Like a lot of North America in recent weeks, it's been pretty hot where I live. As we know, we Canadians love to talk about our weather, and this has just been added fodder. The first words my husband says every night when he gets home? "Man, it's hot out there!" To which I usually reply, "It's summer. It's supposed to be hot!". Yes, I know...clever, right?
But even I have to admit..it's been HOT.
I have a friend who lives in the US. We email once in awhile. The other day he sent me an email asking how I was doing. Among other things, I mentioned it had been pretty hot lately, and that in fact it was supposed to reach a high of 36 degrees that afternoon. "That's nothing" he wrote back. "It's going to get as high as 98 here today!"
I couldn't help laughing at him....as in LOL. "You idiot", I wrote back, "that's the exact same thing!" LOL
He claimed he didn't speak metric.
It got me thinking. I can still remember when we were forced to learn the metric system in school. Around Grade 8 I think it was. I get why the country changed, and it makes sense. And for the most part, I adopted it and over time managed to adjust how I perceive measurements, but some were definitely easier than others. Litres? No problem. Just pass me that 2L bottle of Coke please! Kilometres? Piece of cake. In fact, when I was driving recently in the US, my directions were in miles so I was mentally recalculating between them and my SUV's odometer the whole time so I'd know when a turn or exit was coming up.
Temperature is one thing I have never really adjusted to though. I understand it. But to this day, when I hear on the news that it is going to be 20 degrees outside, my brain automatically does the conversion. "Oh, 68 degrees, nice."
I don't even think about it really, my brain just does it all on its own. Its like the Celsius numbers just don't mean anything to me.
But if you think about it, Fahrenheit just sounds way more exciting. I mean, 36 degrees? Whatever. But 98? Man, that's hot. You could fry an egg on the sidewalk on a day like that!!
See what I mean?
And it works the other way too. When the weather man tells me it's minus 20 outside, do I wear a scarf? A toque? My extra insulated fuzzy dog walking mittens? But if I do the math in my head and realize it's really 4 below zero (F) outside, well, that's your tongue getting stuck to the steel bus stop post kind of day. It's cold out there!!
I think I'm going to start a movement. It will be led by people like me, forty somethings who never quite warmed up to the whole Celsius thing. You can keep your kilometres, and your grams and litres but we will demand Fahrenheit back!! It's just sounds better!
But even I have to admit..it's been HOT.
I have a friend who lives in the US. We email once in awhile. The other day he sent me an email asking how I was doing. Among other things, I mentioned it had been pretty hot lately, and that in fact it was supposed to reach a high of 36 degrees that afternoon. "That's nothing" he wrote back. "It's going to get as high as 98 here today!"
I couldn't help laughing at him....as in LOL. "You idiot", I wrote back, "that's the exact same thing!" LOL
He claimed he didn't speak metric.
It got me thinking. I can still remember when we were forced to learn the metric system in school. Around Grade 8 I think it was. I get why the country changed, and it makes sense. And for the most part, I adopted it and over time managed to adjust how I perceive measurements, but some were definitely easier than others. Litres? No problem. Just pass me that 2L bottle of Coke please! Kilometres? Piece of cake. In fact, when I was driving recently in the US, my directions were in miles so I was mentally recalculating between them and my SUV's odometer the whole time so I'd know when a turn or exit was coming up.
Temperature is one thing I have never really adjusted to though. I understand it. But to this day, when I hear on the news that it is going to be 20 degrees outside, my brain automatically does the conversion. "Oh, 68 degrees, nice."
I don't even think about it really, my brain just does it all on its own. Its like the Celsius numbers just don't mean anything to me.
But if you think about it, Fahrenheit just sounds way more exciting. I mean, 36 degrees? Whatever. But 98? Man, that's hot. You could fry an egg on the sidewalk on a day like that!!
See what I mean?
And it works the other way too. When the weather man tells me it's minus 20 outside, do I wear a scarf? A toque? My extra insulated fuzzy dog walking mittens? But if I do the math in my head and realize it's really 4 below zero (F) outside, well, that's your tongue getting stuck to the steel bus stop post kind of day. It's cold out there!!
I think I'm going to start a movement. It will be led by people like me, forty somethings who never quite warmed up to the whole Celsius thing. You can keep your kilometres, and your grams and litres but we will demand Fahrenheit back!! It's just sounds better!
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