If you are living in Midwest or anyother COLD region in the United States, there is one advice which you will hear from people around you. Dress in Layers. The funda is that, the air between layers of cloth is a better insulator and hence keeps you warm.
Assume that I want to go the next apartment building. In India, just wear a chappal and you are ready to go. In Minneapolis, man, its a different story altogether. The process is something like this.
1. Ull Banian
2. Shirt/TShirt
3. Sweater
4. Jacket
5. Muffler
6. A woolen cap
7. Underwear
8. Thermals
9. Jeans
10. Socks
11. Shoes
By this time, one gets tired and start thinking if its worth all this effort to meet the guy next door? Why not call him up?
Getting dressed in minneapolis, is not a task, its a ritual. I feel like an onion after sometime. To put Layer after Layer of clothing and peel away after the trip. After sometime you dont see people walking around, you see onions. Everyone in layers. There is a philosophy that people are like onions (Sherk 2). Everyone has layer and layer of personality and to know the actual person, one has to peel away these layers and get to know the actual person. In Minneapolis, well this is literally how people are seen around. Like onions. Layers and Layers of clothing. Even after all this, you feel cold and curse the winter. Long live the cold (sigh).
Posted by koda0009 at January 8, 2005 4:24 PMdude, people wear underwear in India too :)) sorry mams, instant kadi joke.
good comparison between onions and people in the mid-west.
to sum it up - YOUR WEATHER SUCKS!
Minneapolis-la yedhu pannaalum philosophical-a irukkae.
"Ull Banian" reference was very funny dude.
Posted by: Pradeep at January 9, 2005 1:27 AMThat is of course, unless after all that, you are invigorated and warm and there is only reason to thank the cold instead of cursing it. Some people climb mountains in Nepal also, and love it. I grew up in Minnesota and lived here for most of my life and am used to it. One of the layers we have learned to wear is acceptance of the conditions we are in. We learn to love the winter, or we would leave I guess.
I also liked your comparison of the layers in the onions to the clothing we wear. Thanks. Also, good luck with your guitar playing!
I second your "winter dress code". Having lived in the NE for four years, I realise that dressing in layers helps tide the cold better than a mammoth jacket.
Posted by: The Last Blogger at January 27, 2005 7:23 PM