Alex's Alliterative Adventures

Thoughts on Programming, Life, and Travel

Canadian winter

I like winter way better than I do summer. Snowmen, tobogganing, and hot cocoa all bring a smile to my face. While beaches, shorts, and sunlight are all very nice, the summer heat can be totally unbearable. Winter’s chill can always be forgotten by throwing on another sweater and sliding a bit closer to the fire, but when you’ve already taken 3 icy showers and it’s not even 10am, September just can’t come soon enough.

My weekend in Windsor with Wes reminded me of the downsides of winter. I spent most of the poker game (with Captain Bee) whining about how I forgot to pack a sweater while wearing a winter jacket. Everyone made sure to bundle up tightly before leaving to ensure that they survived the trip home. Although it was only -15°C outside (for the yanks: 3°F), the windchill was down to -30°C (-22°F). I guess we were lucky, though. Tonight Thunder Bay has a windchill warning of -47°C (FUCKING COLD). Our winds were only blowing at around 50km/h, whereas some cities in Northern Ontario had to hold fast against gusts of 110km/h. The cold provided some comfort, though: I was more numb to the pain of my poker loses.

I also had my first glimpse of Vista this weekend. While the translucent borders were cool and the spotli– er, Instant Search seemed snappy, I can only review the one feature I spent enough time with to make my comments valid: the games. Inkball is a hybrid of jezzball, pool, and (for the mac fans) breakout. It could be cool if playing the game didn’t amount to an experience similar to playing mspaint. I can only presume that Purble Place is Microsoft’s attempt at offering family-friendly fun, but if I had a 4-year old that found amusement in baking cakes, they wouldn’t be getting a Vista upgrade, they’d be getting a quick lesson in operating an oven, a little praise, and a book full of recipes for daddy’s favourite pastries.

13 comments

13 Comments so far

  1. Grandma February 5th, 2007 10:22 am

    Does this mean that Thunder Bay will have a “baby boomer” period in November

  2. Captain Bee February 5th, 2007 9:30 pm

    Alex, you’re a champ. At least you got some free cookies and an interesting sidenote on wine gums out of the game, right?

  3. Alex February 6th, 2007 8:12 am

    No more than usual. A sizeable chunk of Thunder Bay is off the power grid, so they presumably find other ways to amuse themselves on a daily basis.

    It was a good game and a good night. I just look at my poker losings as a cost of entry, like the cover at a club. I just hope to one day earn my cover back.

  4. Felix February 8th, 2007 5:56 am

    I share your thoughts about winter. I can’t stand all the sweat in summer, when it is to warm outside to even move. But anyway, the good side is that I don’t have to move to much, when I am working at the computer. Compared to for example roadmen, who have to work in 40°C+, that’s pure luxury. Air conditioners make you feel better but on the expenses of health and stupid energy waste and pollution.

    How would I love to have a real harsh, chilly winter what we have in Lund is more a joke, if weather is cold we have up to -5°C during the night but almost always a few degree above zero during the day.

    Your thoughts about the Vista-games make me laugh, I am happy not to be your 4-year old child while I am sure you would have enjoyed the Vista-upgrade at this age 🙂

    The thought from your Grandma about the baby boom shows her experience in life 🙂

  5. Nina February 8th, 2007 6:56 am

    Why did I expect that computer scientist don’t like summer? At least you two surprise me by recognizing any difference in climate at all… 😉

    Geeeeeeks… hihi

  6. Grandma February 8th, 2007 9:39 am

    To Felix- Without my experience Alex would not be here.

  7. Alex February 9th, 2007 7:50 am

    OH GOD

  8. Nina February 9th, 2007 7:47 pm

    Alex… you should face the facts.

    😀

  9. Grandma February 16th, 2007 8:47 am

    It is now the 16th – Has the winter frozen your hands or your computer or other parts of your body? Perhaps you are still trying to dig yourself out of the snow.

  10. Nina February 18th, 2007 5:31 am

    other parts of your body? what does your grandma mean 😀 ?

  11. Grandma February 20th, 2007 11:23 am

    Nina – I was referring to his nose and ears and what ever is between his ears. The other parts should be well protected

  12. Nina February 22nd, 2007 7:07 am

    Alex’ grandma – something between his ears? hm… I suspected something there but since you told me, it seems proven 🙂

    Alex – protect all parts of your body please… especially the one between your ears.

    And you should answer the comments of your grandma 😛 you should appreciate her caring words a bit more!

    It is snow in Sweden… real snow! And a lot, at least for what I am used to… which is actually rain, maybe sleet 😉 Germans ruin even weather… I wonder which fault this might be… let’s blame computer games and renting porn and try to make a law against it… damn someone else had this idea before me 😀

    27!!! which can be devided by 3. It is a good number but still to big.

  13. Alex February 22nd, 2007 7:42 am

    You guys seem to be answering each other quite well. I figured you had it under kontrol.

    27… it has a nice ring to it.

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