. My sheets will be wet from sweat. I'll need to put the a/c on at 6am and have it cranked when I get home. I have to wear long trousers to work, and the a/c there is spotty at best, and goes out every year. The bus trips to and from work are hellacious to bear.

Contrast that to wonderful Winter, and you can easily just keep layering. Bed too cold, slap on a lamb's wool underlay. Upgrade to flannelette sheets. Upgrade to polar fleece sheets. Slap on some socks or pyjamas.

Too cold out of bed? I got trackies, fleece trackies, fleece slippers, a whole variety of jumpers and hoodies, scarves, gloves. Worst case, a heater.

Too cold outside? I'll step out of the house with a fleece hoodie, a jacket, scarf, gloves, watchcap, and be toasty warm.

Let's hope the 'global cooling' conspiracy spewed out by climate change denialists is the one piece of bullshit that rings true.