journal features

toronto weather (this ain't miyazaki)

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-eight years and a million words

Toronto, 2011.01.07

This morning I was reminded of an incident last week in Miyakonojo Japan.

My in-laws were remarking at how cold it was. Mari's mum said that she thought that it might snow. I told her (in Japanese) that it was far too warm, and that it must be about 10°C. Her dad checked on the car's thermometer and sure enough it was 9°.

Today, as I trudged to work in the grey dawn gloom, I thought that it must be about -10°. I saw a temperature read-out and was right. It was only when I got to the office that it occurred to me that it was some 20° colder than the 'cold' weather my family had been complaining about.

I'd like to make the most of the weather, somehow. I think a cross-country skiing episode might be fun but with two of us being new to snow and my feet being too large for boots I suspect it's beyond us for now. But I am looking forward to a snow-shoeing trip in High Park next month.

rand()m quote

One day you will take a fork in the road, and you're going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go. If you go one way, you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to turn your back on your friends. But you will be a member of the club and you will get promoted and get good assignments. Or you can go the other way and you can do something [...] for yourself. If you decide to do something, you may not get promoted and get good assignments and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors. But you won't have to compromise yourself. To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That's when you have to make a decision. To be or to do.

—John Boyd, US Air Force